Position: Apparel Product Developer
Location: Boulder, CO
Type: Full-time, $68,000 - $82,000
Ripton is a small, fast-moving, performance-denim brand. We are scrappy, rebellious, and rough-around-the-edges.
As the sole Product Developer for Ripton, you will play a pivotal role in driving the execution of our product strategy. Reporting directly to the GM, you will elevate our product line and be part of defining our performance denim category.
Who you are:
You have a proven product development track record in the athletic/outdoor apparel industry or the denim apparel industry. You are looking for an opportunity to fully own the product development process and bring your skill set, energy, and passion into making performance denim you’re excited about.
Ripton has grown to where it is today by being adaptable. We follow an 18-month product calendar and abide by it for the most part. However, if a product isn’t fitting right or the material isn’t where we want it to be, we don’t want to rush it to market. Similarly, if we as a team are excited and inspired by a piece and we want to add it to the line sooner than later, we want to be able to make that happen. While the product calendar is essential for Ripton to scale, our success also hinges on being critical with our assortment. We are looking for a product developer who is comfortable with slowing things down or speeding things up so that the right product hits the market at the right time.
We have two product seasons a year with about 30-40 styles per season – some new, some updated, some carryover, all rad.
Responsibilities:
- Oversee the entire product development lifecycle from concept ideation to commercialization, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to quality standards.
- Fully own tech pack responsibilities – maintain accuracy for BOM, measurement specs, grading, packaging, construction specs, communicate changes to the factory.
- Fully own prototyping process – review samples from P1 to TOP, lead product fittings, track prototype stages, suggest changes to design and materials in order to meet fit intent and margin goals.
- Build seasonal calendars and communicate timelines to factory partners, mills, and internal teams.
- Onboard new factories as we grow and expand.
- Partner closely with designers to maintain sketch accuracy, design, and color hand-off deadlines.
- Partner closely with customer service to collect product feedback to make iterations for future POs.
- Manage product costing to meet margin expectations for all products.
- Establish and maintain strong relationships with suppliers and vendors to source materials, develop trims, negotiate pricing, and ensure on-time delivery of products.
- Develop and maintain an accurate fit guide.
- Anticipate issues in development and production and solve problems in a timely manner.
Experience:
- Backbone PLM or other tech pack software.
- Adobe Illustrator and make design/construction updates.
- 5-7 years of experience in apparel product development and/or design.
- Strong knowledge of garment construction, fabric, finishes, and color.
- Ability to travel to overseas facilities as needed.
- Understanding of denim fabric, construction techniques, denim wash, and manufacturing processes.
- Exceptional communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Salary: $68,000 - $82,000 per year depending on experience.
Candidate must be able to work full-time in Boulder, CO.
Application: Email your resume to with the subject line "Product Developer".
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