Senior Apparel Technical Designer / Product Developer – Streetwear

Senior Apparel Technical Designer / Product Developer – Streetwear

Full Time | Remote | Philippines

Compensation: $1,500–$2,000 USD per month, depending on experience

ABOUT THE ROLE

Starfish Supply Co. is looking for an experienced Apparel Technical Designer / Product Developer who can help take streetwear products from creative concept through tech pack, sampling, revisions, and production approval.

This is not primarily a graphic design position.

We already work with designers who create artwork and initial concepts. We need someone who understands how garments are actually constructed and manufactured and can translate those creative concepts into clear, factory-ready specifications.

You will work closely with our US creative team and our product development and production team in China.

Your strongest expertise should be apparel.

We also develop accessories, plush, toys, jewelry, packaging, and other merchandise. You are not expected to already be an expert in every category. Our China team and factories provide category-specific manufacturing knowledge.

For those products, your role is to understand the creative intent, organize specifications, ask the right questions, identify missing information, and keep development moving.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Apparel Technical Design

• Create and review production-ready tech packs

• Create technical flats in Adobe Illustrator

• Build measurement specifications and size grading

• Define construction details, tolerances, stitching, trims, fabrics, colors, and finishing

• Translate designer mockups into specifications factories can manufacture accurately

• Define artwork placement, sizing, and production requirements

• Identify missing or unclear information before sampling begins

Product Development

• Take products from concept through sampling and production approval

• Review samples and provide clear revision comments

• Compare samples against design intent, measurements, references, and approved specifications

• Identify construction, fit, material, color, printing, or embellishment issues

• Recommend practical solutions when a design is difficult, expensive, or unrealistic to manufacture

• Coordinate development changes with our China team

• Follow products through multiple sample rounds until approval

• Help ensure approved samples and specifications are correctly followed during bulk production

Streetwear Production

Our products may include:

• Screen printing

• Embroidery

• Appliqué

• Rhinestones and embellishments

• Garment washes

• Distressing and fraying

• Cut and sew garments

• Heavyweight hoodies and tees

• Custom fabrics and trims

• Oversized and fashion-forward silhouettes

• Specialty construction and finishing techniques

You do not need to know every technique listed above.

We are looking for someone with strong apparel fundamentals who knows how to research, ask questions, communicate with factories, and solve production problems.

Communication and Project Ownership

• Communicate clearly with our US creative team

• Turn creative feedback into clear production instructions

• Communicate with our China product development team

• Review factory photos, videos, measurements, and comments

• Identify potential problems before they become expensive production mistakes

• Keep multiple products organized across different stages of development

• Follow up proactively instead of waiting to be told every next step

• Participate in client or internal meetings when technical product knowledge is needed

• Help us improve our tech pack templates, standards, development systems, and documentation

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• 3+ years of professional experience in apparel technical design, product development, or a closely related apparel role

• Strong Adobe Illustrator skills

• Experience creating professional apparel tech packs

• Strong understanding of garment construction

• Experience with measurements, fit, grading, and tolerances

• Experience reviewing physical garment samples

• Understanding of fabrics, trims, stitching, printing, embroidery, washes, and embellishments

• Ability to understand both creative design intent and manufacturing limitations

• Strong written and spoken English

• Highly organized and detail-oriented

• Comfortable working independently in a remote environment

• Able to manage multiple products at different development stages

Streetwear, premium apparel, fashion, or creator merchandise experience is strongly preferred.

Experience communicating with overseas manufacturers is a plus.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING

Your primary expertise should be apparel.

We also manufacture products such as plush, toys, jewelry, accessories, packaging, and other merchandise.

You are not expected to already know how every one of these products is manufactured.

Our China production team and factories will provide manufacturing expertise for these categories.

We need someone who can:

• Understand the designer’s intent

• Ask good technical questions

• Identify missing information

• Organize specifications

• Review samples

• Communicate changes clearly

• Keep development moving until the product is approved

WHO WILL DO WELL IN THIS ROLE

You will probably enjoy this role if you:

• Notice small inconsistencies other people miss

• Like solving manufacturing and construction problems

• Can look at a designer mockup and immediately start thinking about how it should actually be made

• Are comfortable telling a designer when something may not work and suggesting a better solution

• Can communicate clearly without needing constant supervision

• Like creating systems, standards, templates, and processes

• Take ownership of problems and follow them through until they are resolved

• Care deeply about accuracy and product quality

WHAT THIS ROLE IS NOT

This is not primarily a graphic design position.

Our designers create the artwork and overall visual direction.

We need you to help answer questions such as:

What fabric should this use?

How should this garment be constructed?

What measurements are missing?

How should the garment be graded?

How large should the artwork actually be?

How far should the artwork sit from the neckline or seams?

What production technique should be used?

What could go wrong during manufacturing?

What information does the factory still need?

Does the sample actually match the approved design?

How do we turn this concept into a product that can be consistently manufactured?

SCHEDULE

This is a full-time position with 8 working hours per day plus a 1-hour meal break.

The schedule is designed to start at approximately 2:00 PM Los Angeles time and provide overlap between our US team, Philippines team, and China production team.

Philippines schedule:

During US Daylight Saving Time:
5:00 AM–2:00 PM Philippine time

During US Standard Time:
6:00 AM–3:00 PM Philippine time

This schedule includes a 1-hour unpaid meal break and 8 working hours.

Workdays are Tuesday through Saturday Philippine time.

Applicants should be comfortable working this schedule on a long-term basis.

COMPENSATION

$1,500–$2,000 USD per month depending on experience, technical ability, and demonstrated product development knowledge.

Exceptional candidates with significant apparel technical design and product development experience may be considered above this range.

This is intended to be a long-term, full-time position.

There will be an initial paid evaluation period so both sides can confirm that the position is a good fit.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send:

1. Your resume

2. Your portfolio

Please include 2–3 examples showing apparel technical design, tech packs, measurement specifications, sample comments, or products you personally helped develop.

3. One short product development example

Tell us about one apparel product you personally helped take from concept through sampling or production.

Please briefly explain:

• What the product was

• What your responsibility was

• What problem or challenge came up

• How you helped solve it

Also include:

• Your expected monthly salary in USD

• Your earliest available start date

• Confirmation that you can work the schedule listed above

You do not need to write a long cover letter.

We care much more about seeing real examples of your work and understanding what you personally contributed.

ABOUT STARFISH SUPPLY CO.

Starfish Supply Co. works with creator, entertainment, and streetwear brands to develop and manufacture merchandise.

Our products range from premium apparel to accessories and specialty merchandise.

We are continuing to build stronger systems around technical design, sampling, product development, and production and are looking for someone who can become a key long-term member of our team.