Apparel Product Development Assistant Jobs in Minnesota

Garment Development & Technical Designer

Creative Apparel Concepts, Inc. | Golden Valley, MN | Full-Time | On-Site

Department: Team Sports, Gift & Souvenir, and Sleepwear

Reports To: VP of Product Development

THE ROLE

The Creative Apparel Concepts Garment Development & Technical Designer will work closely with the Product Development and Production Teams to translate design concepts into quality finished garments and accessories.

The ideal candidate has strong technical design expertise, apparel product development knowledge, and experience managing garments from concept through production. Product categories include sleepwear and apparel as well as accessories such as bags and cosmetic cases. The role requires regular communication with international suppliers supporting our Team Sports, Gift & Souvenir, and Sleepwear divisions to ensure products meet fit, quality, construction, cost, and timeline requirements.

The right person is organized, adaptable, and comfortable supporting a variety of major retailers, licensed brands, factories, and approval processes.

ABOUT CREATIVE APPAREL CONCEPTS

Creative Apparel Concepts (CAC) is an apparel wholesaler based in Golden Valley, MN. We develop and source sleepwear and apparel across a portfolio that includes our own proprietary brands and licensed properties, selling to major retailers. Our work is hands-on, fast-moving, and connected to real products that move from concept to retail racks in a matter of months.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Garment Development

• Attend product development meetings for CAC brands and customer programs
• Manage garment development from concept through commercialization.
• Develop garment designs and silhouettes for CAC brands and customer programs, working from trend direction, customer requirements, and category needs.
• Work with the product development team and vendors to identify suitable garments, fabrics, trims, and construction methods.
• Assist on projects and initiatives as needed within the development team.
• Support costing initiatives by identifying efficiencies without compromising product quality.
• Develop non-garment products, including accessories such as bags and cosmetic cases, applying the same development and technical standards used for garments.

Technical Design

• Create and maintain detailed technical packages for apparel styles, including design sketches, specifications, construction details, and technical recommendations for manufacturability.
• Develop garment specifications including measurements, construction details, grading, and bill of materials.
• Ensure consistency in fit, quality, and construction standards across product categories.
• Analyze samples and communicate fit and construction corrections to factories.
• Resolve technical and production issues during development and production stages.
• Review factory submissions for accuracy and compliance.
• Record fit comments and revisions accurately.
• Maintain strong relationships with manufacturing partners.
• Collaborate with design teams to achieve desired aesthetics while maintaining functionality and production feasibility.

Approvals

• Manage approval workflows across CAC brands and customer programs, including garment approvals, customer sign-offs, and factory submissions.
• Maintain accurate approval status tracking within the company PLM system and proactively identify risks to development timelines.
• Follow up with factories and customer contacts to keep approvals moving on schedule.
• Prepare regular status reports and communicate approval risks or delays to the product development team.
• Drive continuous improvement of processes related to technical design.
• Maintain fit block libraries and grading standards for international production product lines within the PLM system.
• Direct and oversee freelance technical designers, including assigning work, reviewing output for accuracy and completeness, and holding deadlines.

Quality and Compliance

• Coordinate and oversee product testing and inspection throughout the development process to ensure garments meet performance, quality, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure all products comply with company and customer quality standards and regulatory requirements.
• Review and analyze test reports and product inspection, including fabric tests, wash tests, and garment performance evaluations, as well as production inspection reports for production.
• Maintain testing documentation and communicate results to cross-functional stakeholders.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Required

• Degree in Apparel/Garment Design & Technical Design or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in technical design, apparel development, or product development.
• Experience in a variety of fabrics, primarily knits.
• Experience in women's, men's, children's, activewear, or sleepwear categories.
• Understanding of apparel construction and manufacturing techniques.
• 5+ years working with garment patterns, including the ability to identify pattern-related fit and construction issues and communicate corrections to factories.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Proficiency with Adobe products (primarily Illustrator).
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to learn quickly.
• Strong understanding of garment measurement and specification development.
• Ability to be flexible, prioritize, and shift focus in order to meet deadlines.
• Ability to operate both independently as well as collaboratively.
• Experience working with apparel manufacturers and global sourcing partners.
• Experience with fabric & garment testing, production inspections, and auditing (QA).
• Experience directing or reviewing the work of freelance or contract designers.
• Strong organizational skills: you track your own open items, follow up without being asked, and things do not fall through on your watch.
• Clear professional written communication, whether corresponding with a factory overseas or a buyer coordinator at a major retailer.
• Adaptability and comfort working in a hands-on environment where the role may touch approvals, customer communication, product development, systems, and follow-through.

A Plus If You Have

• Experience with Adobe Photoshop.
• Experience with different print techniques and garment embellishments.
• Background with licensed brands or licensor approval workflows.
• Experience developing accessories, bags, or other non-garment product.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT CAC

• A hands-on product development role where your work is visible and your contribution matters from day one.
• Direct exposure to the full product lifecycle, from apparel concepts and customer programs through factory production and retail delivery.
• Experience supporting a variety of major retailers, licensed brands, factories, and approval processes.
• A collaborative, entrepreneurial environment where communication is direct, priorities move quickly, and follow-through matters.
• Competitive salary and benefits,