Freelance Softgoods Designer

ppLocation: Antwerp / Amsterdam | Freelance |

Experience:
7+ years of experience in softgoods design, or a background in Industrial Design or CMF with at least 3–4 years specialising in softgoods. /p h3Design the softgoods that carry Loop beyond the ear /h3 pAt Loop, softgoods aren't a side project. They're embedded in our ecosystem of wearable products and how they show up in someone's hands and daily routine. From wearables like sleep masks to the bags, cases, and pouches that carry our products, softgoods carry Loop's visual identity and performance standards into new materials and form factors. /p h3The Role /h3 pYou’ll lead the softgoods workstream for your programs end to end, working closely with Product Development Engineering, and suppliers to solve construction, integration, and manufacturing challenges, and with Industrial Design, CMF, UX, and Packaging wherever softgoods meet Loop's other products. /p h3What You’ll Do /h3 ul liLead softgoods design for assigned programs, from concept through patterns, prototypes, material definition, and production-ready design. /li liApply a broad softgoods perspective across product types, including wearable products as well as bags, cases, pouches, and other accessories. /li liPartner with Product Development, Engineering, model makers and suppliers to solve construction, integration, DFM, and manufacturing challenges. /li liWork closely with Industrial Design and CMF to integrate softgoods seamlessly with Loop products. /li liDrive designs through key development phases and reviews (Design Gate, EVT, DVT), maintaining design intent as concepts move toward production. /li liGive feedback to junior designers and bring specialist softgoods knowledge into design reviews across the wider Design team. /li liHelp evolve softgoods design methods, workflows, and prototyping approaches as Loop scales. /li /ul h3You Won’t /h3 ul liTreat softgoods as a side project instead of a full part of Loop's product ecosystem. /li liStay inside one product type when a broader softgoods perspective would serve the program better. /li liPush a design vision forward without making the manufacturability trade-offs behind it visible. /li liWait for a fully resolved brief before proposing viable directions. /li liKeep specialist softgoods knowledge to yourself instead of bringing it into design reviews and critique. /li /ul h3How You’ll Succeed /h3 pYou're comfortable navigating ambiguity in a design brief and can propose multiple viable directions rather than waiting for one to be handed to you. /p pYou move fluidly between products worn on the body and protective or carrying solutions like bags and cases, connecting each design choice back to user benefit, feasibility, and Loop's wider product vision. /p pYou raise the bar for the people around you, through craft and judgment in your own work, and through the feedback and critique you bring to the rest of the Design team. /p h3What You’ll Bring /h3 ul li7+ years of experience in softgoods design, or a background in Industrial Design or CMF with at least 3–4 years specialising in softgoods. /li liExperience designing across a broad range of softgoods applications, from products worn on the body to protective and carrying solutions such as bags, cases, and pouches. /li liStrong understanding of how softgoods move from concept through development into production, including manufacturing constraints. /li liStrong visualisation and communication skills, using design and Adobe Creative Suite tools to develop and present ideas. /li liExperience mentoring or giving critique to other designers, and working across a multidisciplinary design team (Industrial Design, CMF, UX, Packaging). /li liComfortable navigating ambiguous briefs and connecting design decisions to broader company goals and product horizons. /li /ul h3Loop isn't for everyone. We might not be a match if you: /h3 ul liPrefer a fully defined brief over navigating ambiguity and proposing your own directions. /li liPrefer specialising in one softgoods application rather than moving across wearables, bags, cases, and accessories. /li liFind it hard to let manufacturability shape a design vision you're attached to. /li liPrefer working independently over cross-functional critique and collaboration. /li liAren't drawn to mentoring or raising the bar for people around you. /li /ul /p