About the Project
We are looking for a talented temporary Product Designer (freelance also considered) to help us complete an exciting new children's backpack collection.
The collection is aimed at children from Nursery age through to approximately Years 1–2.
We've already developed the creative direction for the range, but due to other business priorities the project was put on hold. We're now looking for a designer to take the project forward, building on the work completed so far while also bringing their own ideas, creativity and commercial insight.
The goal is to create a commercially strong children's backpack collection that is ready to launch in time for the back-to-school season.
This is a fixed-term, project-based role rather than a permanent position, making it ideal for a designer (or freelancer) looking for an exciting short-term creative project.
The Role
Rather than designing the backpacks themselves, you'll be creating the artwork and decoration that appears on them.
The backpacks are supplied as blank products, which are then personalised and decorated using a combination of:
- Direct to Film (DTF) printing
- Embroidery
- A combination of both techniques
Previous experience designing specifically for these production methods isn't essential, as we'll explain the capabilities and limitations of each process.
Working alongside our team, you'll develop engaging, commercially appealing artwork that resonates with young children (and their parents!) while also considering the practicalities of manufacture and online retail.
You'll be refining existing concepts, developing new ideas, preparing production-ready artwork, creating product mock-ups and designing supplementary graphics for product listings.
We're Looking For Someone Who
- Is available for an immediate start.
- Has excellent Adobe Illustrator skills.
- Can confidently create visual mock ups using Adobe Photoshop.
- Has experience in children's product design, childrenswear, surface pattern design, illustration, or a related creative field.
- Has a strong eye for colour, typography, composition and current children's design trends.
- Can take an existing concept and elevate it into a commercially successful product.
- Is creative, collaborative and enjoys contributing new ideas.
- Understands the balance between creativity and commercial appeal.
- Produces organised, accurate, production-ready artwork.
Our Design Process
We embrace modern creative tools and make extensive use of AI-assisted design as part of our workflow.
We see AI as a tool that helps accelerate parts of the creative process, allowing more time to focus on concept development, refinement, commercial thinking and creating outstanding products.
We're therefore looking for someone who is comfortable working alongside AI tools and sees them as part of a modern creative workflow. We value the creativity, judgement, design eye and technical expertise that an experienced designer brings. AI simply helps us work more efficiently.
If you're passionate about creating great products and are happy combining your creativity with modern technology, we'd love to hear from you.
Intellectual Property
All artwork, concepts, designs, illustrations and other creative work produced as part of this project will become the exclusive property of the company upon payment in full.
The agreed project remuneration will constitute full and final payment for the work, with no ongoing royalties, licence fees or future payments due.
How to Apply
Alongside your CV we'd love to see examples of children's products, childrenswear, illustration, surface pattern design or other commercially successful creative work you have produced.
Plese also include a brief introduction telling us about yourself, why you're interested in the project and your availability over the coming weeks.
Pay: From £30,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
