Sewist: Technical Outerwear and Gear Repair

Posted by Rugged Thread Outerwear Repair on 11/07/2021

Job Basics

Industry Sector: Outdoor

Job Categories: Manufacturing

Company Type: Retail

State: OR

City: Bend

Country: United States

Required Experience: 1 - 3 years

Contact Name: Kimberly Kinney

Contact Phone: 541-408-7810

Job Type: Full Time

Salary: $40,000-55,000

Required to Relocate: Yes

Required to Travel: No

Employee May Telecommute: No

Job Seeker Must Live Within: 25 miles

Job Description & Requirements

We're hiring an experienced sewing and outdoor gear repair technician for our technical outdoor clothing and gear repair shop in Bend, OR. Our mission is to convert Outdoor Industry waste to a new economy while paying living wages during apprenticeship and family wages upon skill mastery. Visit our website to learn more about us: www.ruggedthread.com  

 

Repair work is different from production sewing as no two items are alike, and the learning does not end. Therefore, we offer extensive and ongoing training. 

The job position is paid hourly and is full-time work with approximately 35 hours of sewing and five hours of weekly administrative/ non-sewing process work. A qualified technician will start between $15 and $22/hour, increasing $1/hr after a 90-day probation period with continued pay raise evaluations at six and nine months. Hourly pay increases are based on documented efficiency, quality, and repair difficulty standards. Experienced Master Repair Technicians can expect to earn $25+/hr.

 

Benefits include nine paid days off annually, vacation, and sick pay. 

 

Being a repair technician with Rugged Thread is a physically and mentally engaging job that requires planning and problem-solving. Please note that the position also requires physical mobility, moving large or awkward objects during the summer season, and transitioning from sitting to standing multiple times during a repair project. 

 

Required: 

·      Ability to prove basic machine sewing skills, attention to detail, and quality craftsmanship

·      Strong English writing and verbal communication skills

·      Excellent vision

·      Able to match color 

·      Physical body health: the ability to lift 40 pounds, flexibility, and overall wellness to move with ease

·      Hand dexterity

·      Be an avid outdoor recreation and gear user

·      Show a growth mindset for continual improvement

·      Proficient basic math skills 

·      Able to plan and focus for large or complex projects

 

Submit a cover letter and resume to hiring@ruggedthread.com. Portfolio and physical samples welcome!

About Rugged Thread Outerwear Repair

We repair all four seasons of outdoor clothing, adventure gear, tents, backpacks and bags, motorcycle clothing and bags, soft-sided luggage, and broken zippers of all types. 

We strive to make the repair experience easy, affordable, and of the highest quality while contributing to the well-being of our planet and communities. Every year 16 million tons of clothing and textiles are thrown away in the United States alone. Sadly, almost everything we use for outdoor adventures from sleeping bags and backpacks to jackets and tents are made from petrochemicals that take 200+ years to breakdown in the landfill. Each of us makes a difference by fixing our stuff instead of buying new. And if you do buy new and donate your old clothing and gear to charity, help ensure it can actually be used by getting it fixed first–otherwise it’s on the fast-track to the shredder. 

We are committed to protecting the environment by ensuring the story of our stuff doesn’t end in a landfill.