Technical Apparel Design
You wonder how equipment might improve athletic performance. Or you might be fascinated by the future of outdoor gear. We are too and we want to advance these fields with you.
When you embark on a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Technical Apparel Design, you’ll join an industry that pushes the limits of human potential. From giving elite athletes a competitive edge to saving the lives of outdoor enthusiasts, this booming industry blends creativity with cutting-edge technology to allow humans to move faster, survive longer and explore further.
Why Study Technical Apparel Design @ KPU?
- We offer the only Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Technical Apparel Design in Canada.
- Our program is offered in the heart of the world-renowned BC technical apparel industry.
- Our curriculum was developed in collaboration with Vancouver-based companies like Arc’teryx, lululemon, Mountain Equipment Company, Mustang Survival, and Sugoi, as well as top academics and researchers.
- Our graduates are not only job-ready but are also original thinkers who can problem-solve and create novel solutions — necessary skills for the designers of the future.
- The purpose-built building for the KPU Wilson School of Design allows for collaboration and community-building with designers in all of our disciplines.
- Our small class sizes ensure that our faculty can mentor each and every student and help them realize their own unique potential.
Through our program, in four semesters, you’ll gain the research, design, business and leadership skills needed to join the next generation of design innovators. Our hands-on program has been carefully developed in partnership with our Program Advisory Committee, made up of Vancouver-based companies like Arc’teryx, Global Collective, lululemon, Mountain Equipment Co-Op, Mustang Survival and Sugoi, as well as top academics and researchers. This guidance allows us to respond quickly to changes in the marketplace and continually adapt our curriculum to reflect current industry needs and standards, ensuring you're getting the most up-to-date education possible and positioned for success. We're proud of our strong industry ties and since you'll often work alongside industry professionals, you’ll graduate with the connections needed to launch your technical apparel design career.
Who Studies Technical Apparel Design?
The Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Technical Apparel Design attracts graduates from a wide range of disciplines, including fashion, textile design, product design, industrial design, interior design, engineering, business or kinesiology. It also appeals to professionals working in areas of design, health and well-being, engineering, sport, and ergonomics. These professionals are drawn to furthering their education to keep up with today's global economy and innovative technologies, along with cultural and environmental sustainability issues.
Students who enjoy success are critical thinkers and independent learners, driven to explore in a creative learning environment that allows unexpected, surprising, and delightful ideas to emerge. Many are currently employed in design, engineering, business, or kinesiology, which is why our program has a flexible model ensuring that applicants who are currently employed can attend without putting their careers on hold.
Want to know what tech apparel students are working on? Check out some of the capstone projects our students have worked on. Learn more about who's studying technical apparel design at the Wilson School of Design by visiting Our Students.
Student Success
Admission Requirements
Before you submit any of your work to us, you must first apply to KPU. Please visit our How to Apply page for more information about applying to KPU.
Once you have completed your application, you will receive instructions on how to submit your entrance package through an online submission platform. Visit Admission Requirements for information on what to include in your entrance package.
Eligible applicants who have met the application and documentation submission requirements will be contacted for an interview.
This is Wilson
Applied Arts 2025 Student Awards
We are excited to showcase the winning work of 5 of our design students from the Applied Arts Magazine. Their work stood out from winning entries from across the globe, earning well-deserved recognition for their… Read More
Technical Apparel student designs upper limb protection for goalball athletes
Technical Apparel student Jaria Roy explored upper limb protection for goalball athletes in her research. Goalball athletes, who are visually impaired, experience a high rate of upper limb injuries—… Read More
Technical Apparel student designs adaptable lightweight jackets that adjust warmth for areas with drastic temperature changes
Technical Apparel student Peter An used his research to design: adaptable lightweight jackets that adjust warmth for areas with drastic temperatures or weather changes in the mountains. “Throughout this course, I… Read More
Career Information
Our graduates are positioned to become leaders in a wide range of research, design, product development and manufacturing roles. You could also pursue roles in industrial design, the healthcare industry, and business development by launching startups and products into the market.
Upon graduation, our students are actively recruited by the three dozen technical apparel companies that operate in the Lower Mainland, such as Arc’teryx, Global Collective, lululemon athletica, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Mustang Survival and Sugoi. Others use the connections they gained during their time in the program to launch careers in the USA or overseas.
Every year, several of our students are also inspired to pursue graduate studies to further their applied research interests.
Learn more about what is possible through our alumni.