Softgoods Category Builders
We’re your brand’s fractional softgoods team, taking products from first sketch to factory floor.
Outerphase is a full-stack softgoods category-building partner led by Jake Orak, a 20-year veteran of bag design and founder of Ethnotek. Unlike traditional designers or sourcing agents, Outerphase provides a complete solution that unites brand-aligned design, artisan and technical supply chain access, product development, sampling, manufacturing oversight, and quality control into one seamless fractional service. Our work is strengthened by long-standing personal relationships with suppliers, factories, and artisan communities built over many years of collaboration. We help apparel, footwear, outdoor, and lifestyle brands create high-margin bag and accessory categories without hiring internal teams, powered by real-world brand-building experience and a global production network that few studios can match.
Hi, I’m Jake!
My team and I help brands launch or elevate their bag and accessories line without the need for hiring a full-time team.
Most apparel and footwear brands should have a strong accessories category, but very few have in-house softgoods expertise… That’s where I come in.
I serve as your Fractional Head of Bags & Accessories, guiding your brand through:
Category strategy & competitive positioning
Trend-aligned concept development
Bag design & photorealistic rendering
Fabric & trim sourcing (technical or natural)
Artisan textile integration (optional)
Patternmaking & prototyping
Sample revisions & factory coordination
Production management
Quality control and pre-shipment inspection
Creative direction for photoshoots and marketing content (optional)
You get the entire bag department in one person.
Our production family in Vietnam is Amfori BSCI certified and is ready to take your softgoods projects to new heights.
Our Process
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We dive into your brand DNA, audience, positioning, and goals, and gather insights directly from your customers.
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Map out 4–6 strategic bag SKUs to start the category.
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Hand sketches → 2D CAD drawings → photorealistic hybrid AI + Photoshop rendered concepts.
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Customer surveys that present concept renderings and gather targeted feedback to validate direction and guide next steps.
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Select all materials and components for the designs and pull cost, MOQ, and lead time data.
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Develop comprehensive tech pack briefings that ensure clear, accurate factory prototyping.
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We work directly with factories to produce high-quality samples, typically moving through three to four refinement rounds before reaching PPS (pre-production sample) accuracy. Throughout this process we provide detailed BOMs (Bill of Materials) for full transparency into costing. Salesman and photoshoot samples are produced in parallel with PPS, using all final materials and colors.
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After PPS samples are signed off for production and a purchase order is made, we oversee that all materials arrive to the factory on time and production flows on schedule. We conduct QC alongside our local factory team to ensure maximum quality and consistency, and that the finished goods board containers and sea freight arrive without any hiccups.
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Partner with your team to lead studio and lifestyle shoots while bag production is in motion, giving you launch-ready marketing assets the moment product hits your 3PL.
Portfolio
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ETHNOTEK (2010-2024 acquired in 2022)
Ethically sourced laptop & travel bags featuring artisan-made textiles from around the globe.
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BAREBONES (2025)
Known globally for sustainability, durability, and design, Barebones delivers a wide assortment of vintage-inspired lighting, cookware, tools, and carrying solutions.
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DRYFTER (2020-2022)
Dryfter builds e-bikes, dry bags, and hardware to enhance flow state and believe in doing more with less, riding farther with freedom and ease, and protecting our beautiful planet.
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BOOQ (2008-2010)
Booq makes premium bags and backpacks for creative professionals, and are known for well-designed, functional products for carrying laptops, tablets and tech accessories.
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Crumpler (2006-2008)
The Crumpler brand is known for its playful culture, durable designs, and emphasis on functionality and fun. They were Australia’s opinion-leading messenger bag brand in the 90’s.
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Threads of Change
After Ethnotek was acquired, Jake wrote a book called Threads of Change and is a founder’s journey and guidebook for social entrepreneurs.
Recommendations
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“Jake built an entire softgoods category for us in record time”
We struggled with softgoods design and production with our factories in Pakistan and China and not only did Jake help us transition manufacturing to Vietnam, he designed a full collection of urban lifestyle bags that have created a new stream of revenue for our business. Working with Jake was a delight and it was amazing to see how loved and well-connected he is with suppliers and factories in Vietnam. And we had a ton of fun on our sourcing trips with him, Jake took good care of us!
Robert Workman
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"Jake breathes fresh air into old product lines"
Jake is a creative thinker who understands how to balance customer needs with manufacturing constraints. He breathes fresh air into old product lines, and creates new products that will be the envy of competitors for years to come. Jake is hard working and committed, but his friendly demeanor and sense of humor win over colleagues and vendors immediately. Working with Jake was a delight and I look forward to the opportunity to work with him again in the future.
Jennifer Vogel -
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"Many years of working with Jake has had a positive and lasting affect on our community of artisans"
When we first met, I didn’t think much about it, thinking maybe it was a small project or not so serious. Yet after many years of orders, I saw Ethnotek’s commitment, and our relationship grew beyond purely commercial. The bond has grown stronger with a deeper connection. Work achieved through such relationships brings in business and impacts the artisan textile sector, taking it in a new direction. We wish all our working relationships to grow in this manner.
Shamji Valji
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“His design talent is unique, and his enthusiasm infectious”
Jake is a man dedicated to his vision, communicates it well to the world, and does not sacrifice the authenticity of this for short-term gains. In the time I've known Jake, I've seen him take Ethnotek through a series of pivots and difficult decisions that gave better results for his partners and investors whilst maintaining the original mission of the company. It's no easy task to maintain the integrity of Ethnotek's supply chain, but Jake handles this well. His design talent is unique, and his enthusiasm infectious, as evidenced by the loyalty of the Ethnotek Tribe. I look forward to watching the continued evolution of this company through Jake's leadership.
Kevin McClave
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"Outerphase is exactly what forward-looking brands need"
Working with Jake in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Zürich, Switzerland showed me the creativity, craft, innovation, and uncompromising diligence he brings to every project. Jake’s super well-rounded skills set him apart, and Outerphase is exactly what forward-looking brands need. Cheering him on and recommending widely!
Edita Hadravska
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“Jake is a true visionary”
Jake is a true visionary and has taken his bag design skills and combined them with a passion to create a sustainable future for artisan villages across the globe. From a humble start-up in 2011, Jake has built up Ethnotek to a company with a strong manufacturing base in Vietnam and with distribution in Asia Pacific, North America and most recently Europe. As an adviser and investor in Ethnotek I never cease to be amazed by Jake's passion to bring new thinking and new ideas to the Ethnotek vision.
Chris Riquier
Why adding a bags and accessories category to your brand is smart
Successful apparel and footwear brands should add a bag and accessory category because it creates high-margin, repeatable revenue in a fast-growing market. The global luggage category alone is projected to climb from about $38.8 billion in 2023 to over $61 billion by 2030, outpacing apparel growth. Lululemon proves the impact: its “other” category, which includes bags and accessories, grew 36% year over year, faster than core apparel. Rains transformed from a raincoat label into a brand where roughly half of revenue now comes from bags, helping it scale toward 100 million euros. Fjällräven shows the long tail potential, with the Kånken backpack becoming its best-selling product and a global brand icon. These examples demonstrate that a strong bag category increases average order value, broadens wholesale reach, and cements brand identity far beyond clothing alone.
Who we work with
Brands in:
Urban lifestyle
Yoga & wellness
Surf & beach culture
Outdoor & travel
Footwear
Streetwear
Premium/elevated apparel
Functional performance clothing
Ideal Clients:
+$20M annual revenue
Seeking category expansion
Wanting higher margins & brand extensions
Looking for an expert, but not a full-time hire
Needing a plug-and-play softgoods partner
If this sounds like a good fit, click the button below to get in touch.