Bringing innovation to life takes more than just an idea. It takes collaboration, expertise, and an industry network that opens doors. Just ask Team Pacha, a student-led group in the University of Oregon’s Sports Product Management (SPM) master’s program. Their journey to creating the ultimate women’s hybrid hiking rain pant was an 18-month adventure of problem-solving, perseverance, and powerful industry connections.

It all began when the team, made up of SPM master’s students Adrian Aliwarga, Angelo Cromwell, Kimi Dahl, and Juan Lastra, identified an opportunity in the outdoor apparel market: Women's rain pants were often non-breathable, ill-fitting, uncomfortable, and hard to take on and off on the trail.

Their solution? A hybrid hiking rain pant designed specifically for female backpackers that combined

• Waterproof protection using an innovative treatment
• Breathability via inner thigh vents
• And four-way stretch fabric for mobility

“Bringing this concept to life wasn’t easy, but having the support of SPM Innovation Lab managers Krista Martenson and Greg Leedy and their deep industry connections made all the difference,” said Dahl. “Their knowledge and connections opened doors that helped Team Pacha take our product further, work with a variety of companies, and make something truly impactful.”

Dahl noted that at the Functional Fabric Fair in Portland, Oregon, Martenson introduced the team to Martin Flora of Green Theme Technologies, whose Empel waterproof finish could make the pants truly weatherproof. Through this connection, TDI Textile Co. Ltd, a fabric mill, agreed to produce a small order of sampling fabric with Empel finish—a rare opportunity for emerging brands.

The team also had access to 3D software for designing their product. To get the right flow of construction and style lines on apparel, the design phase often requires drawing on-body. By drawing in 3D, however, the team was able to accelerate the process and gain real-time team evaluation and feedback. Thanks to student training with Gravity Sketch footwear design consultant Andrew Williams, MS ’23, an SPM alum, Team Pacha was able to design and create wrapped panel seams and strategically place waterproof panels where they were most effective.

Then, through the curriculum of the SPM Product Creation Lab classes led by Leedy, members of Team Pacha coordinated fabric shipping, in-lab prototype development, as well as factory prototype creation by relying on the SPM program’s long-standing relationship with Tim Lam at IVI Fashion Apparel. As a result, they soon had professional sales samples to bring their vision to life.

Finally, to test the pants under real-world conditions, Andrew Milkovits and Eddie Ernest-Jones of Mesh01, a leader in wear testing, joined in. Mesh01 provided testing, including developing online questionnaires and organizing wear testers across the United States to provide invaluable feedback in various weather conditions. Mesh01 involved Team Pacha throughout the process, including questionnaire development, dashboard review, and wear-testing feedback discussions.

What's Next?

Team Pacha’s journey demonstrates that the right industry, connections can turn bold ideas into reality. With the support of the Sports Product Management program’s extensive industry network, the team embarked on a full-scale product development process and created a product that could redefine women’s outdoor performance gear.

And the impact goes beyond hiking pants. The collaboration opened internship and project opportunities for future SPM students with Mesh01.

Inspired to bring your own product to life? Learn more about UO’s Sports Product Management program and how we connect students with industry leaders to create real-world impact.