Dire Design Haus is reinventing the way apparel is designed.

Awarded the 2025 Better Business Bureau Spark Award winner for entrepreneurship in Montana, the design agency stood out for its commitment to sustainability, according to the Better Business Bureau. 

A design consulting studio and adventure gear company, founded by Brittany Riner, Dire Design was founded with a simple idea that design should serve a greater purpose. Receiving the award is a testament to that idea coming true.  

“There’s a certain standard that businesses are at when they’re part of the [Bureau], like they’re doing some sort of philanthropic thing. I wanted to do that,” Riner said. “Even at my smallest scale I have big brand intentions." 

The Better Business Bureau is a nonprofit organization that helps consumers find trusted businesses. The Spark Awards recognize emerging businesses and young entrepreneurs.  

“[The bureau] is all about, really at the end of the day, empowerment and giving the consumer, the shopper, the knowledge that they’re making the right decision,” said Cameron Nakashima, the organization’s media engagement and digital campaigns manager. 

Prior to winning, Dire Design Haus was accredited by the bureau in 2023.  

Originally from Reno, Nevada, Riner grew up passionate about snow sports. Her family moved around growing up, but snowboarding was constant. She dabbled with odd jobs for a while after high school but kept coming back to one passion: design. 

Riner graduated with her associate degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles in 2013. She attended fashion school with outdoor apparel in mind. 

She bounced around various gear companies, designing men’s winter outerwear and motorbiking gear. She moved to the Flathead Valley four years ago for a job with a local gear company before launching Dire Design Haus and moving to full-time consulting. 

Dire Design Haus helps action sports brands and local companies integrate sustainability into their business plan, Riner said, while developing a brand presence. They offer a range of services including website or logo design, designing tangible gear and coaching. 

While building her company, Riner was also working on a bigger project: creating her own waterproof material, made sustainably.  

After three years of research, development and sourcing sustainable materials, Dire Design Haus released its flagship product, the Drikon backpack. The 100% waterproof backpack is a grey, 30-liter drybag with pockets, straps and reinforced Drikon material, which Riner trademarked this year.  

The Drikon material is made from recycled plastic sourced from waterways around the world, diverting over 20 bottlers per pack from oceans and landfills. For every bag made, a tree is planted through the National Forest Foundation’s Sapling Program.  

“My heart is really with technical, robust products,” Riner said. “I was asking myself what could I create that I could use every day?”  

The answer, Riner said, was something that would work as well on a hike as it would be on a kayak as it would be on a snowboard. Hence, the Drikon came to be.  

The backpack is laminated, reinforced, and includes removable pockets inside to help with organization.  There is also adjustable shock cord webbing on the outside to store wet items.  

But the work goes beyond gear, Riner said. She’s passionate about helping others integrate sustainability into businesses or their personal lives. Paying more attention to reducing waste, improving product-market fit and creating goods that have value beyond the shelf are ways to do so, Riner said. 

It’s a business plan that stood out to the Better Business Bureau.  

“We also noticed and really appreciated how part of the business’ model is to consult with other young businesses that are sustainably minded, learning how to navigate,” Nakashima said. “Businesses don’t know what they don’t know, so we appreciated that this is a business that’s learning as they go and using their knowledge to help others in their community.”  

Right now, Riner is selling her first launch of the backpacks, but hopes to create more consumer apparel design using the Drikon material.  

“I think creating more everyday stuff would be cool,” Riner said. “I think what we want to encourage the most is an active lifestyle. I just can’t stop dreaming.”  

For more information, visit diredesignhaus.com. 

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at [email protected].