We have an exciting opportunity to join an established Brand as a Fabric Technologist, a role key to the development & growth of their product ranges. As a Fabric Technologist you'll be responsible for the fabric management across all departments into the manufacturing process.
Supporting the Client’s strategic goals, proactive processes, sourcing/approving fabric qualities at development stage and achieving the Client’s fabric performance standards, you will be an integral part of the Buying / Technical / Design & Merchandising teams.
Main responsibilities include:
- Introduce fabric innovation and technical developments to support business strategy
- Enhance the offer of sustainable products
- Introduce a fabric development function working together with Design and Buying and oversee the fabric approval process.
- Implement a robust fabric management system.
- Manage test report approvals across all departments. Approving wash care wording and fibre composition approvals accordingly.
- Highlight test report failures to the relevant Buyer and Garment Technologist. Suggest solutions to supplier and carry out wear trials as needed.
- Check & ensure sustainability and chemical compliance certification.
- Work with labs to implement a test report portal for storage of reports for all suppliers.
- Update the performance manual standards in line with any updates in legal and chemical legislation. Working with the Garment Technology team to ensure performance guidelines are relevant and in line with competitors.
- Create a labeling manual for all product areas to ensure compliance in all countries.
- Support sustainability goals and wider strategy.
- Further develop transparency of Tier 2 supply base.
- Deal with customer complaints and queries relating to fabric.
- Identify potential high risk styles and carry out the necessary due diligence testing to ensure compliance.
- Support buying team with testing requirements and costings for new product categories and trial orders.
Candidate requirements:
- Extensive Fabric Technologist sourcing and test report approval experience across a variety of departments such as Lingerie (wired and soft), Swimwear, Clothing (knitwear, woven, jersey, seam free, denim). Footwear, Outerwear Clothing and Accessories (including hard lines) experience would also be desirable.
- Confident implementing robust and efficient fabric management systems.
- Good knowledge of sustainability standards such as GRS, OCS, BCI, FSC etc.
- Informed on REACH Regulations, California Proposition 65 and other relevant global restricted substances legislation.
- Motivated to drive innovation.
Desirable skills:
- Circularity expertise.
- Material impact understanding e.g. water consumption, carbon emissions, microfibre pollution, durability etc.
Personal traits:
• Positive, Passionate & Proactive
• A dynamic, passionate self-starter who can prioritise their own workload and take full accountability for all aspects of their role
• Excellent prioritisation skills with the ability to manage multiple projects concurrently
• A team player with a can do attitude who is willing to go the extra mile to ensure work is completed on time and to the highest standards
• A confident communicator, who can clearly articulate credible opinions based on facts & challenge and influence key stakeholders across the business