We have a vacancy for a fabric technologist to join the Materials team of a well established lifestyle brand. The Fabric Technologist will support the Materials team with the sourcing, development and production of fabrics, the Design Team handling the fabric development, assist in the research and organization of special projects, and locate and establish new fabrics suppliers. The Fabric Technologist will work closely with the design team to ensure that expected quality standards are upheld from concept throughout production. Working to exceed the quality expectations of the Client's customer is the key goal of your role
Key responsibilities include:
Research and Development
• Collaborate with Designers to source and select fit for purpose fabrics for each product
• Work with the Designers to identify new fabrics concepts and trends in the market place
• Ensure the functional and quality demands of Rohan fabrics are met from the product briefs
throughout production
• Maintain an awareness of the latest technical developments in fibre, market trends, and fabric
projection and its application to the final products
Textile Innovation:
• Conduct market research and provide insights around new innovation in fibre, yarn, materials, and
finishes applied to fabrics
• Work with mills and suppliers on projects to anticipate and co-create new non-existing fibre/fabric,
or finish technologies to deliver a competitive advantage to our brand by fuelling innovation and
creative product solutions
• Participate in or lead assigned projects to increase brand exposure to future technologies on
performance, aesthetic diversification, and sustainability efforts and to develop textile technologies
through multiple work streams that may include direct development within the textile and material
supply chains, speciality researchers and manufacturers, and academic institutes
• Partner with others within the company to drive innovation, creative thought, collaboration and
generally enhance technical capability across the company
• Prototype and test new ideas leveraging relationships with yarn suppliers, mills, factories/laundries
• Work with local laboratories for quick development turn around for inspiration and/or to test a
fabrics performance or attributes before presenting out a concept
Product Development:
• Support the entire fabric development process and ensure all fabric are fit for purpose and
commercialised and take the lead on projects if requested
• Ensure own allocated fabric qualities meet performance attributes, testing requirements
and sustainability requirements to support marketing claims
• Participate in or lead projects on the sourcing and development of fabrics with nominated suppliers
ensuring quality and consistency follow approved standards for own allocated fabric qualities
• Continuously develop and maintain a clear understanding of the finished product and work to
identify the best fabric and finishing
• Support as needed, Jr Fabric Technologist on recording and collating colour continuity records
across all ranges to ensure all products comply with colour matching requirements from product to
product and from season to season
• Support as needed, Jr Fabric Technologist, to maintain colour library against each fabric
Risk Assessment and Testing:
• Working as part of the Materials team create, implement and follow up on in-house quality
procedures, standards and specifications
• Alongside Designer and Garment Technologist, ensure that fabrics are fit for purpose and in line
with current quality expectations
• On own allocated styles, provide technical support for the designers and garment technologists on
fabric construction and on the technical capability of fabric mills to deliver the products required
• Perform risk analysis at the handover stage to ensure any potential risks are identified and
remedied or avoided at an early stage for own allocated styles
• Manage and review wear testing programme and results for own allocated fabrics and products for
sign-off by Materials Manager
• Monitor quality standards of own allocated fabrics at suppliers during all stages of prototyping
development
• Ensure that all new products, techniques and/or fabric combination are Laboratory and/or Wear
tested and adhere to Rohan quality standards for own allocated fabrics
• Support if needed, Jr Fabric Technologist to organise and document product and fabrics laboratory
and wear tests to ensure all materials test reports are completed and approved
Supplier Management
• Work with nominated suppliers to ensure that all related fabric issues are understood and
executable for own allocated fabrics
• Ensure that suppliers have clear information and specs that allow them to deliver fabrics that meet
the Client’s requirements for function, performance, quality and aesthetics
• Work with Materials team to certify that manufacturing requirements are implemented successfully
ensuring that required performance standards are achieved
Process Management:
• Ensure the timely management of sampling, testing and colour reviews to a critical path, ensuring
own allocated products are delivered on time
• Manage fabric developments from concept through to technical approval, in alignment with the
fabric strategy and seasonal calendar milestones for own allocated styles
• Ensure that suppliers are aware of the critical path dates so that samples are delivered according
to the seasonal calendar
• Manage the seasonal fabric tracker for own allocated styles and communicate any delays or
changes to the Materials, Technical and Production teams
• Follow up on shipments from fabric supplier for prototype making for own allocated styles
• Ensure that all fabrics colour lab dips are approved as per seasonal calendar.
• Ensure the critical path is met and highlight any instances where this is at risk.
Product Cost
• For own allocated styles, provide accurate and up to date cost prices and work on costing
exercises with new and/or existing materials suppliers to reduce costs and keep pricing competitive
as requested
• Negotiate costs during fabric development process and partner with Technical and Production
teams to reduce costs as needed by style
• Identify, assess and track any MOQ’s and potential surcharges