Fabric Coordinator

WHISTLES; Greater London; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Discount of up to 70%

Up to 28 days holiday entitlement per

Financial and Wellbeing assistance

Enhanced Maternity package

Virtual GP service – unlimited access

Job summary

Whistles in London seeks a commercially minded fabric specialist to influence the product journey from concept through to collection. Based at our London Head Office, you will build partnerships with mills worldwide, drive fabric innovation and champion sustainability within the brand.

You will lead sourcing initiatives, research seasonal trends, manage fabric qualities across Europe, India and the Far East, and collaborate with design, technical and CSR teams to deliver quality and style

Qualifications

• Experience in fabric sourcing, development or textile buying within fashion retail.
• Strong eye for fabric quality, textures and sustainable sourcing.
• Able to manage multiple developments and deadlines with suppliers worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Lead fabric sourcing initiatives for Whistles.
• Research and present seasonal fabric trends and innovations.
• Source and manage fabrics from Europe, India and the Far East.
• Build relationships with mills and suppliers, onboarding new partners.
• Drive fabric development projects from briefing to approval.
• Negotiate prices and MOQs to maximise value for commercial goals.
• Manage sampling, budgets and fabric libraries.
• Collaborate with CSR to champion sustainability.
• Coordinate with technical teams on fabric tests and quality.
• Represent Whistles at industry trade shows and fabric fairs.
• Manage greige bookings, fabric liabilities and bulk commitments.

Skills

Fabric sourcing

Trend analysis

Supplier relationship management

Negotiation

Project management

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially minded and trend-focused fabric specialist to influence the product journey from concept through to collection. You will build strong partnerships with global mills and suppliers, drive fabric innovation, support sustainability goals, and ensure our collections continue to deliver the quality and style our customers love.

Based at our London Head Office, you will join a collaborative team that is passionate about creating beautiful products and continually evolving the Whistles brand.

What you'll do:

• Lead fabric sourcing initiatives for Whistles
• Research and present seasonal fabric trends, identifying key innovations, colours, textures, and developments.
• Source and manage fabric qualities from Europe, India and the Far East, balancing cost, quality and trend relevance.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with global mills and suppliers, while identifying and onboarding new partners.
• Drive fabric development projects, briefing mills and managing developments through to approval.
• Negotiate fabric prices and minimum order quantities, identifying opportunities to maximise value and support commercial objectives.
• Manage sampling activity, budgets and fabric libraries.
• Work closely with the CSR team to champion sustainability initiatives.
• Work closely with Technical teams to review fabric performance, test reports and quality standards.
• Represent Whistles at industry trade shows and fabric fairs.
• Manage greige bookings, fabric liabilities and bulk fabric commitments.

Who you'll be:

• Experienced in fabric sourcing, development or textile buying within a fashion retail environment.
• Passionate about fabrics, trends and product innovation with a strong eye for quality and detail.
• Commercially aware, with experience negotiating costs and managing supplier relationships.
• Confident building partnerships across design, buying, technical and sourcing teams.
• Organised and proactive, able to manage multiple developments and deadlines simultaneously.
• Knowledgeable about fabric construction, testing and performance standards.Passionate about sustainability and responsible sourcing initiatives.
• A strong communicator who enjoys collaborating with internal teams and external partners globally.

What's in it for you?

Across the TFG Brands, we pride ourselves on having our people at the heart of everything we do. We will give you the tools and the time to develop your career in the direction you want to go. Alongside that, we have some great benefits which include:

• Employee Discount of up to 70%
• Up to 28 days holiday entitlement per annum in addition to the usual public and bank holidays
• Financial and Wellbeing assistance
• Enhanced Maternity package
• Virtual GP service – unlimited access 24/7