Fabric Strategy, Innovation & Sourcing Lead

Matalan; West Kirby; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discount

Career development opportunities

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Wellbeing support

Recognition scheme

Job summary

Matalan is seeking a Fabric Manager to lead the development and sourcing of fabrics, ensuring quality, performance, sustainability, and cost objectives are met. You will work with the Fabric Technical Manager, Buying, Design, Technical and Supply Chain teams to streamline the end-to-end fabric development process and deliver fabrics that meet customer expectations.

You will drive innovation, manage core fabric standards and libraries, and provide guidance to cross-functional teams while

Qualifications

• Degree in Textile Technology or Fabric related field.
• Experience in Fabric Development/Management within fashion or home retailer.
• Strong fabric knowledge across multiple bases and suppliers.
• Experience with textile testing and fabric standards.
• Knowledge of sustainability practices in fabric sourcing is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic development and management of fabrics and yarns to meet quality, performance, sustainability and cost objectives.
• Drive fabric innovation by identifying new materials and industry trends.
• Own and improve core fabric standards with data-driven decision support.
• Develop and manage the fabric library, promoting standardisation and cost optimisation.
• Provide technical guidance to Buying, Design, Sourcing and supplier teams.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure consistent fabric quality across products.
• Lead sustainability initiatives in fabric sourcing and supplier relationships.
• Identify opportunities to streamline fabric routes and reduce duplication.
• Represent Matalan at fabric exhibitions and supplier events.
• Lead deep-dive initiatives using customer insight and technical data to improve product quality.
• Resolve fabric-related production issues with robust root cause analysis and continuous improvement.
• Embed new technologies (e.g., Digiview, PLM, 3D) to enhance fabric decision-making.
• Mentor junior team members and drive knowledge development.

Skills

Fabric knowledge

Textile testing

Supply chain management

Multi-base expertise

Communication with overseas suppliers

Attention to detail

Education

Textile Technology or Fabric related Degree

Tools

PLM

Digiview

3D tools

Job description

Matalan is seeking a Fabric Manager to lead the development and sourcing of fabrics, ensuring quality, performance, sustainability, and cost objectives are met. You will work with the Fabric Technical Manager, Buying, Design, Technical and Supply Chain teams to streamline the end-to-end fabric development process and deliver fabrics that meet customer expectations.

You will drive innovation, manage core fabric standards and libraries, and provide guidance to cross-functional teams while