Fabric Merchandiser

Kaapro Management Solutions Pvt. Ltd.; Surat; On-site; INR 600,000 - 950,000; Full time

Job summary

Kaapro Management Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in Surat, Gujarat seeks a Fabric Merchandiser to source fabrics, coordinate supplier activities, and negotiate terms to meet buyer specs and costs.

You will manage development samples, lab dips, and bulk orders while ensuring quality and timely delivery. Ideal candidates have a textile engineering/tech background with 3–6 years in fabric merchandising, strong Excel skills, and the ability to handle multiple projects under tight deadlines.

Qualifications

• Graduate in Textile Technology or related field with 3–6 years of fabric merchandising experience.
• 3–6 years of fabric merchandising experience, preferably with garment export/ manufacturing.
• Knowledge of fabric types, processes, dyeing, printing, finishing, and garment manufacturing requirements.
• Experience in supplier management, negotiation, and cost analysis.
• Strong coordination, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in MS Excel and creating reports, costing sheets, fabric tracking.
• Ability to manage multiple developments and bulk orders within tight deadlines.
• Knowledge of buyer compliance requirements and fabric testing standards is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Fabric Sourcing & Development: Source fabrics according to buyer requirements, specifications, quality standards, and target prices.
• Supplier Coordination: Develop and maintain relationships with fabric mills, textile suppliers, dyeing units, printing units, and processing houses.
• Price Negotiation: Negotiate fabric prices, MOQs, lead times, payment terms, and other commercial conditions with suppliers.
• Fabric Knowledge: Sound knowledge of woven and knitted fabrics including cotton, polyester, viscose, blends, denim, and other apparel fabrics.
• Fabric Development: Coordinate fabric sampling, lab dips, strike-offs, handloom samples, bulk swatches, and fabric approvals.
• Technical Understanding: Understand fabric composition, GSM, construction, width, shrinkage, colour fastness, testing parameters, and finishing requirements.
• Order Management: Track fabric orders from development and sampling through bulk production, inspection, dispatch, and delivery.
• Production Coordination: Coordinate with merchandising, production, quality, and planning teams to ensure fabric availability as per the production schedule.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure fabrics meet buyer-approved standards and specifications; coordinate fabric inspections, testing, and corrective actions.
• Costing & Consumption: Support garment costing by providing accurate fabric prices, consumption details, wastage calculations, and related cost inputs.
• Documentation: Maintain fabric purchase orders, supplier quotations, costing sheets, approval records, test reports, and delivery trackers.
• Delivery Follow-up: Monitor supplier commitments, identify potential delays, and take timely action to avoid production disruptions and shipment delays.
• Problem Resolution: Handle fabric shortages, shade variations, quality rejections, excess or short supplies, and other sourcing-related issues.
• Market Research: Keep updated on fabric market trends, price fluctuations, new developments, and alternative sourcing opportunities.

Skills

Fabric sourcing

Supplier coordination

Price negotiation

Fabric knowledge

Fabric development

Technical understanding

Order management

Production coordination

Quality assurance

Costing & consumption

Documentation

Delivery follow-up

Problem resolution

Market research

MS Excel

Education

Bachelors in Textile Technology/Engineering or related field

Tools

MS Excel

Job description

Key Responsibilities of Fabric Merchandiser:

• Fabric Sourcing & Development: Source suitable fabrics according to buyer requirements, garment specifications, quality standards, and target prices.
• Supplier Coordination: Develop and maintain strong relationships with fabric mills, textile suppliers, dyeing units, printing units, and processing houses.
• Price Negotiation: Negotiate fabric prices, minimum order quantities (MOQs), lead times, payment terms, and other commercial conditions with suppliers.
• Fabric Knowledge: Possess sound knowledge of woven and knitted fabrics, including cotton, polyester, viscose, blends, denim, and other apparel fabrics.
• Fabric Development: Coordinate fabric sampling, lab dips, strike-offs, handloom samples, bulk swatches, and fabric approvals as per buyer requirements.
• Technical Understanding: Understand fabric composition, GSM, construction, width, shrinkage, colour fastness, testing parameters, and finishing requirements.
• Order Management: Track fabric orders from development and sampling through bulk production, inspection, dispatch, and delivery.
• Production Coordination: Coordinate with merchandising, production, quality, and planning teams to ensure fabric availability as per the production schedule.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure fabrics meet buyer-approved standards and specifications; coordinate fabric inspections, testing, and corrective actions for quality issues.
• Costing & Consumption: Support garment costing by providing accurate fabric prices, consumption details, wastage calculations, and related cost inputs.
• Documentation: Maintain fabric purchase orders, supplier quotations, costing sheets, approval records, test reports, and delivery trackers.
• Delivery Follow-up: Monitor supplier commitments, identify potential delays, and take timely action to avoid production disruptions and shipment delays.
• Problem Resolution: Handle fabric shortages, shade variations, quality rejections, excess or short supplies, and other sourcing-related issues.
• Market Research: Keep updated on fabric market trends, price fluctuations, new developments, and alternative sourcing opportunities.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Graduate in Textile Technology, Textile Engineering, Apparel Manufacturing, or a related field; relevant industry experience may also be considered.
• 3–6 years of relevant experience in fabric merchandising, fabric sourcing, or textile procurement, preferably with a garment export house or manufacturing company.
• Strong understanding of fabric types, textile processes, dyeing, printing, finishing, and garment manufacturing requirements.
• Experience in supplier management, commercial negotiation, and fabric cost analysis.
• Good coordination, communication, follow-up, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in MS Excel and preparation of reports, costing sheets, and fabric tracking records.
• Ability to manage multiple developments and bulk orders within tight deadlines.
• Knowledge of buyer compliance requirements and fabric testing standards will be an added advantage.