Fabric Sourcing Manager – Woven

Evolv Clothing Company; Chennai; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Global brands exposure

International sourcing exposure

Culture of innovation

Growth opportunities

Job summary

Evolv Clothing Company is seeking an experienced Fabric Sourcing Manager – Woven to lead end-to-end woven fabric sourcing, development, and vendor management for its apparel lines. The role emphasizes balancing cost, quality, lead time, and sustainability across global suppliers.

The ideal candidate will drive fabric development, vendor partnerships, and cost optimization while ensuring alignment with product requirements and production timelines.

Qualifications

• 6–10+ years in woven fabric sourcing, development, and vendor management.
• Strong expertise in woven fabric constructions, yarns, dyeing, processing, and finishing techniques.
• Experience with domestic/international mills and suppliers.
• Understanding of fabric costing, lead times, and supply chain coordination.

Responsibilities

• Lead sourcing and development of woven fabrics (cotton, linen, viscose, blends, sustainable materials).
• Coordinate lab dips, handlooms, strike-offs, and approvals with buyers/product teams.
• Negotiate pricing, MOQs, terms, and delivery to optimize sourcing.
• Monitor supplier performance and resolve supply/quality issues.
• Ensure fabric developments meet buyer standards and quality specs.
• Coordinate with production for timely availability of fabrics for sampling and bulk runs.
• Support sustainability and certifications (GOTS, OEKO-TEX, etc.).

Skills

Sourcing strategy

Vendor management

Quality control

Lead time management

Cost optimization

Fabric knowledge (woven)

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Textile Technology / Fashion Technology

Tools

MS Excel

ERP

PLM systems

Job description

Job Title: Fabric Sourcing Manager – Woven

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Fabric Sourcing Manager – Woven to lead fabric sourcing, development, and vendor management for woven apparel categories.

This role will be responsible for ensuring the timely availability of high-quality woven fabrics while balancing cost, quality, lead time, and sustainability standards. The ideal candidate will bring strong technical expertise in woven fabrics, supplier management capabilities, and the ability to collaborate effectively across merchandising, design, production, and quality teams.

Role Purpose

The Fabric Sourcing Manager will drive the end-to-end woven fabric sourcing lifecycle — from development and approvals to bulk fabric execution — ensuring seamless alignment between buyer expectations, product requirements, and production timelines.

The role will play a critical part in strengthening vendor partnerships, improving sourcing efficiency, driving cost optimization, and ensuring consistent quality standards for international apparel manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities

Fabric Sourcing & Development

• Lead sourcing and development of woven fabrics, including cotton, linen, viscose, blends, sustainable materials, and specialty finishes.
• Coordinate fabric developments, lab dips, handlooms, strike-offs, and approvals in alignment with buyer and product requirements.
• Work closely with merchandising and product development teams to identify suitable fabric solutions for seasonal collections.
• Maintain and continuously update fabric libraries, shade cards, swatches, and development records.
• Ensure fabric innovations align with evolving UK, European, and global fashion trends.

Vendor & Mill Management

• Build and manage strong relationships with domestic and international fabric mills and suppliers.
• Evaluate supplier capabilities, quality standards, pricing competitiveness, and lead time reliability.
• Negotiate pricing, MOQ, payment terms, and delivery schedules to optimize sourcing efficiency.
• Monitor supplier performance and proactively resolve supply chain or quality-related challenges.
• Drive cost optimization initiatives without compromising product quality and performance.
• Monitor trends in yarn pricing, dyeing, processing, and raw material costs.
• Support merchandising and costing teams with accurate fabric costing inputs and commercial feasibility.

Quality Management & Technical Excellence

• Ensure all fabric developments meet buyer standards and internal quality expectations.
• Monitor critical technical parameters including GSM, shrinkage, colorfastness, pilling, tensile strength, and shade consistency.
• Collaborate with quality teams to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve fabric-related concerns during development and bulk production.
• Drive corrective and preventive actions to minimize quality risks.

Production Coordination

• Ensure timely availability of approved fabrics for sampling, pilot runs, and bulk production.
• Coordinate closely with production planning teams to avoid delays due to fabric shortages or approvals.
• Support manufacturing teams in resolving fabric performance or production-related issues.

Compliance & Sustainability

• Ensure mills comply with buyer requirements, social compliance, and sustainability standards.
• Support certifications including GOTS, OCS, GRS, OEKO-TEX, BCI, and other sustainable sourcing frameworks.
• Maintain proper traceability, documentation, testing reports, and audit readiness.

Required Skills & Qualifications

Experience

• 6–10+ years of experience in woven fabric sourcing, development, and vendor management.
• Strong expertise in woven fabric constructions, yarns, dyeing, processing, and finishing techniques.
• Proven experience working with domestic and/or international mills and suppliers.
• Strong understanding of fabric costing, lead times, and supply chain coordination.
• Experience handling fabric sourcing for export-oriented apparel manufacturing environments.

Technical & Functional Skills

• Strong knowledge of woven fabric quality parameters and testing standards.
• Expertise in supplier negotiation, vendor management, and sourcing strategy.
• Strong commercial understanding of costing, margins, and fabric feasibility.
• Proficiency in MS Excel, ERP, and PLM systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Extensive experience in woven fabric sourcing and development within apparel manufacturing or export houses.
• Strong technical understanding of fabric performance, finishes, and garment compatibility.
• Ability to balance quality, cost, speed, and sustainability requirements.
• Strong communication and coordination skills with the ability to work across design, merchandising, production, and quality teams.
• Strong vendor relationship management and negotiation capabilities.
• A proactive professional with strong ownership and execution focus.

Communication & Coordination Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with internal stakeholders and external suppliers/mills.
• Strong negotiation and relationship management skills.
• Ability to prepare structured reports, sourcing updates, and fabric development trackers.
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

What Evolv Offers

• Opportunity to work with a 50-year-old apparel manufacturing leader serving leading global brands.
• Exposure to international sourcing ecosystems and global fashion requirements.
• A dynamic environment focused on innovation, quality, and operational excellence.
• Opportunity to contribute to the growth journey of a world-class Indian apparel manufacturer.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Textile Technology, Textile Engineering, Fashion Technology, or a related field.
• Additional specialization in fabric technology or sourcing will be an added advantage.