Fabric R&D Lead — Knits & Sweaters

Centric Brands; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401(k) matching

Summer Fridays

PTO

Job summary

Centric Brands is seeking a Fabric Manager to lead seasonal fabric research, development, and sourcing for knits and sweaters. You will collaborate with design, merchandising, product development, and production teams to ensure on-time, cost-effective delivery of high-quality fabrics aligned with the brand vision.

The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor's degree in Textile Design or Fashion and has 5–7 years of experience in fabric development, with strong PLM, Excel, and Illustrator skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Textile Design, Fashion, or related field.
• 5–7 years of experience in fabric research, development, or sourcing in fashion/retail.
• Extensive knowledge of fabric construction, fibers, dyeing, finishing, and garment construction.
• Experience with PLM software is essential.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Illustrator, and other systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead seasonal fabric research, development, and sourcing for knits and sweaters.
• Collaborate with design, merchandising, product development, and production teams.
• Develop and manage fabric development calendar; ensure key deadlines are met.
• Source fabrics and counter-source with overseas office and mills.
• Negotiate prices, minimums, and lead times to meet budget and margins.
• Identify production or costing issues and propose cost-effective solutions.
• Serve as main contact for internal/external partners on fabric development.
• Attend cross-functional meetings to provide updates and align the team.

Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Presentation

Organizational skills

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Textile Design / Fashion

Tools

PLM software

Microsoft Excel

Illustrator

Job description

Centric Brands is seeking a Fabric Manager to lead seasonal fabric research, development, and sourcing for knits and sweaters. You will collaborate with design, merchandising, product development, and production teams to ensure on-time, cost-effective delivery of high-quality fabrics aligned with the brand vision.

The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor's degree in Textile Design or Fashion and has 5–7 years of experience in fabric development, with strong PLM, Excel, and Illustrator skills.