Fabric R&D Lead: Materials Innovation & Sourcing

Centric Brands Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company matching

Summer Fridays

Generous PTO

Employee discounts

Job summary

Centric Brands Inc. seeks a Fabric R&D Manager to own the material story for our Favorite Daughter collection.

You will translate seasonal direction into viable fabric offerings, lead development with mills worldwide, and ensure quality, cost, and timing align with brand goals. Reporting to the SVP of Product Development and Technical Design, you will collaborate across Design, Product Development, and Production to deliver fabric strategies that support margin and market relevance in a

Qualifications

• Degree in Textile Science, Fashion Design, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5–7 years in materials development or raw materials sourcing for apparel.
• Hands-on expertise across wovens, knits, and denim with finishing knowledge.
• Strong knowledge of fiber content, fabric construction, dyeing and testing standards.
• Proven costing and negotiation with mills domestically and overseas.

Responsibilities

• Lead fabric development and sourcing across wovens, knits, and denim from concept to bulk approval.
• Manage mills, pricing, lead times, and terms in partnership with Product Development.
• Own lab dips, handlooms, and fabric specs; ensure regulatory and testing compliance.
• Drive cost reductions and margin improvements through material substitutions and negotiations.
• Coordinate cross-functionally with Design, Production and Sourcing to hit calendars.

Skills

Fabric development

Sourcing

Negotiation

Calendar management

Denim wash development

Education

Textile/Fashion degree or equivalent

Tools

PLM systems

Job description

Centric Brands Inc. seeks a Fabric R&D Manager to own the material story for our Favorite Daughter collection.

You will translate seasonal direction into viable fabric offerings, lead development with mills worldwide, and ensure quality, cost, and timing align with brand goals. Reporting to the SVP of Product Development and Technical Design, you will collaborate across Design, Product Development, and Production to deliver fabric strategies that support margin and market relevance in a