Fabric R&D Leader - Denim, Wovens & Knits

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Summer Fridays

Generous PTO

Merchandise discounts

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Centric Brands is seeking a Fabric R&D Manager to own the material story for the Favorite Daughter collection, spanning wovens, knits, denim, and yarns. You will translate seasonal concepts into viable fabric offerings while collaborating with Design, Product Development and Production to ensure margin, quality, and timely delivery.

The role reports to the SVP of Product Development and Technical Design and requires strong technical knowledge, supplier management, and travel to domestic and

Qualifications

• Degree in Textile Science, Fashion Design, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 5–7 years of materials development or raw materials sourcing in apparel, with meaningful exposure to women's contemporary product.
• Hands-on expertise across wovens, knits, and denim, including constructions, yarn systems, finishing, and wash.
• Deep technical knowledge of fiber content, fabric construction, dyeing and finishing processes, and textile testing standards.
• Proven costing and negotiation experience with domestic and overseas mills.
• Strong color acumen and the ability to evaluate lab dips and approve to standard.
• Strong calendar management skills with the ability to juggle multiple categories and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience in a fast-paced, high-SKU-turn contemporary or premium denim environment.
• Experience developing traceable material programs.
• Familiarity with denim wash development and laundry partnerships.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead fabric research and development across wovens, knits, and denim, from concept through bulk approval.
• Partner with Design at the front end of each season to interpret mood, trend, and hand-feel direction into actionable development targets.
• Source, develop, and present seasonal fabric offerings that balance newness, seasonal core, and best sellers.
• Drive innovation in fabrications, finishes, washes, and constructions that differentiate the brand among competitors.
• Build and maintain a curated seasonal color palette with Pantone standards and internal color names.
• Identify and develop novelty and signature fabrications; manage exclusivity agreements where applicable.
• Build and manage relationships with international mills, converters, and fabric agents across key sourcing regions.
• Negotiate pricing, minimums, lead times, and terms in partnership with Product Development and Production.
• Manage the fabric development calendar with mills so lab dips, strike-offs, handlooms, knit-downs, and bulk yardage land on time.
• Attend domestic and international fabric trade shows and conduct mill visits as needed.
• Partner with QC / QA Team for fabric testing protocols and standards; partner with Design and Technical Design for end use performance requirements.
• Review and send approval comments for lab dips, strike-offs, handlooms, quality submits, and bulk submits.
• Troubleshoot fabric-related quality issues in development and production and drive root-cause resolution with mills.
• Maintain fabric specifications, construction, content, weight, width, and finishing standards in PLM.
• Ensure all fabrics meet regulatory, compliance, and testing requirements.
• Use commercial judgement on cost, negotiate to hit target margin without compromising quality or hand feel.
• Propose material solutions to close costing gaps with suggestions for researched yarn substitutions, finishing alternatives, sourcing shifts.
• Partner with Production and Sourcing on fabric liability, platform buys, and greige/yarn positioning to protect lead times.
• Provide leadership with visibility into fabric cost trends, raw material market shifts, and supply risk.
• Advise Design early on feasibility, cost, and hand alternatives before concepts are determined.
• Present seasonal fabric direction in concept, line review, and adoption meetings.
• Communicate development status, risks, and trade-offs clearly and proactively in seasonal Proto and SMS line review meetings.
• Own and organize the physical and digital fabric library, including headers, hangers, swatch cards, and seasonal archives.
• Maintain accurate, accessible fabric records so Design, Product Development and Production can self-serve.

Skills

Fabric development

Sourcing & negotiation

Color analysis

Calendar management

Traceable material programs

Denim wash development

Travel willingness

Cross-functional collaboration

Industry knowledge

Problem solving

Education

Degree in Textile Science, Fashion Design, or related field

Job description

Centric Brands is seeking a Fabric R&D Manager to own the material story for the Favorite Daughter collection, spanning wovens, knits, denim, and yarns. You will translate seasonal concepts into viable fabric offerings while collaborating with Design, Product Development and Production to ensure margin, quality, and timely delivery.

The role reports to the SVP of Product Development and Technical Design and requires strong technical knowledge, supplier management, and travel to domestic and