Materials Partner; FTC

White Stuff was established in 1985 through a simple idea. This idea grew and now we have shops and concessions in the UK and internationally, selling women’s and men’s clothing as well as beautiful accessories and homeware. Our original prints (all designed in house), intricate details and considered design touches reflect our personality and make us subtly distinctive.

Our people are at the heart of our brand, constantly moving and driving us forward. We’re sociable, talented and like minded and we’re not hierarchical or political in how we do business. We encourage entrepreneurial ideas and accountability at all levels.

The Responsible Materials Partner role will be a central point of contact within WS for material expertise. It is an important role supporting WS ESG Business Strategy Fabric Pillar, building material sustainability knowledge, alongside creative fabric sourcing innovation for all product categories. Meeting ambitious SBTi targets to reduce carbon impacts across WD product, will be met through full transparency of the entire WS value supply chain, driving efficiencies and partnerships to Tier 5 in collaboration with our Digital Product Passport provider.

This role will provide value through the optimisation of material procurement. Scaling up consolidation and negotiation opportunities through griege booking management, down time production planning, and raw material management will drive cost save, whilst ensuring 100% more sustainable material targets are met tical partner to the Design and Garment Technology Teams, to build fit for future innovation, trend sourcing and sustainable materials.

Responsible for material audits & due diligence management for material standards.

• Fashion retail experience in fabric sourcing and development with excellent sustainability knowledge across multi product, global supply chain and vendor strategy.
• Knowledgeable in product development, production processes and best practices.
• Good working knowledge of product critical paths and cross costings.
• In depth knowledge of fashion trends, interpreting market intel, and comp shops.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge, including jersey, knit, woven, embroidery, digital printing, yarn, greige & raw material procurement.
• Global material supply chain knowledge and contacts.
• High commercial awareness and understanding of product open costings, achieving a balance between creativity and commercial implications throughout the product development process.
• Innovative in the field of material newness, sustainability & circularity.
• Excellent analytical and record keeping/data management skills.
• Project management skills, analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Strong collaborative, organizational, and people skills.
• Able to set up and establish high standards in the material procurement process with suppliers.
• Able to work in a fluid, fast-paced, multi-channel environment.
• Ability to travel as needed.
• Effective communication and negotiation skills.
• A people’s person with the ability to build relationships and negotiate with ease.
• Highly organised with strong time, people, and project management skills.
• Independent but enjoys working in a team and have a flexible approach to working.

• Fabric Trend & Development:
  Driving innovation & newness in yarn, materials, washes and finishes, ensuring sustainability & innovation, through certified materials, is at the forefront of all material decisions.
• Undertake supplier appointments, attending material exhibitions and conducting regular comp shops to research material innovations and sustainability drivers.
• Sourcing material options that support circularity, sustainability, target price, technical requirements, with brand appropriate aesthetic.
• Responsible for overseeing the lifecycle of all fabrics from development and sourcing through to production, ensuring newness and excellent standards are met.
• Formulating an initial WS Fabric Strategy, with Head of Buying, to ensure White Stuff Material Sustainability targets and compliance are met. Build Fabric Supplier Material Forums to ensure WS suppliers are regularly updated.
• Providing…