Raw Materials Manager

About the Role

The Raw Materials Manager is responsible for day‑to‑day management of DUER's fabric, trim, and hardware library — core materials that power our best‑selling styles and new materials evaluated for upcoming seasons. This role loves materials management detail: keeping specs airtight, mills accountable, pricing sharp, and timelines on track so product can design confidently and factories produce consistently. It sits at the centre of Design, Product Development, Sourcing, and our factory partners, owning relationships with key mills and suppliers, the integrity of material specs, and the workflow that moves a fabric from first hand‑feel to production‑approved.

• Mill & Supplier Relationships
  • Build and execute DUER's raw material sourcing strategy across fabrics, trims, hardware, labels, and packaging.
  • Identify, qualify, and onboard new mills and suppliers aligned to our performance, sustainability, and commercial standards.
  • Support Design team with supplier discovery: trade shows, mill visits, market intelligence, and competitive scanning.
  • Maintain a preferred supplier base with clear performance scorecards and roadmap for category coverage.
  • Own day‑to‑day commercial relationships with mills and raw material suppliers; negotiate pricing, MOQs, lead times, and terms.
  • Drive cost engineering across core materials to improve margin without compromising quality, performance, or brand standards.
  • Ensure supplier compliance with DUER's sustainability, quality, and social compliance standards; support audits and certifications (e.g., GOTS, GRS, OEKO‑TEX, BCI).
  • Resolve commercial and material issues with suppliers, working closely with Sourcing and Product Development.
• New Material Introduction
  • Partner with Design and Product Development to scope and source new raw materials against seasonal briefs, balancing performance, sustainability, hand‑feel, price, and scalability.
  • Maintain core material and counter‑sourcing when necessary for costing, quality, and regional optimization.
  • Drive new materials through supplier outreach, sampling, testing, costing, and approval into the core library.
  • Manage testing protocols (lab dips, hand looms, wash tests, performance and durability testing) to qualify suppliers and materials.
• Material Library & Specs
  • Own the master raw material library — fabrics, trims, hardware, labels, and packaging — keeping suppliers, specs, costs, MOQs, and lead times accurate.
  • Be the single source of truth for raw materials across Design, Product Development, Sourcing, and Planning.
  • Maintain accurate data in our systems (WFX) so material decisions flow cleanly into costing, purchasing, and downstream planning.
• Cross‑Functional Partnership
  • Partner with Production to set them up for success with airtight material specs and data, supplier relationships, and clean hand‑offs from mill to factory.
  • Partner with Sourcing and Planning to ensure the right materials are available at the right cost for every season.
  • Provide clear reporting on the material pipeline, supplier performance, and cost movement to Product, Production, and Sourcing teams.

• Experience & Skills (Required)
  • 8+ years of experience in textile sourcing, raw materials, or fabric development within apparel — denim, performance, or lifestyle categories strongly preferred.
  • Senior individual contributor who thrives as a deep specialist; known as the go‑to materials expert wherever worked.
  • Established personal network of mills, fibre innovators, and trim suppliers, activatable from day one.
  • Deep working knowledge of fabrics (denim, woven, knit, performance blends), trims, and hardware – construction, finishing, testing, and supplier landscape.
  • Proven track record of building and managing mill and supplier networks: discovering new partners, negotiating commercial terms, and holding suppliers accountable.
  • Strong commercial instincts – comfortable balancing cost, quality, sustainability, and speed when making sourcing decisions.
  • Working understanding of the product development calendar and how raw material sourcing fits into it.
  • Organized, detail‑obsessed, calm under pressure; keeps specs tight and supplier relationships…