Director of Material Sourcing and R&D

About the role

Develop Materials and bring forward material innovations to bring proprietary fabrics to market for Beyond Yoga. Lead the Beyond Yoga Material Sustainability strategy that is integrated with LS&Co. corporate sustainability goals and teams. Ensure appropriate sustainability testing, performance, certifications are in place at BY. Manage Sustainability plans related to material development ensuring sustainable manufacturing practices are followed and inherent in the materials. Create material library, material spec sheets, test results and lab dip/color approvals. Work with Design and Merchandising on material development based on LRP, Strategic product strategy and design direction. Ensure all materials are ready to go to market including testing, performance claims, and sustainability. Work with Production team in troubleshooting issues with suppliers during the sample and production process. Lead and provide updates to the partner teams on all new fabric and color inquiries and seasonal color palette, and all costing. Manage sample yardage status such as: cotton traceability, and pattern copyright protocols with mills/factories. Provide detailed and accurate information on fabrications/colors/cost. Operate with working knowledge of the Product Development timeline and partners (PD teams, Design, Merchandising). Demonstrate understanding of costing possible effects as they relate to product development, material briefs and cost/imu targets. Meet innovation goals, Global Sourcing Strategies, cost, quality, safety, and Terms of Engagement and Sustainability requirements during product development. About You 10 + years' experience in Material R&D and product development including in-depth knowledge of R&D, Textile technology, development, sourcing and testing and material quality requirements. Advanced education in Textile Technology and understanding of performance and technical materials within a Performance/Active brand space. Influence and lead change management within the team, across partners and leadership. Set, schedule, and achieve all seasonal product development deadlines and ensure team are tracking against important milestone deliveries. Stay informed about industry trends, competitor products, and customer preference to promote product improvement and difference. Solid fabric construction knowledge across a specialized area (i.e. woven, knit, yarn, trim) and Clear understanding of dye

Benefits

Additional Information

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Beyond Yoga is a premium active lifestyle brand, female-founded, LA born and bred. Founded in 2005 and grounded in the value of body positivity, Beyond Yoga creates clothing from luxuriously soft, easy to care for fabrics in styles that serve a broad range of workouts and activities. The brand has over 1,218 wholesale accounts across U.S. and international markets and continues to strengthen its market presence through an expanding brick-and-mortar footprint nationwide. Its strong fan base is fueled by enthusiasts of its signature Spacedye fabric and lifestyle essentials including outerwear, lifestyle pants, fleece and beyond. Beyond Yoga seeks to inspire growth in mind, body and in connection with community. In September 2021, we joined Levi Strauss & Co., one of the world's largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear. Beyond Yoga benefits from our relationship with LS&Co.'s global capabilities. For more information, go to beyondyoga.com. -- You will lead the end-to-end strategy and sustainable development of fabrics and trims, aligning to the long-range plan (LRP), multi-year product vision, and seasonal priorities. In this role, you will define and operationalize the raw material sourcing strategy, driving innovation with key mill partners while identifying and onboarding new suppliers in partnership with Sourcing. You are accountable for ensuring materials are market-ready-meeting brand-right aesthetics, performance, quality, and end-use requirements at scale. You will oversee the development and evolution of a comprehensive material portfolio and library, spanning in-line materials, pipeline innovation, and future-forward concepts, grounded in testing and performance data. Bringing a deep understanding of the brand and consumer, you will anticipate shifts in demand and translate insights into material direction. You will operate cross-functionally with Merchandising, Design, Product Development, and Sourcing, while providing senior-level technical leadership to supplier partners to ensure readiness from concept through production. You will also own the color approval process, ensuring seamless execution against seasonal palettes through oversight of lab dips, strike-offs, knit-downs, and handloom approvals in partnership with Design. In close collaboration with Materials Production, you will ensure strong execution from sampling through bulk, proactively mitigating risk and resolving issues across the material and garment lifecycle.

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