Materials Manager, Product Innovation at Reformation

Vernon, California, United States

Reformation Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Mid-level (3 to 4 years), Senior (5 to 8 years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Fashion, Apparel, Sustainable FashionIndustries

Requirements

  • 5+ years of experience in materials sourcing, R&D, or management within Footwear, Handbags, Swim, or Jewelry
  • Experience with leather and leather goods required; bonus points for experience with traceable and regenerative supply chains
  • Strong supplier negotiation skills with proven ability to manage global vendor relationships
  • Deep technical knowledge of materials and components, including development, QA/testing, and compliance standards
  • Familiarity with certifications and standards (GOTS, RWS, GRS, Prop 65, EUDR, and REACH testing)
  • Skilled in trend research, trade show sourcing, and sustainable innovation
  • Highly proficient in Microsoft Office, Excel, and G-Suite; PLM/ERP systems experience preferred
  • Excellent organizational, project management, and data tracking skills
  • Strong communicator and collaborator with cross-functional partners
  • Passionate about sustainability, innovation, and creating best-in-class materials programs

Responsibilities

  • Partner with Design to interpret seasonal concepts into fabric, trim, and component R&D across Footwear, Handbags, Swim, and Jewelry
  • Attend trade shows and supplier fairs, researching and presenting trend and innovation opportunities by category
  • Build and manage vendor relationships, onboarding new mills and maintaining a supplier matrix with scorecards based on performance, capabilities, and COO
  • Negotiate costs, terms, and lead-times with mills/suppliers; counter-source nominated materials as needed
  • Partner with Sustainability on Tier 2+ supply chain initiatives, certifications, and traceability requirements
  • Collect, validate, and log LDS/FDS, spec sheets, cost sheets, and compliance data in shared systems: PIM, PLM (Centric), Sustainability Management Software (Elm/Quickbase)
  • Align and standardize materials from development through production; build and maintain category-specific material libraries
  • Support Sourcing with positioning, bulk approvals, and usage reconciliation across production
  • Resolve issues in the materials lifecycle, ensuring compliance with brand standards, regulatory testing, and sustainability protocols
  • Monitor industry and regulatory developments in materials and chemical standards; update processes and roll out to suppliers
  • Track and document key material order benchmarks on shared trackers; highlight at-risk deliveries against the Development Calendar
  • Manage domestic/import deadstock sourcing, maintaining a preferred supplier network and portal
  • Troubleshoot material and component production issues in partnership with QA, Sourcing, and vendors
  • Support strategic or special projects in materials innovation and development across all categories

Skills

Fabric R&D
Supplier Management
Vendor Negotiation
Trade Shows
Sustainability Certifications
Supply Chain Traceability
PLM
Centric
PIM
Quickbase

Reformation

Sustainable fashion brand offering eco-friendly clothing

About Reformation

Reformation focuses on sustainable fashion by offering eco-friendly clothing options in a market known for its environmental impact. The company provides a range of stylish clothing items, including jeans, dresses, and wedding attire, while also releasing seasonal collections to align with current fashion trends. Reformation sells its products directly to consumers through its website and physical retail stores, ensuring a seamless shopping experience without extra charges at checkout. This direct-to-consumer model allows Reformation to maintain control over its brand and pricing, making its products more accessible. The company promotes sustainability through initiatives like encouraging customers to recycle their clothing in exchange for store credit, fostering customer loyalty. Reformation's goal is to clean up the fashion industry by making sustainable choices fashionable and available to eco-conscious consumers.

Vernon, CaliforniaHeadquarters
2009Year Founded
$36MTotal Funding
SERIES_BCompany Stage
Consumer GoodsIndustries
1,001-5,000Employees

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match

Risks

Increased competition in sustainable fashion could dilute Reformation's market share.
Rapid store expansion may strain resources and lead to operational inefficiencies.
Automation partnership with Element Logic could face implementation challenges.

Differentiation

Reformation uses sustainable fabrics and vintage garments to reduce environmental impact.
The company operates a direct-to-consumer model, cutting out middlemen to control costs.
Reformation's quick design-to-market process allows it to release trendy collections swiftly.

Upsides

Growing consumer interest in sustainable fashion boosts Reformation's market potential.
Partnerships with tech companies enhance operational efficiency and customer experience.
Reformation's collaborations with brands like Veja expand its product offerings.

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