Raw Materials, Fabric, and Trim Developer

About CORDOVA
CORDOVA is a fast-growing leader in luxury performance ski apparel and resort wear, known for elevated design, technical excellence, and quality construction. Our small, ambitious team values versatility, accountability, collaboration, and proactive execution.
Position Overview
We are seeking a Raw Materials, Fabric & Trim Developer to manage the sourcing, development, testing, and commercialization of CORDOVA’s performance fabrics, linings, insulation, trims, hardware, and technical components.
Working with Design, Product Development, Production, and international suppliers, this person will deliver materials that combine technical performance with CORDOVA’s luxury aesthetic. The role requires a strong fabric and trim taste level, confidence initiating seasonal research and presenting material direction, and awareness of market trends and emerging technologies relevant to ski and technical outerwear.
The successful candidate will be independent, organized, and solutions-oriented, with a start-up mentality and the ability to communicate and share information effectively across a remote team. Direct experience developing materials for ski or technical outerwear is required. Regular travel to suppliers, factories, mills, and industry fairs will be expected.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Material Research and Development
Initiate seasonal fabric and trim research and present edited recommendations to Design and Product Development.
Monitor market trends, supplier innovations, and emerging performance technologies relevant to ski and technical outerwear.
Source and develop performance fabrics, linings, insulation, trims, hardware, zippers, labels, and other components.
Translate creative direction into clear supplier briefs and recommend materials that balance luxury appearance, hand feel, technical performance, quality, cost, minimums, and timing.
Build productive relationships with mills, suppliers, agents, testing facilities, and manufacturers.
Testing and Commercialization
Evaluate materials for hand feel, weight, stretch, durability, abrasion resistance, waterproofing, breathability, insulation, seam-sealing compatibility, color, and finish.
Manage swatches, lab dips, strike-offs, knit-downs, trim samples, hardware finishes, testing, specifications, and approvals.
Work with suppliers and internal partners to resolve test failures, shade variation, shrinkage, color migration, delamination, coating failure, and bulk-quality issues.
Maintain the material critical path through bulk approval and production readiness, escalating significant risks when required.
Track pricing, minimums, surcharges, lead times, testing, approvals, forecasts, and delivery requirements in partnership with the Senior Product Developer.
Remote Collaboration and Systems
Prepare clear digital presentations and multiple well-labeled physical fabric and trim packages for remote review by Design and Product Development.
Manage domestic and international sample shipments through DHL, UPS, and other carriers, including labels, customs documentation, tracking, and distribution to multiple team members.
Maintain accurate material data within BOMs, PLM systems, development trackers, and organized physical and digital material libraries.
Communicate status, risks, costs, testing issues, and required decisions clearly while ensuring approvals and material history remain accessible to the remote team.
Contribute to improved workflows, templates, trackers, and ways of working as the company grows.
Qualifications
4–8 years of experience in fabric, textile, trim, raw-material, or apparel product development.
Direct experience sourcing and developing materials for ski or technical outerwear is required.
Strong fabric and trim taste level, with the ability to combine technical performance with luxury appearance, hand feel, and finish.
Experience working with international mills, trim suppliers, agents, testing facilities, and manufacturers.
Strong knowledge of performance textiles, membranes, coatings, laminations, insulation, seam-sealing systems, technical trims, zippers, and hardware.
Understanding of textile construction, finishing, dyeing, printing, testing, costing, and bulk commercialization.
Highly organized, proactive, and solutions-oriented, with strong presentation and communication skills and the ability to work independently within a remote, fast-moving team.
Proficiency with PLM systems, Excel, Adobe Illustrator, and material-development tracking tools.
Experience supporting women’s and men’s products is preferred.
Fluency in English is required. Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, or another relevant supplier language is an advantage.
Compensation
€45,000-60,000 annual compensation
Contract (6-12mo initial term with intent to extend)
Final compensation and benefits will depend on location, directly relevant experience, and technical expertise, and hiring type.
Generous paid time off.

Work arrangement
Yes