Apparel Materials Developer

24 Seven is partnering with a global sportwear client based in Portland, Oregon to help them find an Apparel Materials Developer for this hybrid position working 4 days a week onsite. This is a full-time, 6 month contract with likelihood to extend. While on contract, you'd be eligible for benefits including medical, dental, vision, sick time, and more.

Ideal Candidate : will have a degree in textile engineering or a related field, brings at least 2+ years of material development experience, and is confident navigating IT tools- including internal databases, reporting systems, and early-stage 3D creation processes.

Role Overview :

As Apparel Materials Developer you are a key contributor in the apparel material development process by ensuring the availability of materials (fabrics, trims and prints), which support the strategic marketing & design direction to enable commercial success. You will find and / or develop the right materials according to calendar timelines, target prices, sourcing policy, and quality standards.

Key Responsibilities :

Serve as the primary contact and consultant for all material-related inquiries.

Lead cross-functional material discussions, guide material selection, and drive consolidation for efficiency.

Build and maintain strong relationships with internal teams and external partners, including Design, Product Development, Sourcing, Quality, and suppliers.

Ensure accurate and up-to-date material data in internal systems (technical details, cost, toolbox, lifecycle).

Identify suitable sources for new material development aligned with sourcing strategy and garment allocation.

Collaborate with suppliers to translate design needs into innovative, commercially viable materials.

Manage seasonal material developments and lead initial price negotiations with suppliers.

Ensure all selected materials are tested and approved by Materials Quality per timelines and brand standards.

Partner with cross-functional teams to develop a focused material toolbox and improve material efficiency.

Drive continuous improvement by consolidating and verifying the materials library and promoting material sharing.

Provide updated material trend insights to Business Units through research, stakeholder input, fairs, supplier meetings, and industry events.

Qualifications :

• College / university degree or comparable degree / education in textile engineering or related field
• At least 2 years of relevant work experience in material development or associated field
• Strong IT skills (e-mail, MS office), ability to work with internal material data base and reporting tool, preferably first experience in 3D creation process