Fabric Research & Development Assistant, Wholesale Apparel

Job Description

Job Description

The Kasper Group is an apparel industry leader, offering women wardrobe solutions for their wear-to-work and special occasion dressing needs. Driven by excellence and exceptional talent, The Kasper Group has remained a forerunner in fashion for over 30 years. We are committed to delivering iconic brands (Kasper, Anne Klein, LeSuit, Kenneth Cole), relevant fashions and trusted, quality products to our consumers. So be a part of the exceptional talent!

We are seeking an entry-level Fabric Research & Development Assistant to support the Fabric/Textile team across our women?s wholesale ready-to-wear business. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly organized, detail-oriented candidate looking to build a career in fabric research, textile development and sourcing.

The Fabric R&D Assistant will work closely with Design, Production, Textile and external mill partners to support fabric development from initial research and sampling through pre-production.

Responsibilities

• Support the Fabric/Textile team with seasonal fabric research and development.
• Partner with Design to understand seasonal fabric direction and development needs.
• Communicate with domestic and overseas mills regarding fabric developments, pricing, minimums, widths, content and availability.
• Request and maintain Fabric Data Sheets (FDS) for all sampled and developed qualities.
• Request swatches, headers, sample yardage and sub-proto yardage from mills and local suppliers.
• Assist with counter sourcing and identifying alternative fabric options as needed.
• Maintain accurate records of fabric developments from initial submission through pre-production.
• Track fabric submissions, approvals, sample yardage and development status.
• Assist with ordering and tracking sample yardage for market and seasonal development.
• Receive, organize, label and distribute incoming fabric samples and yardage.
• Cut and prepare fabric swatches and reference samples for Design boards, internal libraries and development records.
• Assist designers with pulling fabric and yardage for sample cutting.
• Maintain seasonal fabric binders, swatch libraries and digital development records.
• Organize fabric selections by mill, category, season and division.
• Maintain an organized sample yardage and fabric storage area.
• Save and maintain fabric documentation within company shared drives and systems.
• Provide daily follow-up with mills and internal teams regarding outstanding fabric developments.
• Support additional fabric, textile and product development projects as needed.