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We have a great opening for a Garment Technologist to join a leading outdoors lifestyle Brand.

In line with their growth strategy our Client is looking to develop their casual wear ranges including fleece, sportswear, shirtings, loungewear, leggings etc. Liaising with suppliers in the Far East the successful candidate will be an important part of this development phase.

Reporting to the Technical Manager the Garment Technologist is responsible for developing and executing premium quality products on time, ensuring maximised profit margins, in line with agreed strategy for each product segment. 

The Garment Technologist acts as a primary liaison between the Brand and product (apparel and accessories) suppliers to ensure that product’s key features and specifications are understood and executable. 

The Garment Technologist provides apparel engineering and manufacturing expertise to the design team in order to ensure potential garment defects are identified and prevented at an early stage. 

The Garment Technologist will work closely with the design team to ensure that expected quality standards are upheld from concept throughout production. Working to exceed the quality expectations of the brand’s customer is the key goal of your role.

Responsibilities: 

Product Quality

• To deliver products that reflect the brand values 

• Responsible for ensuring the highest product quality for assigned product segment.

• Work with the Design team to ensure that all specifications of assigned products are adequate in order to achieve the highest level of quality.

• To ensure the functional and quality demands of the products are met from the product briefs throughout production.

• Monitor quality standards of product quality at suppliers during all stages of prototyping development.

• Ensure the brand’s products are safe and legally compliant with all appropriate legislation. 

• Conduct Pre-Production meetings with QC and suppliers to ensure that production is of the expected quality standard.

• Assist and review QC reports and sign off production QC results.

• Conduct warehouse inspection on delivered bulk production when needed.

• Provide Technical assistance to internal teams.

• Perform risk analysis at the handover stage to ensure any potential risks are identified and remedied or avoided at an early stage.

• Propose changes and production perspectives to improve products and ensure successful commercialization of the product during manufacturing.

• Review and sign off on pre-production samples for accuracy, quality and function prior to production ensuring that all products meet business expectations.

• Alongside the Designer, ensure that products are fit for purpose and in line with current quality expectations

• Ensure that all new products, techniques and/or material combination are tested and adhere to the Brand’s quality standards.

• Support the Materials team to organise and document product and trims laboratory and wear tests if and when required.

Product Development:

• Collaborate with Design team to ensure styling and aesthetic objectives align with performance, quality, and cost objectives.

• Ensure that BOMs have complete and accurate information, clearly specified measurements and comments for all products.

• Creating and maintaining products specifications, comments and bill of material (BOMs) at every stage of the development cycle.

• Certify 100% accuracy on all development documentation. 

• Update development-tracking on Range Grid and make available for weekly meetings in order to confirm that calendar dates and timelines are being adhered to.

• Create and maintaining accurate product input on Range Grid ensuring that information is updated and align with information in the BOM, CBD (Costing Break Down), testing and latest prototype. 

• Alongside the Materials team, approve all wash-care labels ensuring this is accurate and communicated to the relevant suppliers.

• Participate and collaborate in sustainability projects.

Supplier Management 

• Act as the primary liaison between the Brand and the Suppliers to ensure that all related development and technical issues are understood and executable.

• Ensure that suppliers have clear information and specs that allow them to deliver products that meet requirements for function, performance, quality and aesthetics.

• Certify that manufacturing requirements are implemented successfully ensuring that required performance standards are achieved.

• Advise suppliers on manufacturing best practices, principles, and brand quality standards.

• Create mutually beneficial supplier relationships to effectively drive improvement in quality.

• Ensure that suppliers’ communication is carried out in a clear and timely manner

Process Management:

• The timely management of prototyping, testing and product reviews to a critical path, ensuring all products and ranges are launched on time.

• Ensure that suppliers are aware of the critical path dates so that prototypes are delivered according to the seasonal calendar.

• Work with the Materials team to ensure that all product lab dips, trims and components are approved as per seasonal calendar.

• Update and communicate all relevant information to the production team making sure that prototyping development are on time and in line with the critical path. 

• The timely management of materials (fabrics, trims, artworks and components) development and testing to the seasonal critical path.

• Work with the Design Team in order to ensure products are on track and any update or changes are conducted within the calendar deadlines.

• Regular communication with the design and production team on materials (fabrics, trims, prints and components) approval to ensure deadlines is on schedule. 

• Ensure the critical path is met and highlight any instances where this is at risk.

• Ensure that the assigned products are aligned and delivered according to the seasonal calendar.

  Product Fit and Sizing

• To technically develop products from initial prototype to production completion, including measuring garments, fitting and testing samples.

• Responsible for creating and updating detailed measurement charts for your product segment.

• Ensure that measurement specification, fit, size and grading of product are consistency across all suppliers and assigned product segment.

• Ensure that standard measurement information and comments are clearly documented and sent to suppliers.

• Manage fit process to ensure garment construction, measurements and overall fit is consistent with brand and assigned product segment. 

• Lead prototype fit and grading processes collaborating closely with the design team to ensure specification are as accurate as possible and represent design intention. 

• Review size sets for accuracy of measurements, including reviewing artwork placement and proportions

Product Cost

• Support the design team with technical guidance in reducing costs throughout the prototyping approval process.

• Negotiate costs with suppliers on an ongoing basis, for overall garments and also value engineering as development progresses

• Ensure that new products are developed to target cost and reach expected or agreed margin.

• Review and analyse the cost breakdown of your assigned products during the prototyping process and recommend materials (fabrics, trims, prints and components) and constructions that will help improve margin.

Product Workmanship

• Ensure that manufacturing standards are the most appropriate and that construction methods are used according to the products’ intended end use.

• Establish the manufacturing standards through the prototype approval processes. 

• Improve and drive innovative technical solutions to improve product quality, cost and speed of delivery.

• Identify and document any construction details or sewing methods that need to be communicated to the product (apparel and/or accessories) suppliers.

Candidate requirements

• Previous experience working in a similar role is essential

• Candidates must be able to work 5 days a week in Milton Keynes, no working remote

• Experience working with suppliers in Asia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, China is preferred