The Apparel Materials Buyer is a critical logistics and procurement role responsible for the efficient, on-time, and cost-effective acquisition of all material yardages required for the product creation lifecycle, from initial wear testing through to salesman samples (SMS). This role requires a blend of keen negotiation skills, precise tracking, and strategic inventory managementto consolidate purchasing and maximise the utilisation of all raw materials across multiple business units.

• Source and procure all necessary fabric and trim yardages specifically for critical product creation phases, including concept phases, key internal review meeting dates, wear testing and salesman samples (SMS).
• Collaborate closely with Material Developers to gain an in-depth understanding of materials under consideration and build the material yardage tracker at the start of each season to align purchasing strategy with development needs.
• Negotiate optimal sample yardage lead times with Tier 2 (T2) suppliers, balancing speed, quality, and cost constraints to meet demanding product calendar milestones.
• Drive material buying consolidation by identifying and implementing opportunities to combine procurement across different product categories and various internal business units, achieving economies of scale.
• Manage material buffer inventory by strategically arranging material reserves to support multi-season use, mitigating risk of shortage and ensuring continuity.
• Own the end-to-end tracking and arrangement of sample yardages, ensuring materials are allocated, shipped, and received by the designated allocated factories (T1s) precisely when needed.
• Actively manage all leftover and excess material yardages, tracking inventory levels and driving internal allocation for repurposing in future development or sampling needs, minimising waste.
• Develop and maintain a robust tracking system for all in-house and factory-held sample materials.
• Manage the dedicated budget for all material sample buying, ensuring all purchases remain within forecast and seeking cost efficiencies without compromising material quality or timeline integrity.
• Provide regular reporting on material usage, spend vs. budget, and leftover material value.

• 5+ years of experience in apparel materials procurement, logistics, or fabric buying, specifically handling sample yardage purchasing.
• Proven expertise in negotiating lead times and managing supplier relationships (T2 partners).
• Demonstrated ability to consolidate purchasing across multiple product categories or business units.
• Exceptional organisational skills and proven ability to track and manage material inventories, budgets, and complex logistics movements globally.
• Strong understanding of apparel product creation calendars and the urgency associated with sample phase deliverables.
• Proficiency in PLM or ERP systems for tracking material allocation and usage.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are a plus.