Director, Fabric Development & Innovation
Little Sleepies•Los Angeles, CA
•Hybrid
About The Position
Little Sleepies is seeking an exceptional Director of Fabrication— a seasoned individual contributor who will own the company's fabric product innovation agenda. It is a high-impact strategic role for someone who is energized by thinking, building, and influencing — and who wants ownership of holistic fabric innovation capability at one of the most exciting growth brands in kids apparel.
Requirements
- 10–12 years of progressive fabrication strategy, product development, or innovation experience within kids apparel or a closely adjacent consumer product apparel category.
- Background in fabric engineering, textile science, or materials development strongly preferred; hands-on experience with fabric construction, finishing, or performance testing a significant plus.
- Deep fabric and construction literacy — comfortable in vendor and mill conversations, able to evaluate materials technically and commercially.
- Proven experience owning a product strategy or innovation function, not just executing product, but defining what gets built and why.
- Strong external antenna. You shop the market obsessively, attend trade shows, and translate trend into product opportunity instinctively.
- Track record of driving category expansion within a high-growth brand.
- Exceptional ability to influence without authority — you build trust and alignment across creative and operational teams through the quality of your thinking.
- Comfortable as a senior individual contributor — energized by doing, not managing.
- Experience working in a fast-paced, high-output product environment; or DTC brand experience a strong plus.
- Ideally Bachelor's Degree in Textile Development, Textile Management.
Responsibilities
- Partner closely with the Director of Product Development to build an 18-month materials innovation pipeline.
- Drive technical innovation by working directly with the vendor and mill base to identify next-generation fabric treatments, alternative fabric platforms, and construction innovations.
- Evaluate new materials against Little Sleepies' core brand promises — softness, durability, trust — and commercial feasibility.
- Own the process of moving promising materials from exploration to prototype to commercial integration.
- Be the internal authority on what is happening externally—fabric trend direction, competitive landscape, white space opportunities, emerging materials, best-in-class fabric development and innovation in the broader apparel market, and shifts in consumer behavior.
- Conduct regular apparel market and competitive analysis, trade show attendance, and market research to keep Little Sleepies ahead of the category.
- Translate external intelligence into internal product briefs, strategic recommendations, and innovation opportunities.
- Serve as the strategic bridge owning fabrication strategy between design (VP, Design) and product development (Director, PD) — ensuring innovation priorities are understood, embraced, and embedded in both teams' work.
- Partner with VP, Merchandising and VP, Design to ensure the fabric innovation roadmap is grounded in commercial reality and assortment strategy.
Benefits
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Paid time off, vacation
- Sick days
- Paid holidays
- Short and long-term disability
- Life insurance
- 401(k)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Home office stipend
- Internet stipend
- Company discount
- Team building activities
- Company-issued computer
- Free pajamas & Play product when you join (and every year on your work anniversary!) and a generous employee discount all year long to keep you cozy
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
