Raw Materials Developer

ALO•Commerce, CA

9d•$90,000 - $105,000

About The Position

As a key member of the Global Raw Materials team, the Raw Material Developer plays a critical role in driving the creation and execution of innovative, high-performance materials that bring our brand’s creative vision to life. Acting as a global strategic partner to the Product Creation teams, this role supports the development, testing, and commercialization of fabrics that elevate aesthetic, quality, and sustainability—while managing cost targets through close collaboration with approved vendor partners. With a focus on technical validation, supplier engagement, and cross-functional collaboration, the Raw Material Developer ensures materials meet our highest standards for performance, durability, and guest experience, ultimately serving as the foundation of our products and a core element of our brand identity.

Requirements

6+ years in fabric development, with a strong understanding of performance textiles and fashion-driven materials.
Expertise in knit and woven constructions, finishing techniques, and technical properties.
Experience working directly with top tier mills to develop and commercialize materials.
Proficient in industry testing standards (AATCC, ASTM, China Protocol 21 / GB testing) and capable of evaluating results for risk and performance.
Ability to advise on material selection and refinement throughout the development process.
Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to multitask in a fast-paced, design-led environment.
Excellent communication skills, capable of translating technical information for cross-functional teams.
Proficiency in Asana, PLM systems and Excell for development tracking, workflow management, and cross-functional visibility.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with design and product development teams to create and refine fabrics that align with seasonal creative and technical goals.
Lead the development of new materials and fabric platforms, focusing on function, feel, durability, and sustainability.
Owned seasonal Men’s fabric development programs and supported Men’s and Women’s redevelopment programs as needed.
Oversee lab testing, risk assessments, and wear testing to validate fabric performance (e.g., stretch recovery, pilling, shrinkage, durability).
Ensure all materials meet internal quality standards using industry protocols (AATCC, ASTM, ISO).
Owned wear test execution workflows including sample coordination, tracking, feedback consolidation, and translation of insights into actionable development decisions across Men’s seasonal and core programs.
Supported onboarding and training of the Wear Test Specialist during transition of program ownership.
Helped develop and implement Asana-based workflows to improve tracking, visibility, and organization of wear test requests and feedback across seasonal and redevelopment programs.
Serve as the technical expert during material selection, development, and commercialization.
Partner with Design, PD, Technical Design, Production, and Sustainability to ensure holistic material readiness.
Lead structured Men’s Design development meetings, including agenda ownership, decision documentation, and tracking of action items to ensure alignment and execution follow-through.
Provide technical guidance on material transitions from development to bulk production, ensuring consistency and quality.
Build and maintain strong relationships with global mills.
Lead development conversations, resolve technical issues, and ensure executional excellence from sampling to production readiness.
Provide recommendations on mills based on technical capability and development needs.
Designed and implemented development tracking systems including Asana workflows, dashboards, and templates to improve visibility, accountability, and execution consistency across teams.
Developed KPI tracking tools to monitor fabric adoption, seasonal outcomes, and development efficiency, enabling data-informed decision-making and continuous process improvement.
Supported onboarding and training of new team members and interns through structured process documentation, system walkthroughs, and hands-on guidance.
Took ownership of intern mentorship, including coordinating learning exposure, guiding priorities, and supporting development across core raw material workflows.
Ensure materials are developed and delivered on time according to the seasonal calendar.
Support sampling needs for prototypes, SMS, and wear test programs.
Stay ahead of fabric advancements and industry trends, ensuring Alo continues to push material development forward.