Raw Materials Manager at Huha Wear Inc.

Reports To: VP of Product Development (COO for Interim)

Job Type: Full-Time Employee

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Location: Vancouver based; hybrid 1-2 days, Office 3-4 days per week

Salary: $95,000-$110,000

Who We Are

We believe that everyone deserves to feel comfortable in their skin. For too long, we’ve been trained to think that the way we look is more important than the way we feel, and we’re on a mission to change that.

Huha is an underwear brand making healthier, comfier skin-layer basics that encourage one’s sense of body positivity and self-love. In the process of creating what is healthier for our bodies and minds, we are creating what is healthier for the planet, too.

What We Value

We are a small but dedicated team with great ambitions. As a fast-growing startup, we believe that if we set our minds to a unified goal and work together to achieve it, the sky is the limit. Since our inception, we have doubled our growth year-over-year, given back to dozens of wonderful charities, and garnered tens of thousands of loyal customers who believe what we believe: that comfort is more important than vanity.

Huha is on a mission to create healthier, more comfortable garments that improve one’s sense of body positivity and self-love. Our values guide our work and our mission guides our values. Want to join us?

Together- Every voice shapes the future

Ownership-Embody integrity and reliability

Evolve- Rise to meet challenges

About the Role

We’re looking for a Raw Materialist to own the sourcing, development, and quality of our fabrics and trims. The Raw Materialist will spearhead fabric and trim innovation, working closely with the executive and product development team to make product visions come to life. You’ll play a critical role in ensuring our materials meet our standards for performance, sustainability, and comfort, while building relationships with our vendors extending from fiber producers, to spinners, knitters, dyehouses and beyond.

Key Responsibilities

Material Sourcing & Development

• Lead the sourcing and development of fabrics, trims, yarns, and raw materials tailored for intimate apparel
• Build and manage a multi-mill sourcing strategy, including primary and secondary mills for all key fabrics
• Attend fabric shows and maintain close relationships with mills to identify innovations, trends, and sustainability opportunities
• Partner with mills to develop, modify, and optimize materials balancing comfort, durability, performance, and cost
• Manage the seasonal and recurring material development calendar from concept through commercialization
• Own test yardage approvals, bulk material adoption, and readiness for production
• Build redundancy strategies, including:
• Secondary mills for key fabrics
• Back-up yarns for functional blends
• Alternative finishes when mills hit capacity
• Identify and proactively mitigate geopolitical, cost, capacity, and lead-time risks across the supply chain
• Manage raw material production lead times and delivery deadlines to support production timelines

Fabric Platforms & Proprietary Innovation

• Lead material innovation initiatives by partnering with mills to engineer custom yarns, blends, finishes, and knit structures unique to Huha
• Manage R&D projects with mills to develop proprietary knits, yarn blends, and fabric differentiators
• Develop and evolve Huha “signature” platform fabrics that scale across collections
• Oversee handfeel, weight, stretch and recovery, pilling resistance, breathability, and durability enhancements
• Negotiate exclusivity or preferential agreements with mill partners where appropriate
• Research and integrate next-generation, skin-friendly fibers and textile technologies

Color, Testing & Quality

• Lead development of seasonal color books, lab dips, and strike-offs in partnership with Design
• Own approvals for color and print, ensuring all standards are met for bulk production
• Build and oversee an in-house testing lab, managing internal performance testing and validation
• Collaborate with QA on AATCC/ASTM testing, wear tests, and performance reviews
• Interpret test results and drive material approvals or refinements
• Maintain material libraries, quality benchmarks, and technical standards tailored to intimates and skin-contact products

Sustainability, Compliance & Skin-Health Standards

• Ensure all raw materials align with Huha’s skin-health positioning and performance standards
• Own material-level certifications and compliance, including OEKO-TEX, FSC, Lenzing, traceability documentation, and related standards
• Manage OEKO-TEX renewals and ensure ongoing compliance across all materials & suppliers (OEKO-TEX, Bluesign, ZDHC, etc)
• Track mill-level audits, sustainability metrics, and social compliance initiatives
• Research and implement lower-impact material innovations, including:
• Natural dyeing
• Reduced water and chemical finishing
• Recycled synthetics and seamless applications
• Carbon footprint reduction initiatives

Raw Materials Supply Chain & Vendor Management

• Own and maintain Huha’s Supplier Manual, ensuring supplier compliance with company standards and communicating all updates to suppliers and vendors
• Build redundancy and risk mitigation strategies across the raw materials supply chain, including:
• Secondary mills for key fabrics
• Backup yarn options for functional blends
• Alternative finishes during capacity constraints
• Identify and proactively mitigate geopolitical, cost, capacity, and lead-time risks
• Build strong relationships with global mills, suppliers, dyehouses, and yarn partners
• Maintain mill scorecards tracking lead times, quality, sustainability, compliance, and cost performance
• Assess supplier capabilities and drive continuous improvement through partnership and problem-solving
• Support mill visits and on-site evaluations as needed

ERP/Data Ownership & Operational Excellence

• Maintain accurate ERP/PLM master data for all raw materials, including:
• Fabric codes
• Costs
• Lead times
• Minimums
• Testing records and approvals
• Support the evolution toward more advanced PLM/ERP material systems as the company scales
• Track and manage material development timelines independently to ensure seamless integration into product development and production schedules

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with the CEO, Founder, Design, Product Development, Supply Chain, Sourcing, Production, and Quality teams to bring product visions to life
• Collaborate early in the development cycle with Supply Chain (ordering) to align material performance with aesthetic intent, and to ensure production timelines are met, as impacted by raw material timelines and delivery
• Partner with Sourcing and Production to support vendor readiness and seasonal execution
• Ensure all fabrication details, specs, finishes, and testing requirements are accurately documented in tech packs and systems
• Provide visibility into material status, risks, timelines, and commercialization readiness across cross-functional forums
• Act as a key technical and strategic partner across the product creation lifecycle

Your Skills & Experience

• 6–8+ years of experience in raw material development, textile innovation, fabric R&D, or sourcing, preferably within intimates, activewear, or performance apparel
• Deep technical knowledge of knit and woven fabrics, yarns, fibers, finishes, dyeing, printing, and textile manufacturing
• Strong understanding of AATCC/ASTM testing and lab report interpretation
• Experience collaborating directly with global mills and suppliers
• Strong understanding of sustainability standards, certifications, and traceability programs
• Exceptional eye for color, handfeel, drape, stretch, recovery, and fabric performance
• Experience balancing innovation, commercialization, scalability, and cost
• Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through
• Curious, solutions-oriented, and energized by blending technical expertise with creativity
• Degree in Textile Science, Materials Engineering, Fashion Design, or related field preferred (or equivalent industry experience)

Final Thoughts

We believe that diversity fuels innovation and we enthusiastically celebrate multiple approaches and points of view. In that spirit of inclusivity, we do not discriminate on any basis and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply. While we welcome all applications, we will only respond directly to those short-listed for a role. Thank you for your understanding and best of luck in your career journey.