Director, Fabric Development & Innovation

Posted 22 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Hybrid
Senior level
Fashion • Retail
The Role
The Director of Fabric Development & Innovation will lead fabric innovation, manage the materials pipeline, and oversee cross-functional strategies in kids' apparel, aligning design and product development.
Summary Generated by Built In

About Us

Little Sleepies is one of the fastest growing companies in America, according to Inc. Magazine (#1 in retail)! We make days and nights easier with super-soft yet impressively durable, thoughtfully designed products that families love. Featuring prints kids are obsessed with and fabrics parents trust, every piece is made to feel good, fit right, and get worn on repeat. We're rooted in innovation and driven by care, with our signature fabrics, Lunaluxe® and Soluxe®, custom-developed to support the way kids move, sleep, and grow — because comfort isn't just how it feels, it's how it's made. Driven by creativity, passion, and the desire to do something extraordinary, we strive to bring joy and comfort to families around the world. We're excited to be doing this, and we hope you will be too. If our mission resonates, we would love to hear from you!

Location:

Hybrid, with three days minimum out of our brand new, state of the art headquarters in Los Angeles, CA

Visa Sponsorship:

This position is not eligible for Visa sponsorship.

The Role:

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.

What you’ll do: 

Materials & Fabric Innovation Pipeline

  • 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

Market, Competitive & Consumer Intelligence

  • 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

Cross-Functional Innovation Leadership

  • 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

What you’ll bring to the team:

  • 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.

What we’re excited to offer you:

  • Ability to work cross functionally with a fast-growing team, with smile-sparking products that turn everyday moments into magical memories
  • A supportive environment that fosters and encourages new ideas and innovation
  • The opportunity to stock your drawers with Little Sleepies! 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

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

Little Sleepies is an equal-opportunity employer, and we value diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Skills Required

  • 10-12 years of progressive fabrication strategy
  • background in fabric engineering, textile science, or materials development
  • hands-on experience with fabric construction, finishing, or performance testing
  • track record of driving category expansion
  • Bachelor's Degree in Textile Development
Am I A Good Fit?
beta
Get Personalized Job Insights.
Our AI-powered fit analysis compares your resume with a job listing so you know if your skills & experience align.

The Company
HQ: Los Angeles, CA
70 Employees
Year Founded: 2018

What We Do

Our lives are the sum of a million little moments, and we believe every single one has the potential to be extraordinary. Balancing product and purpose, we design clothes that spark joy and inspire togetherness. Made from proprietary Lunaluxe™️ and Soluxe™️ bamboo fabrics, our cloud-soft sleepwear and daywear are designed to laugh, play and snuggle in. With our headquarters in LA, we strive to bring joy and comfort to families around the world. Inclusivity, community and transparency are integral to who we are, and giving back remains one of our core values since our founding in 2018. We’re proud to donate a portion of all proceeds to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a leader in pediatric cancer research.

Similar Jobs

Tapestry - Coach and Kate Spade Logo Tapestry - Coach and Kate Spade

Store Manager

eCommerce • Fashion • Retail • Sales • Wearables • Design
Hybrid
Santa Barbara, CA, USA
16000 Employees
70K-114K Annually

PwC Logo PwC

Anthropic Alliance Manager

Artificial Intelligence • Professional Services • Business Intelligence • Consulting • Cybersecurity • Generative AI
Remote or Hybrid
37 Locations
370000 Employees
212K-244K Annually

PwC Logo PwC

Tax Innovation & Delivery Experience - Data Engineering - Experienced Associate

Artificial Intelligence • Professional Services • Business Intelligence • Consulting • Cybersecurity • Generative AI
Hybrid
10 Locations
370000 Employees
63K-153K Annually

PwC Logo PwC

Identity and Access Management (AI Focus) Experienced Associate

Artificial Intelligence • Professional Services • Business Intelligence • Consulting • Cybersecurity • Generative AI
Hybrid
21 Locations
370000 Employees
63K-140K Annually

Similar Companies Hiring

Grocery TV Thumbnail
Software • Retail • Marketing Tech • Hardware • Digital Media • AdTech
Austin, TX
56 Employees
Scotch Thumbnail
Artificial Intelligence • eCommerce • Fintech • Payments • Retail • Software • Analytics
US
35 Employees
Golden Pet Brands Thumbnail
Digital Media • eCommerce • Information Technology • Marketing Tech • Pet • Retail • Social Media
El Segundo, California
178 Employees

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account