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Director - Specialty Fibers

Quince· Material Sourcing
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Hybrid (Hong Kong; Shanghai; Shenzhen)full-timePosted 1mo ago

About the role

Director of Specialty Fibers responsible for ensuring luxury fibers (cashmere, merino, yak, alpaca, and others) meet Quince’s standards for quality, sustainability, and affordability, through strategic supply chain leadership, supplier development, and cross-functional collaboration across global markets.

Responsibilities

  • Orchestrate end-to-end supply chain as central hub linking sourcing, production, and quality to ensure seamless flow from fiber to finished yarn.
  • Lead and mentor a diverse team of sourcing managers, quality engineers, and production experts.
  • Drive multi-sourcing and nearshoring strategies to mitigate risks and secure high-grade fibers from Americas and Asia.
  • Set strategic direction for vertical integration opportunities (spinning, dyeing, finishing) to enhance quality control and margins.
  • Advise executive team on fiber market trends, geopolitical risks, climate impacts on raw materials, and competitive intelligence; translate data into actionable recommendations.
  • Identify cost-leadership opportunities across the supply chain while maintaining ethical standards and product integrity.
  • Build and curate supplier ecosystem (mills, dehairers, spinners, dye houses) meeting standards for quality, capacity, sustainability, and labor practices.
  • Lead supplier development programs to improve yield, reduce defects, and achieve cost efficiencies.
  • Drive traceability and transparency across fiber supply chain; partner with certification bodies (GOTS, RWS, GCS, ZQ) for chain-of-custody integrity.
  • Make high-stakes sourcing decisions using market intelligence (auction prices, crop forecasts, currency fluctuations, geopolitics) balancing short-term costs with long-term value.
  • Architect the quality management system for all specialty fibers; define standards, testing protocols, and approval workflows.
  • Partner with Senior Manager, Natural Fibers Quality to establish measurable quality benchmarks (micron distribution, fiber length, tensile strength, yield, color fastness, pilling resistance).
  • Oversee third-party lab testing and compliance with ISO, OEKO-TEX, GOTS, REACH; ensure materials meet internal specs.
  • Lead root-cause analysis and implement CAPA across supply chain; promote quality-at-the-source mindset with suppliers.
  • Collaborate with product development and design teams to translate aesthetic visions into technical specs (micron targets, twist levels, finishing treatments).
  • Serve as central point of communication for fiber-related matters to design, product development, and production teams.
  • Communicate with mills, dye houses, and suppliers on fiber quality, color accuracy, availability, and timelines.
  • Translate design visions into manufacturable technical briefs for suppliers; validate luxury fiber perception and color accuracy via blind panels.

Qualifications

  • Degree in Textile Science, Fiber Engineering, Material Science, Supply Chain Management, Color Chemistry, or related field.
  • 15+ years of experience in specialty fiber sourcing, yarn production, quality management, or coloration for apparel, accessories, or home textiles.
  • Deep technical knowledge of natural fibers (cashmere, merino, yak, alpaca, cotton) and spinning processes (woolen, worsted).
  • Proven leadership experience managing cross-functional teams in fast-paced retail or manufacturing environments; track record of mentoring and developing talent.
  • Strong cost analysis skills: cost-per-kilogram modeling, yield optimization, landed cost analysis, and budget management.
  • Experience building and maintaining quality standards and supplier compliance programs, including SKU rationalization and shade consolidation.
  • Excellent communication skills translating complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.

Skills

Required:Textile Science / Fiber EngineeringStrategic Supply Chain ManagementLeadership & People Management

Benefits

  • Equal opportunity employer; inclusive culture emphasizing sustainability and affordability.
Last updated Sep 30, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
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About Quince

High Quality Essentials, Radically Low Prices

Quince brings luxury products like Mongolian Cashmere, Italian Leather, Turkish Cotton and Washable Silk to everyone at radically low prices. Shop premium essentials with no middleman.

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