Product Development

Responsibilities

Product Development (all categories)

CADs & Technical Drawings

● Create accurate vector CADs in Adobe Illustrator with stitch/trim callouts, BOM references, and colour ways.

● Prepare placement guides for prints, embroideries, heat transfers, and appliqués; supply layered artwork files to mills/factories.

Tech Packs & Spec Sheets

● Build complete tech packs (BOM, graded measurement charts, construction details, tolerance tables, care/labelling, packaging).

● Maintain version control and change logs; ensure all vendors work off the current revision.

Fit Process

● Schedule/join remote fittings; prepare fit agendas; measure samples, record photos, and issue clear fit comments with action owners.

● Track samples by round (Proto/SM/PP/TOP) and drive closure on each comment until approval.

Sampling & Material Development

● Request/track lab dips, strike-offs, handlooms, trim cards, hardware finishes; manage approvals and shade bands.

● Source alternative fabrics/trims when cost, MOQ, or performance requires.

Costing & Feasibility

● Build cost sheets; assess CM, fabric yield, trims, and packaging; propose

construction/value-engineering options to hit target margins.

Testing, Care & Compliance

● Book/track product tests as required (e.g., colourfastness, dimensional stability, pilling/abrasion, corrosion on hardware).

● Draft care instructions based on fibre content, finishes and test results; maintain a simple register of compliance documents for AU/UK/US markets.

Category specifics

Women's Swim

● Develop fits for bikinis, one-pieces, rash guards, and cover-ups; manage cup options, removable pads, underwires, elastication specs and stitch types (zig zag/coverstitch/bartacks).

● Manage swim-specific performance needs: stretch & recovery, chlorine/salt/sunscreen resistance, lining opacity, hygienic liners, hardware plating/coatings.

● Approve prints on stretch substrates; confirm strike-off scale distortion and placement at graded sizes.

● Validate UPF claims (where applicable) and ensure care/labeling reflects fibre blends (e.g., nylon/elastane, recycled blends).

Women's Apparel (Knit & Woven)

● Build graded specs for tops, bottoms, dresses, skirts, outer layers; account for fabric shrinkage and mechanical stretch.

● Specify key constructions: necklines/rib specs, seam allowances, interlinings, closures, button sizes/placements, zipper specs, waistband constructions, pocketing and bar-tacks.

● Manage wash effects/garment dye/enzymes; create shrinkage allowances and pre-wash size sets where needed.

● Coordinate placement prints, embroideries, and trims; approve hand‐feel, drape, and hanger appeal.

Resort

● Focus on lightweight, breathable fabrics (linen, viscose/rayon, cotton voiles, crochet/knits); ensure transparency, seam slippage, and skew checks.

● Develop embellishments (tassels, fringing, beading) with pull tests and secure attachment construction.

● Validate print/embroidery coverage vs. needle heat/hoop marks; specify pressing and packing to avoid creasing.

Accessories

● Manage soft accessories (hats, scarves, sarongs, soft bags/small leather goods depending on range).

● Create spec sheets for hardware (buckles, sliders, clasps), strap pull-tests, stitch frequency, edge paint specs, lining and pocketing.

● Check metal finish fastness/corrosion, colour migration, and dimensional tolerances; confirm packaging and hangtag placements.

Production Management

● Critical Path & T&A: Build season timelines from range plan; keep trackers live; keep milestones green and escalate risks early.

● Vendor Management: Onboard factories (e.g., Vietnam/China/Cambodia); align on QA

standards/AQL, test protocols, packaging and carton marks; hold bi-weekly WIP touchpoints and issue minutes with actions after every call.

● POs, WIP & Delivery: Create and maintain Production POs in Cin7; ensure SKUs/variants, costs, Incoterms, and delivery windows are accurate. Track from fabric booking to ex-factory, including pre-shipment approvals and TOPs.

● Quality Control: Arrange inline/final inspections (internal or 3rd party); manage CAPAs; monitor defect trends and implement prevention.

● Logistics Prep: Coordinate packing lists, carton dimensions, care/label compliance, and shipment documentation with 3PL/logistics.

● Risk & Insurance: Maintain a simple register for product/test certificates and shipment insurance coverage; ensure declarations match commercial invoices.

Data, Systems & Tooling

● Excel/Google Sheets: Own trackers for critical path, sampling, fit rounds, testing, costing, and WIP; no silent edits—log every change.

● PIM/PLM: Create/maintain product records (attributes, care, dimensions, media); ensure 100% data completeness for go-live.

● Cin7: Create SKUs/variants, POs and receipts; reconcile variances; keep inventory statuses up to date.

● Shopify & Style Arcade (bonus): Support product setup/content checks; assist size curves, option counts and assortment insights.

● Collab tools: Confident in Google Drive; comfortable with Slack/ClickUp (or similar) for task assignment and follow-through.

● Documentation & SOPs: Write clear SOPs and continuously improve systems to speed up recurring work.

Qualifications & experience

● 5+ years in product development/production for global fashion brands, with tangible swim and apparel experience; accessories exposure preferred.

● Strong pattern/fit literacy (reading blocks, understanding grade rules and ease).

● Expert: Adobe Illustrator, confident in Photoshop; advanced Excel/Sheets.

● Solid hands-on with Cin7 and a PIM/PLM; Shopify & Style Arcade exposure is a plus.