Elizabeth Starnes
Broomfield,CO
Summary
Methodical Product & Materials Integrity Manager committed to product integrity, quality & performance within the supply chain. Diligent and communicative leader with expertise in strategic planning, materials management and quality control. Committed to collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, vendors, suppliers, etc. to maximize a traceable supply chain to enable strategic material sourcing decisions, substantiation of claims and product storytelling.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Product & Materials Integrity Manager
Smartwool And Icebreaker
06.2023 - Current
- Contributed key materials to propel SW/IB growth of (+2.6M /+5.9%) vs LY total across DTC - Digital, DTC - B&M and Wholesale channels
- Achieved established KPI for company, regional team and individual performance through teamwork and focus on sustainable, traceable materials and end consumer
- Partner with Development, Merchandising & Product Stewardship on required testing to to facilitate performance claim substantiation, legal compliance, and product safety
- Track materials traceability and sustainability documentation for portfolio materials
- Track & interpret all materials testing. Assess inbound test reports and record in relevant systems to manage context and assess the level of risk for the brand based on end use for any failures or Marginal Acceptance status
- Own Risk Assessment Process, partnering with Development and Quality teams
- Partner with ASO / PSO and regional Product Stewardship teams to support the onboarding of all mills and vendors for SW/IB testing protocol
- Partner with VF Responsible Materials & Traceability team, in addition to Product Stewardship in supplier screening process (from tier 1 to tier 5) to evaluate any environmental, social or business risks for new suppliers
- Partner with all Brand departments on Buy Ready process lead by ASO/RO/PSO with input from GMS and Product Stewardship to ensure all required testing has been completed prior to bulk production
- Partner with GMS on SMS material tracking to ensure on time delivery (OTP) and consult on any material delays due to development or quality
- Own, update and educate key business partners on testing specifications included in the Quality Manual SOP
- Act as primary consult on bulk quality issues, testing methods, test result interpretation, and future improvement to process & testing alignment for the portfolio
- Ensure that Smartwool and Icebreaker manuals are updated, clearly define the similarities and differences between each brand's requirements
- Refocus the wear test program to fabric/yarn testing, new category intros, key performance styles for Smartwool and Icebreaker inclusive of strategy, planning, budgeting, project management
- Compiled and analyzed data to guide material sourcing decisions to improve sales and performance
Materials Manager
Smartwool, A VF Company
02.2020 - 06.2023
- Contributed key materials to propel SWL Apparel growth (+10% YTD), 4 Product innovation hits in Outside Buyers Guide +Intraknit Midlayer
- Managed the completion of advanced and in-line materials adopted into seasonal collection, ensuring data accuracy across all platforms
- Managed all current & seasonal material developments, ensuring buy readiness & commercial adoption at end of development cycle
- Developed & sourced raw materials and yarns to expand seasonal product potential and key price points
- Represented collective material view, sustainability & possibilities from advanced materials, inline materials & wear testing
- Facilitated daily interaction where inspiration & material possibilities are front of mind
- Partnered with Product Integrity Manager on developing testing standards to achieve best performance of new materials.
- Benchmarked & lay the foundation for natural performance materials & ultimately prepare for the replacement of synthetics with Natural fibers in SW collection
- Co-created & built seasonal materials calendar(s) and partner with cross functional teams on key dates for material & color commitments to ensure on time sample delivery (OTP)
- Facilitated yarn commits & seasonal greige forecasting for SMS materials
- Partnered with Global GMS for support for SMS materials tracking
Materials Manager
Eddie Bauer, LLC
03.2018 - 02.2020
- Managed material development with cost targets, performance, sustainability and end use in mind / Technical Outerwear, Lifestyle Outerwear, Wovens, Knits
- Partnered with Design, Sourcing, Product Line Managers, Product Development to deliver innovative raw materials meeting design intent, partnered with QA to maintain and establish performance specs, fostered relationships with overseas suppliers
- Stayed abreast of trend in the marketplace, and executed resourceful, cost effective, innovative materials across all channels
- Managed material development process to adhere to company calendar and consistently met deadlines and deliverables
- Proactively addressed quality issues in partnership with QA and established new performance specifications
Textile Specialist
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc
12.2014 - 02.2018
- Worked directly with Designers, Product Mangers, CA Sourcing team & Hong Kong team, provided clear communication to teams that ensured procurement supported design direction and enabled commercial success
- Sourced and developed the correct fabrics and materials according to calendar timelines, target price, quality standards and sustainability roadmap
- Ensured 100% accuracy on all development documentation for adopted fabrics, including pricing, and treatments
- Proactively managed the fabric requirements relative to manufacturability, performance, quality, cost, lead-times and minimums
- Provided fabrications for injecting newness into ongoing programs by researching innovative sustainable fibers, new technologies and finishing techniques which will add value to current collection
Education
Master of Science - Textile Technology And Management
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC12.2019
Master of Arts - Apparel Design
Ball State University
Muncie, IN05.2013
Bachelor of Science - Apparel Merchandising & Product Development
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH05.2011
Skills
- Material R&D, Innovation
- 10 year's experience in sustainability, sourcing, responsible materials and traceability
- Adobe Creative Cloud - Photoshop, Illustrator
- Microsoft Office Suite - Word, Excel, PowerPoint
- PLM Systems: PTC Flex PLM, Centric PLM, Enovia, Bamboo Rose, Tradestone, TrackVia, AirTable
- Testing databases - EcVision Amber Road / Sarge, ITS & BV Testing Hubs
- Tableau Reporting
- Textile Exchange Preferred Fiber Material Matrix Toolkit (PFMM)
- HIGG Index (MSI Suite of Product Tools)
- Sustainability, traceability & certification
- Knowledgeable on sustainable sourcing and production practices in the aparrel and textile industry
- Advanced project management
- Experienced with hosting multi-stakeholder meetings and stakeholder engagement
- Content expert with strong industry knowledge and network
- Recycled, renewable and regenerative fibers and materials
Affiliations
TAGS (Textile & Apparel Graduate Students Association)
ITAA (International Textile & Apparel Association)
AATCC (American Association of Textile Chemists & Colorists)
ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials)
TE (Textile Exchange)
SB (Sustainable Brands)
SAC (Sustainable Apparel Coalition)
Certification
- Certificate of Knit & Woven Fabric Development - North Carolina State University / 2015
- Futurist Project Leadership Academy Graduate / 2022
Timeline
Product & Materials Integrity Manager
Smartwool And Icebreaker
06.2023 - Current
Materials Manager
Smartwool, A VF Company
02.2020 - 06.2023
Materials Manager
Eddie Bauer, LLC
03.2018 - 02.2020
Textile Specialist
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc
12.2014 - 02.2018
Master of Science - Textile Technology And Management
North Carolina State University
Master of Arts - Apparel Design
Ball State University
Bachelor of Science - Apparel Merchandising & Product Development
Bowling Green State University
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