TEAM SPOTLIGHT SERIES: AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE KIDS FABRIC TEAM
January 27, 2025
In our Team Spotlight series, we are highlighting teams across the company who are leading operational transformation and business innovation and embody Centric philosophy every day.
The Kids Fabric Team is a highly skilled group of dedicated material and color experts based in both New York and Asia. With a strong foundation in textile design and engineering, the team brings loyalty and industry-recognized expertise to Centric Brands.
The team plays a critical role in managing the fabric process for Dresswear, School Uniforms and Private Label programs. Their responsibilities span fabric sourcing, design, color and quality development, production oversight, and compliance testing.
Did You Know?
- Fabric often accounts for 50% of the total garment cost.
- While over 90% of the fabric is sourced from China, more than 95% is cut outside of the country.
Centric’s fabric-forward business model ensures efficiency and profitability by consolidating material components, streamlining development, and ensuring product quality through a stable mill supplier network.
The team’s innovative approaches have led to several notable accomplishments:
- Advanced Color Management: By integrating electronic color evaluations, the team has streamlined color approval processes and improved consistency, reducing lead times and supporting sustainability efforts. With half of the team accredited as color professionals, they set a high industry standard.
- Pointcarre CAD Expertise: Using Pointcarre software, Danny Indek and his colleagues provide mills with detailed layouts for yarn-dyed fabrics. This enables efficient and accurate fabric simulations that support 3D virtual garment prototypes.
- Excellence in Testing: Caroline Webster and Tracy Wu have been pivotal in meeting Walmart’s stringent fabric testing standards, solidifying Centric’s reputation for quality and compliance.
The future is bright for this innovative team, with several forward-looking initiatives on the horizon:
- Expanding Electronic Color Management: Applying these technologies to a wider range of fabrics, including yarn dyes and prints.
- Exploring New Sourcing Opportunities: Identifying fabric suppliers outside of China to diversify the supply chain.
- Implementing VMI and Fabric Platforming: Vendor Managed Inventory initiatives aim to enhance efficiency and inventory control.
- Consolidating Operations: Streamlining the fabric and mill matrix to optimize processes.
These efforts not only improved Centric’s operational efficiency but also supported sustainability goals, ensuring the company’s ability to meet customer needs with agility and excellence.
