Cashmere Engineer Specialist
THE ROLE
Cashmere Engineer Specialist
Dehaired Fiber Quality Control
Oversee the quality of dehaired cashmere fiber entering the supply chain, ensuring it meets Grade A specifications for micron, length, purity, and vegetable matter content.
Establish and enforce clear acceptance criteria for dehaired fiber, including maximum coarse hair content and minimum yield thresholds.
Inspect and approve incoming dehaired fiber lots before release to spinning mills, flagging any non-conforming material for return or rework.
Partner with dehairing facilities to optimize processes that maximize Grade A output while minimizing fiber damage or waste.
Grade A Standards Enforcement
Define what constitutes Grade A cashmere for the organization.
Conduct regular audits of dehairing suppliers to ensure consistent adherence to Grade A specifications.
Work upstream with sourcing and herder cooperatives to improve raw fiber quality before dehairing, reducing Grade A rejection rates.
Finished Yarn Quality Assurance
Evaluate finished cashmere yarns against required quality standards, including evenness, tensile strength, twist consistency, and surface cleanliness.
Test yarns for critical attributes such as pilling potential, colorfastness, and handfeel before approval for knitting production.
Identify and reject yarn lots that fail to meet quality thresholds, documenting defects and communicating findings to spinning mills.
Cashmere Material Library
Build and maintain a physical and digital cashmere material library, cataloging dehaired fiber lots and finished yarns by key attributes (micron, origin, color, lot number, test results).
Organize the library to support cross-functional teams (R&D, Product Development, Sourcing, Production) in referencing past and current materials for development and troubleshooting.
Include reference standards for Grade A fiber and approved yarn constructions to serve as benchmarks for quality comparisons.
Update the library regularly with new fiber lots, yarn developments, and supplier samples, ensuring traceability from raw material to finished yarn.
Root Cause & Corrective Actions
Investigate quality failures in finished yarns—such as neps, slubs, weak spots, or inconsistent dye uptake—to determine if the root cause lies in dehaired fiber, spinning, or finishing.
Collaborate with dehairing and spinning partners to implement corrective actions and prevent repeat issues.
Track quality trends across fiber lots and yarn batches to identify recurring supplier or process weaknesses.
Testing & Lab Coordination
Coordinate with internal and external labs to conduct fiber and yarn testing (e.g., micron analysis, coarse hair count, tensile testing, evenness).
Interpret lab reports and make pass/fail decisions based on Grade A fiber specs and finished yarn quality requirements.
Maintain a database of test results for all dehaired fiber lots and finished yarn batches, linking results to the material library for easy reference.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner with Sourcing to ensure dehairing suppliers are selected and evaluated based on their ability to consistently deliver Grade A fiber.
Work with Production and Planning teams to flag quality holds on fiber or yarn that could impact production schedules.
Provide clear quality feedback to R&D and Product Development teams to inform yarn specifications and supplier requirements, using the material library as a reference tool.
Documentation & Continuous Improvement
Maintain detailed records of fiber inspections, yarn test results, rejections, and supplier corrective actions within the material library system.
Drive initiatives to improve Grade A yield from dehairing partners and reduce variability in finished yarn quality.
Share quality insights across internal teams to support better sourcing, development, and production decisions.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Degree in Textile Engineering, Material Science, or a related field.
Fiber & Yarn Expertise: Deep experience evaluating dehaired cashmere fiber (micron, coarse hair, length, purity) and finished cashmere yarns (evenness, strength, twist, appearance).
Grade A Knowledge: Strong understanding of Grade A cashmere specifications and how to enforce them with dehairing suppliers.
Defect Analysis: Ability to trace quality failures in finished yarns back to fiber quality or spinning process issues.
Testing Acumen: Familiarity with fiber and yarn testing methods (e.g., OFDA, micrograph analysis, tensile testing, evenness testing).
Supplier Collaboration: Experience working with dehairing facilities and spinning mills to drive quality improvements.
Material Library Experience: Demonstrated ability to organize and maintain a physical and digital material reference system.
Preferred:
Experience with cashmere dehairing processes and coarse hair reduction technologies.
Knowledge of spinning mill quality control systems and yarn manufacturing.
Familiarity with traceability systems and digital library tools for material development.
Willingness to travel to dehairing and spinning facilities for quality audits.