Textile Colorist | Torchora

🎯 Role Definition

As a Textile Colorist, you are the guardian of our brand's color identity. You will be at the heart of the product development process, collaborating closely with design, merchandising, and our global supply chain partners. This role requires a unique blend of artistic sensibility and technical expertise to translate creative vision into tangible, consistent, and commercially viable color on various textiles. You will manage the entire color lifecycle, from trend research and palette development to the critical approval of lab dips and bulk production, ensuring every product meets our exacting standards for color accuracy, quality, and consistency.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Assistant Colorist
Textile Lab Technician
Design or Product Development Assistant

Advancement To:

Senior Textile Colorist
Color & Fabric Manager
Director of Color Development

Lateral Moves:

Material Developer / Fabric Specialist
Product Developer
Technical Designer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage the end-to-end color development and approval process for all assigned product categories, from initial concept to commercialization.
Evaluate lab dips, strike-offs, knit-downs, and other color submissions against physical and digital standards for accuracy, providing clear and concise feedback.
Utilize spectrophotometer and other color evaluation tools (e.g., light boxes) for objective color assessment and to minimize metamerism.
Develop and distribute seasonal color palettes and standards to design teams, product developers, and international mills and vendors.
Create, maintain, and organize a comprehensive physical and digital library of all color standards, lab dips, and production approvals.
Communicate daily with overseas mills, dye houses, and suppliers to provide color direction, track submissions, and troubleshoot technical issues.
Partner with the Design team during initial concept phases to ensure color feasibility on chosen fabrications and provide technical guidance.
Maintain tight adherence to the product development calendar, managing color approval timelines to ensure on-time production and delivery.
Review bulk fabric production lots to ensure color consistency and continuity from one dye lot to the next.
Formulate and adjust dye recipes and finishing techniques with mills to achieve precise color targets and desired performance characteristics.
Analyze and manage colorfastness testing reports (e.g., to light, crocking, washing) to ensure all products meet quality and compliance standards.
Issue and track official color standards, ensuring all partners in the supply chain are working with the correct information.
Proactively identify and resolve potential color-related risks and challenges throughout the development and production lifecycle.
Maintain meticulous records of all color comments, submissions, and approvals within the company's Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system.
Assess color continuity across a wide range of fabric bases, including wovens, knits, synthetics, and natural fibers.

Secondary Functions

Research and report on new color trends, innovative dyeing technologies, and sustainable coloring processes to drive innovation.
Train and mentor junior colorists, interns, or cross-functional partners on color theory, assessment techniques, and internal processes.
Collaborate with the quality assurance team to establish and refine color quality control procedures for incoming goods.
Develop and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the color management process to improve efficiency and consistency.
Support material and fabric teams by evaluating color uptake and feasibility on new and innovative substrates.
Participate in key product development meetings to represent the color function and provide critical status updates.
Contribute to building a robust and reliable core color palette that can be leveraged across multiple seasons and product lines.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficiency with color measurement hardware, specifically spectrophotometers.
Expertise in color management software such as Datacolor or X-Rite.
Strong understanding of dye chemistry, dye classes, and application processes for various fiber types.
Familiarity with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems.
Knowledge of industry-standard color systems (e.g., Pantone, CSI, Archroma).
Competency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop) for digital color evaluation.
Understanding of textile manufacturing, including weaving, knitting, dyeing, and finishing.
Experience with colorfastness testing standards and interpretation of lab test results.

Soft Skills

Superior color acuity and a highly developed eye for discerning subtle shade and hue variations (must pass the Munsell Hue Test).
Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills.
Strong written and verbal communication skills for providing clear, actionable feedback to global partners.
Proactive problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities.
Ability to work effectively under pressure in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.
Collaborative mindset with strong interpersonal skills to work across diverse teams.
Self-motivated with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent professional experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in a relevant field of study.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Textile Science / Textile Chemistry
Fashion Design / Apparel Production
Material Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3-5 years of direct experience in a textile colorist role within the apparel, home textiles, or related industry.

Preferred:

5+ years of experience in a corporate retail environment, managing the color approval process for a high-volume business. Experience working directly with overseas mills and vendors is highly preferred.