Lululemon, the Canadian sportswear brand once dubbed "the Chanel of leggings," has restructured its materials development organization and cut seven jobs following a string of complaints that its leggings are see-through.
Bloomberg reported on the 14th that Lululemon said it had eliminated seven positions while changing the structure of its raw materials development team.
The reorganization took place in August. At the time, Lululemon redeployed staff by moving part of its raw materials development work to locations closer to major suppliers.
Seven Jobs Cut After Leggings Transparency Row, Fabric Unit Reorganized
In a statement, the company said it had restructured the raw materials development team "to place certain capabilities closer to our suppliers," adding that the change "reflects where the work can most effectively be done and supported." The company said the move was part of a broader effort to adjust work and staffing spread across different parts of the world.
Lululemon's official website currently lists job openings for raw materials development staff based in Taipei, Taiwan, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The reorganization was carried out before Chief Executive Officer Heidi O'Neill took office. The company did not say whether the job cuts were directly related to the recent quality controversy.
Consumer Complaints Over Sheer Leggings Led to Halted Sales
Lululemon has faced repeated consumer complaints this year that its leggings are too thin and show through.
The Get Low collection, launched earlier this year, was a prominent case. Some customers said the fabric became transparent and could expose underwear when they bent over or squatted during workouts. As the complaints spread, Lululemon temporarily suspended online sales of the product.
The complaints over quality did not stop there. About a month later, similar problems were raised about a heart-patterned pair of leggings, renewing criticism among consumers over the fabric's opacity and the risk of exposure when worn.
Recurring Quality Issues: 20% of Products Pulled in 2013
This is not the first time Lululemon's leggings have come under scrutiny over quality. In 2024, consumer complaints mounted over the fit of its Breezethrough leggings. Some customers said the design created a "whale-tail" effect, making it appear as if the top of a thong was showing.
The company ultimately pulled the product from sale. Earlier, in 2013, a transparency problem with women's bottoms led the company to pull roughly 20% of the total supply from stores. That episode also damaged the brand's image as questions mounted over product opacity and quality control.
With quality controversies recurring, attention is turning to the reorganization Lululemon is pursuing. In particular, the question is what effect relocating fabric development staff closer to major suppliers will have on product quality control and on rebuilding consumer trust.