Merchandiser

Merchandiser – FS x New Balance

Company Overview:

FutureStitch is a fully-vertical circular manufacturer that believes business should be a force for good. We are the creators behind some of the world’s most beloved sock and circular-knit products, including those for Stance, New Balance, the NBA, and MLB. What sets us apart is our relentless pursuit of innovation—from our lab at MIT to our Oceanside factory that employs second-chance hires, FutureStitch is recognized as one of the most advanced knitting manufacturers in the world.

In 2026, FutureStitch will launch a global base layer collection for New Balance and unveil a groundbreaking new brands: SECONDS

SECONDS is a regenerative design collective built on the power of second chances—for both people and the planet. We transform waste into feedstock through advanced recycling and circular manufacturing technologies, creating apparel and accessories that merge craftsmanship, performance, and sustainability. Our global network of creative directors from high fashion and visionary technologists collaborates across multiple categories to build systems of renewal—products that don’t just look good but do good, redefining how beauty and utility emerge from what was once discarded.

As we expand from high-quality socks into full apparel categories, we are looking for a Supply Chain Manager who thrives in dynamic, hands-on environments and shares our passion for excellence and purpose-driven product.

Position Summary

The Merchandiser will serve as the connective tissue between design, development, sales, and production—owning the strategic assortment plans, line architecture, and seasonal merchandising strategy for both FutureStitch’s partner programs and SECONDS apparel expansion.

This role ensures that our product lines are trend-right, consumer-driven, margin-positive, and operationally feasible across our global manufacturing footprint. As FutureStitch expands into cut-and-sew apparel, the Merchandiser will build the framework for category planning, SKU optimization, pricing architecture, and GTM readiness to support rapid, multi-category growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Build seasonal line plans across socks and apparel, defining assortment architecture, category roles, and consumer-driven product strategies.
• Collaborate with design to brief seasonal needs, guide creative direction, and ensure product concepts meet commercial, aesthetic, and margin goals.
• Partner with development and sourcing to confirm feasibility, raw material choices, costing, and factory alignment across FutureStitch’s global manufacturing network.
• Optimize SKU count, style/color/size efficiency, and product lifecycle planning to support margin health, inventory stability, and scalable manufacturing.
• Build and manage wholesale and DTC pricing architecture, analyze costing, and identify opportunities to improve margins through design or sourcing adjustments.
• Analyze sell-in, sell-through, and market trends to inform seasonal decisions, identify white-space opportunities, and refine category strategies.
• Create merchandising tools including line sheets, merchandising decks, assortment summaries, and category performance dashboards.
• Partner with marketing and sales on GTM strategy, ensuring product storytelling, positioning, and seasonal narratives are clear and consistent.
• Maintain accurate product information across PLM systems, catalogs, digital assets, and sales tools.
• Collaborate with operations to understand capacity, inventory, and supply chain constraints that influence merchandising decisions.
• Support the SECONDS apparel expansion by defining category architecture and flow strategies across men’s, women’s, and unisex categories.

Experience and Skills

• 2–5 years in merchandising, or line planning—preferably within apparel, accessories, or footwear.
• Strong understanding of merchandising fundamentals: assortment architecture, category strategy, product lifecycle, and SKU planning.
• Ability to synthesize consumer insights, brand direction, and operational constraints into compelling product strategies.
• Experience collaborating closely with design, development, sourcing, and sales teams in a fast-paced product creation environment.
• Strong financial acumen—comfortable with costing, pricing, margin analysis, and forecasting.
• Data-fluent with experience building dashboards, analyzing sell-through data, and presenting insights to leadership.
• Excellent communication skills with a strong sense of brand, storytelling, and product aesthetics.
• Ability to thrive in dynamic, hands-on, entrepreneurial environments driven by purpose and innovation.