Taylor Shupe, founder of sock manufacturer FutureStitch, is partnering with his former retail venture Stance to eliminate the line between socks and shoes.
“If I could do one thing in my life on the product side, it would be to completely undermine, if not destroy, the sock market,” Shupe told the Business Journal back when he won an Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award in March.
The entrepreneur added that by using circular knitting, he could “create footwear that is so comfortable, never requires socks and is seamless.”
In October, FutureStitch revealed its first sock-shoe hybrid product designed for outdoor use via a collaboration with Stance.
Dubbed the Stance Cush, the footwear grew out of the San Clemente-based company’s research and development labs and was released in only select markets in Asia.
Stance, the sock retailer co-founded by Shupe, Jeff Kearl, John Wilson, Ryan Kingman and Aaron Hennings, had launched a simplified version of the more versatile “sock” back in 2010 that was sewn with treading at the sole for traction. It was created with the company’s skate consumers in mind.
FutureStitch updated the design to include a thicker outsole that has flexibility, arch support and extra grip. The manufacturer also constructed a more durable outer shell made from high-performance yarn for the now double-layered sock.
Manufacturing new consumer offerings, like the Stance Cush, beyond socks, compression sleeves and knit shoe uppers, are on the table thanks to Shupe’s focus on circular knitting.
