Purchasing Agent (Apparel & Promotional Products)
Shirt, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States, 63146
Purchasing Agent (Apparel & Promotional Products)
STL Shirt Co. (Shirt.co) – St. Louis, MO
Full-Time | Monday–Friday | Day Shift
Compensation: 42,000 – 50,000 yearly salary. based off of experience.
About Us Shirt Co. is a fast-growing, family-owned custom apparel company specializing in screen printing, embroidery, direct-to-film (DTF), promotional products, and online apparel stores. We operate 4 automatic screen printing presses, 30 embroidery heads, and in-house DTF production.
We serve businesses, schools, unions, and organizations nationwide. With revenue high year over year growth and our move into a new 23,000 sq ft facility underway, we are scaling operations and strengthening our systems.
We are looking for a highly organized, deadline-driven Purchasing Agent to help protect margins, prevent production delays, and support our continued growth.
Job Summary We are looking for a Purchasing Agent who thrives in a fast-paced “job shop” environment. You will be the bridge between our sales team and our suppliers, ensuring that blank garments and hard goods arrive on time, at the right price, and in the correct color/size breakdown for our production floor.
If goods do not arrive on time, production stops. If goods are ordered incorrectly, margins suffer. This role is critical to operational success.
Core Responsibilities Inventory Sourcing
Source blank apparel (tees, hoodies, hats) and promotional hard goods (mugs, pens, tech items, etc.)
Work with major wholesalers (SanMar, S&S, Momentec, etc.) and niche suppliers
Compare vendor pricing to maximize margins
Maintain strong vendor relationships
Order Purchasing & Accuracy
Review approved jobs in Printavo and place accurate purchase orders
Verify correct style numbers, colors, size breakdowns, and quantities
Confirm ship dates align with production schedules
Ensure correct imprint locations and decoration method alignment when needed
Maintain extremely high accuracy across hundreds of line items daily
Spoilage & Overstock Management
Work with Finishing and Production Departments on reorders for spoilage
Monitor over/under shipments
Track excess inventory and recommend solutions to minimize waste
Ensure suppliers meet quality standards (e.g., consistent dye lots, correct garments, packaging accuracy)
Manage credits, replacements, and claim submissions
Tracking & Logistics
Monitor “In-Hands Dates” religiously
If a shipment is delayed, proactively find local substitutes or alternate suppliers
Coordinate with the sales rep, who will communicate directly with the client
Minimize rush freight and emergency purchasing whenever possible
Sample Coordination
Manage procurement of blank samples for client approvals and sizing
Track sample returns when applicable
Return Management
Process vendor returns for wrong items, cancelled orders, overages, or damaged goods
Track credits and ensure they are applied properly
Online Store Processing
Order goods for online stores
Export and route tickets to production
Ensure online store deadlines are protected
Inventory Control (New Expansion Focus)
Help establish reorder points for commonly used garments
Maintain visibility of core inventory items
Assist leadership in forecasting seasonal demand
Key Skills & Qualifications Garment Knowledge Understanding of fabric types (100% cotton vs. poly-blends), decoration compatibility, shrinkage risk, and how garment choice affects pricing, print quality, and lead times.
High-Volume Accuracy Ability to manage hundreds of line items across multiple purchase orders daily without missing a size, color code, or vendor SKU.
Urgency A “deadline-first” mindset. In this industry, a day late can mean a missed event and a lost customer.
Software Savvy
Printavo
Sage / ASI
Chipply
Fulfill Engine
Google Sheets / Excel
Communication Strong internal communication skills. Must proactively alert sales and production when issues arise.
Performance Expectations
98%+ purchasing accuracy
Minimal production delays due to missing goods
Reduced rush freight expenses
Clear communication when substitutions are required
Vendor issues resolved quickly and professionally
Why This Role Matters We are scaling. Our order volume is increasing. Our production capacity is expanding.
The right Purchasing Agent will:
Protect company margins
Support a smoother production floor
This is not a clerical position. This is an operational control role inside a growing manufacturing business.
Job Application Form " * " indicates required fields
Apply Now Name *
Email *
Phone
Desired Position
Click to upload your resume * Accepted file types: pdf, txt, doc, docx, rtf, Max. file size: 5 MB.
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Full-Time | Monday–Friday | Day Shift
Compensation: 42,000 – 50,000 yearly salary. based off of experience.
About Us Shirt Co. is a fast-growing, family-owned custom apparel company specializing in screen printing, embroidery, direct-to-film (DTF), promotional products, and online apparel stores. We operate 4 automatic screen printing presses, 30 embroidery heads, and in-house DTF production.
We serve businesses, schools, unions, and organizations nationwide. With revenue high year over year growth and our move into a new 23,000 sq ft facility underway, we are scaling operations and strengthening our systems.
We are looking for a highly organized, deadline-driven Purchasing Agent to help protect margins, prevent production delays, and support our continued growth.
Job Summary We are looking for a Purchasing Agent who thrives in a fast-paced “job shop” environment. You will be the bridge between our sales team and our suppliers, ensuring that blank garments and hard goods arrive on time, at the right price, and in the correct color/size breakdown for our production floor.
If goods do not arrive on time, production stops. If goods are ordered incorrectly, margins suffer. This role is critical to operational success.
Core Responsibilities Inventory Sourcing
Source blank apparel (tees, hoodies, hats) and promotional hard goods (mugs, pens, tech items, etc.)
Work with major wholesalers (SanMar, S&S, Momentec, etc.) and niche suppliers
Compare vendor pricing to maximize margins
Maintain strong vendor relationships
Order Purchasing & Accuracy
Review approved jobs in Printavo and place accurate purchase orders
Verify correct style numbers, colors, size breakdowns, and quantities
Confirm ship dates align with production schedules
Ensure correct imprint locations and decoration method alignment when needed
Maintain extremely high accuracy across hundreds of line items daily
Spoilage & Overstock Management
Work with Finishing and Production Departments on reorders for spoilage
Monitor over/under shipments
Track excess inventory and recommend solutions to minimize waste
Ensure suppliers meet quality standards (e.g., consistent dye lots, correct garments, packaging accuracy)
Manage credits, replacements, and claim submissions
Tracking & Logistics
Monitor “In-Hands Dates” religiously
If a shipment is delayed, proactively find local substitutes or alternate suppliers
Coordinate with the sales rep, who will communicate directly with the client
Minimize rush freight and emergency purchasing whenever possible
Sample Coordination
Manage procurement of blank samples for client approvals and sizing
Track sample returns when applicable
Return Management
Process vendor returns for wrong items, cancelled orders, overages, or damaged goods
Track credits and ensure they are applied properly
Online Store Processing
Order goods for online stores
Export and route tickets to production
Ensure online store deadlines are protected
Inventory Control (New Expansion Focus)
Help establish reorder points for commonly used garments
Maintain visibility of core inventory items
Assist leadership in forecasting seasonal demand
Key Skills & Qualifications Garment Knowledge Understanding of fabric types (100% cotton vs. poly-blends), decoration compatibility, shrinkage risk, and how garment choice affects pricing, print quality, and lead times.
High-Volume Accuracy Ability to manage hundreds of line items across multiple purchase orders daily without missing a size, color code, or vendor SKU.
Urgency A “deadline-first” mindset. In this industry, a day late can mean a missed event and a lost customer.
Software Savvy
Printavo
Sage / ASI
Chipply
Fulfill Engine
Google Sheets / Excel
Communication Strong internal communication skills. Must proactively alert sales and production when issues arise.
Performance Expectations
98%+ purchasing accuracy
Minimal production delays due to missing goods
Reduced rush freight expenses
Clear communication when substitutions are required
Vendor issues resolved quickly and professionally
Why This Role Matters We are scaling. Our order volume is increasing. Our production capacity is expanding.
The right Purchasing Agent will:
Protect company margins
Support a smoother production floor
This is not a clerical position. This is an operational control role inside a growing manufacturing business.
Job Application Form " * " indicates required fields
Apply Now Name *
Email *
Phone
Desired Position
Click to upload your resume * Accepted file types: pdf, txt, doc, docx, rtf, Max. file size: 5 MB.
#J-18808-Ljbffr