Apparel workers transform cloth, as well as leather and fur, into clothing and other consumer products. Many of these workers also care for these products and do alterations. (Some items that we think of as apparel, such as socks or pantyhose, are produced in knitting mills. Workers who are employed in these factories are classified as textile rather than as apparel workers. A separate statement on textile machinery operators is presented in this section of the Handbook.)
Apparel production begins with a design, created by a designer, that has been made into a sample product. (A separate statement on designers is presented elsewhere in the Handbook.) Because these goods are to be mass produced, a pattern must be developed. This is usually done with the aid of a computer.
Once the pattern has been created, the fabric must be spread and cut. Many layers of material are spread on the cutting table, depending on the number of products needed, as well as the weight and quality of the material. Workers known as markers must determine the best arrangement or layout of the pattern pieces to minimize waste. In most plants, this step depends on the judgment of the worker. Increasingly, however, computers are used to determine the optimum arrangement of the pattern pieces.
Using an electric knife or other cutting tool, other workers cut out the various pieces of material following the outline of the pattern. On especially delicate or valuable items, this may be done by hand. Workers must pay close attention to detail because a mistake in the cutting process can ruin many yards of material. In more automated firms, electronic copies of layouts are sent to computer-controlled cutting machines. Workers then monitor the machine. Once the material has been cut, it is ready to be sewn together into a shirt, knapsack, dress, or other product.
Most sewing is done by sewing machine operators, who are classified by the type of machine and the type of product on which they work. Because each product requires a variety of sewing operations and all of these cannot be done on the same machine companies producing apparel have many types of specialized sewing machines. Sewing machine operators' skills vary by the type of machine on which they work.
Sewing machine operators are also categorized by the specific product they produce. The most basic division, however, is between sewing machine operators who produce clothing and those who produce such items as towels, sheets, and curtains. Both garment and nongarment machine operators usually specialize in a single operation, such as bindings, collars, or hems.
Because of the value and delicate nature of some materials, sewing may be done by hand rather than on a machine. Hand sewers are highly skilled workers who may specialize in a particular operation, such as sewing buttonholes or adding lace or other trimming. They also may work with the designer to make a sample of a new product.
When sewing operations have been completed, workers remove loose threads, basting stitching, and lint from the finished product. Final inspection of the product may be done at this time.
The shape and appearance of certain finished products depend, to a large extent, on the pressing that is done at different stages of production. Pressing may be done by hand or by pressing machines. Some pressers specialize in a particular garment part; others are responsible for the final pressing before the product is shipped to the store.
Not all apparel goods are mass produced. Some people prefer clothing made especially for them. Custom tailors make garments from start to finish including taking measurements and helping the customer select the right fabric and must be knowledgeable in all phases of clothing production. Many work in retail outlets, where they make alterations and adjustments to ready-to-wear clothing.
Inspectors are found in all stages of the production process. (For a more detailed discussion of this occupation, see the statement on inspectors, testers, and graders elsewhere in the Handbook.) They may mark defects in uncut fabric so that layout workers can position the pattern to avoid them, or they may mark defects in semifinished garments, which they may repair themselves or send back to be mended.
Many apparel workers are employed by small firms that lack the capital resources to invest in new, more efficient equipment. Because of this, the Nature of the Work for many apparel workers has been less affected by the increased use of technology. Nevertheless, in larger firms that have modernized their facilities, some operations are computerized, and some of the product-moving operations are done by automated material handling systems. In addition, many firms increasingly are using modular manufacturing systems. In these systems, which often reduce production time while increasing product quality, operators work together in a module or group. Although each worker specializes in one operation, most are cross-trained in the various operations performed within the group. Not only do operators have more communication with other workers, they are also given responsibility for running the module, including correcting problems, scheduling, and monitoring standards.
Opportunities for apparel workers should be best for those interested in a job as a custom tailor or pressing machine operator.
Working conditions in apparel production vary by establishment and by the type of job. Older factories tend to be congested and poorly lit and ventilated, but more modern facilities are usually better planned, have more work space, and are well lighted and ventilated. Some new facilities are even carpeted. Due to the nature of the work and the machinery being used, sewing and pressing areas are usually noisy, whereas patternmaking and spreading areas are quieter. Laundries and drycleaning establishments are often hot and noisy; retail stores, on the other hand, generally are relatively quiet and comfortable.
Most persons in apparel occupations work a standard 5-day, 35- to 40-hour week. Some apparel manufacturers are adding a second shift to justify the expense of new machinery. Also, those employed in retail stores and in laundry and drycleaning establishments may work evening and weekend hours.
Apparel production work can be physically demanding. Some workers sit for long periods, and others spend long hours on their feet, leaning over tables and operating machinery. However, new machinery and production techniques have decreased the physical demand upon workers. For example, newer pressing machines are now operated by foot pedals or computer controls and don't require much strength to operate. Although there are no serious dangers or health hazards associated with apparel occupations, operators must be attentive while running equipment such as sewing machines, pressers, and automated cutters. A few workers must use protective devices such as gloves.
In some areas of apparel production, the emphasis on individual performance is shifting to an emphasis on teamwork and cooperation. Incentive programs may also be based on a team's performance. The team or module often has managerial authority over itself, increasing the overall responsibility of each operator and allowing more interpersonal contact. It also means that groups and individual sewing machine operators are under pressure to improve their performance while maintaining quality.
Apparel workers held 986,000 jobs in 1992. Almost 70 percent were sewing machine operators. Table 1 shows the distribution of apparel worker employment by detailed occupation. Production jobs are concentrated in California, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Georgia. Most of these jobs are in the apparel and textile industries, except for pressers and custom tailors. Although pressing operations are an integral part of the apparel production process, more than one-half of all pressers are employed in the laundry and drycleaning industry. In addition, more than one-half of all custom tailors work in retail clothing establishments; many others are self-employed. For both of these occupations, jobs are found in every part of the country.
Table 1. Distribution of apparel workers by detailed occupation, 1992
Total (percent)...............................................100
Garment sewing machine operators...............................56
Nongarment sewing machine operators............................13
Custom tailors and sewers......................................11
Pressing machine operators..................................... 8
Hand cutters and trimmers...................................... 5
Hand sewers.................................................... 2
Patternmakers and layout workers............................... 2
Hand pressers.................................................. 2
Portable machine cutters....................................... 1
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Training requirements vary by industry. In the apparel industry, for example, few employers require a high school diploma or previous work experience. Nevertheless, entrants with secondary or postsecondary vocational training or previous work experience in apparel production usually have a better chance of getting a job and advancing to a supervisory position.
Retailers prefer to hire custom tailors and sewers with previous experience in apparel manufacture, design, or alterations. Knowledge of fabrics, design, and construction is very important. Although laundries and drycleaners prefer entrants with previous work experience, employers routinely hire inexperienced workers.
Apparel workers need good hand-eye coordination and the ability to perform repetitious tasks for long periods. Knowledge of fabrics and their characteristics is sometimes required.
Regardless of setting, workers usually begin by performing simple tasks. As they gain experience, they are assigned more difficult operations. Further advancement is limited, however. Some production workers may become first-line supervisors, but the majority remain on the production line. Occasionally, a patternmaker may advance to designer, but usually only after additional training at a design school. Some experienced custom tailors open their own tailoring shop. Custom tailoring is a very competitive field, however, and training in small business operation can mean the difference between success and failure.
Machinery operators are usually trained on the job by more experienced employees or by machinery manufacturers' representatives. However, as machinery in the industry continues to become more complex, apparel workers will need more training, especially in computers and electronics. For example, some workers use computers to determine the best layout and then electronically send the layout to an automated cutting machine. In addition, the trend toward cross-training of operators will increase the time needed to learn different machines as well as increase an operator's skills.
The job outlook of apparel workers depends largely on conditions in the apparel industry, where most apparel workers are employed. Increased imports, use of offshore assembly, and greater productivity through the introduction of laborsaving machinery should reduce demand for these workers, so employment of apparel workers is expected to decline through the year 2005. Because of the large size of this occupation, however, many thousands of job openings will arise each year from the need to replace persons who transfer to other occupations, retire, or leave the occupation for other reasons.
Employment in the domestic apparel industry has declined in recent years as foreign producers have gained a greater share of the U.S. market. To avoid losing more of the market, domestic manufacturers are developing the ability to respond more quickly to changes in market demand and to take advantage of their closeness to U.S. markets.
One strategy that domestic manufacturers have adopted to reduce costs is the use of offshore assembly. A provision in U.S. tariff regulations allows manufacturers to cut the pieces of fabric in the United States and ship them to other countries for assembly. This enables the most labor-intensive step in the production process sewing to be done at much lower wage rates. This trend is expected to continue, and will curtail job opportunities for sewing machine operators in the United States. However, because the pre-sewing functions are done domestically, they will not be adversely affected.
Despite advances in technology, extensive use of automated equipment is difficult due to the soft properties of textile products. In addition, it is time consuming and expensive to adapt existing technology to the wide variety of items produced and the frequent style and seasonal changes. However, some of the larger firms and those that produce standardized items have automated pre-sewing functions and very simple sewing procedures and have automated material handling. Technological developments such as computer-aided marking and grading, computer-controlled cutters, semiautomatic sewing and pressing machines, and automated material handling systems have increased output while reducing the need for workers.
Opportunities should be best for those interested in a job as a custom tailor or pressing machine operator. Many of these workers are employed by retail establishments and by laundries and drycleaners. These employers are unaffected by imports and are unable to move operations abroad. Employers in some locations are having difficulty attracting enough of these workers; as a result, those with the appropriate skills and background should find ample opportunities.
Earnings of apparel workers vary by industry and by occupation. Average weekly earnings of production workers in the apparel industry were $258 in 1992, compared to $469 for production workers in all manufacturing industries. However, earnings vary significantly depending on the product being manufactured. Average weekly earnings ranged from a low of $213 in firms producing women's blouses and shirts to a high of $432 in establishments making automotive and apparel trimmings.
Sewing machine operators accounting for 7 of every 10 apparel workers had median weekly earnings of $217 in 1992.
Because many production workers in apparel manufacturing are paid according to the number of acceptable pieces they or their group produce, their total earnings depend on skill, speed, and accuracy.
Benefits also vary. Those offered by large employers usually include paid holidays and vacations, health and life insurance coverage, and increasingly, child care. Those employed in retail trade also may receive a discount of 10 to 30 percent on their purchases. In addition, some of the larger manufacturers operate company stores, where employees can purchase apparel products at significant discounts. Some small firms, however, may offer only limited benefits. In addition to employer-sponsored benefits, the two principal unions, the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union and the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, provide benefits to their members.
The work of apparel workers varies from that requiring very little skill and training to that which is highly complex, requiring several years of training. Those operating machinery and equipment, such as pressing or sewing machine operators, perform duties similar to metalworking and plastics-working machine operators, textile operatives, and shoe sewing machine operators. Other workers who perform handwork are precision woodworkers, precision assemblers, and shoe and leather workers. Workers who require an in-depth knowledge of the materials with which they work include upholsterers, tool and die makers, and precision welders.
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Reprinted with Permission of U. S. Department of Labor