Description

Labourers in textile processing perform a variety of manual duties to assist in processing fibres into yarn or thread, or to assist in weaving, knitting, bleaching, dyeing or finishing textile fabrics or other textile products. Labourers in textile cutting cut fabric, fur, or leather to make parts for garments, linens, shoes and other articles. Labourers in textile processing and cutting are employed by clothing and textile manufacturers and other manufacturers of fabric products such as leather and fur.

Job Titles

• Clothing cutter – clothing manufacturing
• Doffer
• Dyeing and finishing machine loader
• Fabric cutter – fabric products manufacturing
• Fur cutter
• Glove cutter
• Helper – textiles
• Leather cutter
• Sample cutter
• Shoe cutter
• Textile machine cleaner
• Waste machine feeder
• Yarn handler

Main Duties

Labourers in textile processing

• Load and off-load machines
• Clean textile machines and work areas
• Push carts, trucks, or cans of fibres from one work area to another
• Assist machine operators and other textile workers as required

Fabric cutters

• Place patterns on top of layers of fabric and cut fabric using electric or manual knives, cutters or computer numerically controlled (CNC) cutting devices
• Adjust cutting technique to type of fabric and style of garment
• May cut fabric samples

Fur cutters

• Cut fur skins in diagonal strips to specified length and shape of pelt using furrier’s knives and cutters
• Number pelts to indicate their location on pattern
• May sort or match skins, and may prepare fur samples.

Leather cutters

• Select leather and cutting dies for leather goods and shoe parts according to specifications
• Position leather on cutting bed of machine, maximizing usage according to skin grain, skin flaws and skin stretch
• Operate clicker or punch press to stretch leather
• Operate machine to strip and cut leather or cut single leather skins by hand to make leather products
• May cut leather samples

Workplaces

• Textile manufacturing companies
• Clothing and textile manufacturers
• Manufacturers of fabric products
• Fur products manufacturers
• Furriers

Skills

• Equipment and Tool Selection
• Management of Material Resources
• Operation and Control
• Preventative Maintenance
• Quality Control Testing

Abilities

• Dynamic Strength
• Stamina
• Static Strength
• Trunk Strength
• Arm-Hand Steadiness

Personal Attributes

• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Active Learning
• Concern for Others
• Analytical Thinking

Similar Occupations

• Shoe repairers and shoemakers (63220)
• Upholsterers (63221)
• Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing (92015)
• Supervisors, other products manufacturing and assembly (92024)
• Textile fibre and yarn, hide and pelt processing machine operators and workers (94130)
• Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations (94131)
• Industrial sewing machine operators (94132)
• Inspectors and graders, textile, fabric, fur and leather products manufacturing (94133)
• Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners (64200)

Source: OaSIS