Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials

What the job really is

Press or shape articles by hand or machine.

At a glance

• Sector: Production
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-6021
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Hang, fold, package, and tag finished articles for delivery to customers.
• Operate steam, hydraulic, or other pressing machines to remove wrinkles from garments and flatwork items, or to shape, form, or patch articles.
• Straighten, smooth, or shape materials to prepare them for pressing.
• Remove finished pieces from pressing machines and hang or stack them for cooling, or forward them for additional processing.
• Finish pleated garments, determining sizes of pleats from evidence of old pleats or from work orders, using machine presses or hand irons.
• Lower irons, rams, or pressing heads of machines into position over material to be pressed.
• Identify and treat spots on garments.
• Shrink, stretch, or block articles by hand to conform to original measurements, using forms, blocks, and steam.
• Finish fancy garments such as evening gowns and costumes, using hand irons to produce high quality finishes.
• Push and pull irons over surfaces of articles to smooth or shape them.
• Finish pants, jackets, shirts, skirts and other dry-cleaned and laundered articles, using hand irons.
• Slide material back and forth over heated, metal, ball-shaped forms to smooth and press portions of garments that cannot be satisfactorily pressed with flat pressers or hand irons.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Adjustable hand wrenches, Digital micrometers, Electric fabric cutters, Email software, Fabric cleaning brushes, Fabric shears, Flat pressers, Guides, Hand irons, Handheld sprayers

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
• Sewing Machine Operators
• Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
• Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
• Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Machine Feeders and Offbearers
• Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
• Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.