9442 – Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations

Weavers, knitters and other workers in fabric making occupations operate machines to process yarn or thread into woven, non-woven and knitted products such as cloth, lace, carpets, rope, industrial fabric, hosiery and knitted garments or to quilt and embroider fabric. This unit group also includes workers who perform activities such as reproducing patterns, drawing-in and tying warps and setting up looms. They are employed by textile companies and by garment and mattress manufacturing companies.

Profile

Index of titles

Example titles

Automatic embroidery machine tender

Automatic stocking loom tender

Axminster carpet weaver

Ball fringe machine tender

Band-knitting machine operator

Beam changer – textiles

Blanket weaver

Braid maker – textiles

Braid weaver – textiles

Braider – textiles

Braiding machine tender – textiles

Card lacer – textiles

Carpet weaver

Carpet-tufting machine operator

Carpet-weaving machine operator

Chain builder – textiles

Chainman/woman – textiles

Circular knitter

Circular knitting machine knitter

Cloth ribber

Cloth weaver

Crochet machine operator

Crocheting machine operator

Dobby loom drawer-in

Dobby loom weaver

Drawer-in – textiles

Drawer-in helper – textiles

Drawing-in machine operator

Drawing-in machine operator – textiles

Drop-pinning machine operator – textiles

Embroidery machine operator

Embroidery machine tender

Entering machine operator – textiles

Felt press tender – textiles

Felting machine tender

Felt-making machine operator

Flat knitter

Flat knitting machine knitter

Garment looper

Glass-fibre-bonding machine tender

Glove knitter

Harness preparer – textiles

Harness tier – textiles

Hosiery knitter

Hosiery looper – textiles

Hosiery seamer – textiles

Hosiery-knitting machine tender

Jacquard card cutter – textiles

Jacquard card lacer – textiles

Jacquard card-cutting machine operator – textiles

Jacquard card-lacing machine operator – textiles

Jacquard loom heddles tier

Jacquard loom knitter

Jacquard loom pattern changer

Jacquard loom weaver

Jacquard machine knitter

Jacquard machine operator

Jersey knitter

Knitter – textiles

Knitting area patroller – textiles

Knitting machine operator

Knitting machine tender

Knotting machine operator – textiles

Lace weaver

Lease worker – textiles

Leaser – textiles

Leasing machine tender – textiles

Link machine knitter

Loom drawer-in

Loom drawer-in helper

Loom operator

Loom threader

Loom threader helper

Loom weaver

Looper – textiles

Machine ball fringe maker

Machine knitting mender

Machine loom drawer-in

Machine loom threader

Machine net maker – textiles

Machine tassel maker

Machine warp tier-in – textiles

Mattress sewing machine operator

Needle loom operator

Needle loom weaver

Net weaver – textiles

Net-knitting machine operator – textiles

Netting-making machine operator – textiles

Pad mangle operator – textiles

Padding machine operator – textiles

Pattern card preparer – textiles

Pattern puncher – textiles

Pattern weaver – textiles

Pinning machine operator

Pinning machine operator – textiles

Power loom weaver

Quilting machine operator

Rib knitter – textiles

Ribbing machine operator – textiles

Rope maker – textiles

Rope twister

Rope-coiling machine tender – textiles

Rope-twisting machine tender

Rug weaver

Sample knitter

Sample weaver

Scroll-quilting machine operator

Seamless hosiery knitter

Sock foot knitter

Sock knitter – textiles

Sock looper

Surgical pad knitter

Tassel machine tender – textiles

Textile weaver

Threader – textiles

Top knitter

Topper – textiles

Transfer knitter

Tufting machine operator – textiles

Tufting operator

Warp drawer – textiles

Warp drawer-in helper – textiles

Warp knitting machine tender

Warp placer – textiles

Warp tier-in

Warp tier-in – textiles

Warp tying machine tender – textiles

Weaver – textiles

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Set up looms or other processing machines

Read loom patterns and prepare loom pattern mechanisms for processing

Operate looms to weave yarn or thread into textile fabrics or products

Operate machines that produce twine, ropes or nets

Operate batteries of knitting machines to produce knitted fabric, hosiery, garments or other products

Operate carpet tufting machines, felt making needle-punch machines and other machines to produce textile products

Operate large automatic multi-needle machines to embroider material or to sew lengths of several layers of material to make yard goods, quilts or mattress coverings

Patrol machines and check fabrics or products for defects and to verify efficient operation

Investigate machine stoppages

Repair minor mechanical problems such as broken or defective needles

Notify supervisor or repairers of mechanical malfunctions.

Employment requirements

On-the-job training is provided for periods up to several months, depending on the complexity of the product, whether equipment set-up and maintenance is done by the operator, and the number of machines operated.

Previous experience as a labourer in the same company may be required for some operators in this group.

Additional information

Mobility among employers may be limited by differences in machines and products.

Progression to textile machinery mechanics and repairers or to supervisory positions is possible with experience and training.

Exclusions

Craft weavers and knitters (in 5244 Artisans and craftspersons)

Industrial sewing machine operators (9446)

Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing (9217)

Textile machinery mechanics (in 7311 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics)