Michigan Occupational Information System
#071 - CUSTOM CLOTHING MAKER

A Michigan Jobs & Career Portal service.

Custom Clothing Makers fit, alter, repair, and make clothing, applying principles of garment design, construction, and styling.

NATURE OF THE OCCUPATION

Custom Clothing Makers may:

Study the garment on the customer

Determine what alterations must be made for a proper or desired fit

Pin or mark the garment to indicate the alterations to be made

Remove stitches and resew the garment

Shorten or lengthen sleeves, legs, or hems

Expand or narrow the waist or chest

Reset collars and shoulder padding

Repair or replace defective garment parts

Check garments to ensure that alterations have been made properly

Design apparel or other articles

Select fabrics, linings, and trim

Draw an individual pattern or alter a pattern to fit a customer

Mark and cut material along the pattern outlines

Join the garment parts with basting stitches

Fit the basted garment on the customer and mark changes

Sew the material by hand or machine

Finish the garment by sewing buttons and buttonholes

Do ornamental work

Press the finished seams

Tools, equipment, and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Custom Clothing Makers may specialize in these areas:

785.261-010 ALTERATION TAILORS

785.361-014 GARMENT FITTERS adjust clothing to fit individual customers.

785.361-010 DRESSMAKERS

785.261-014 CUSTOM TAILORS design and make clothing such as coats, dresses, and suits, according to customer specifications and measurements.

785.361-022 SHOP TAILORS perform specialized hand and machine sewing operations to make made-to-measure or ready-to-wear clothing, applying their knowledge of garment construction and fabrics. They may construct the entire garment; work on one or more parts of the construction, such as basting, padding, collar setting, or sleeve finishing; or construct one part of the entire garment, such as a vest.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Beginning Custom Clothing Makers work under direct supervision until they have gained experience. Generally, experienced Clothing Makers perform their duties without supervision, though there may be several other workers in the same room. Clothing Makers working in smaller shops, generally retail stores, work alone or with the assistance of a few other Clothing Makers.

Custom Clothing Makers working in retail clothing stores usually work in clean, well lighted, heated, ventilated, and air-conditioned work areas. Serious accidents rarely occur. However, hazards include injury from scissors and other cutting or piercing devices, power sewing machines, and hot irons.

Custom Clothing Makers' hours vary according to the employer and geographic area in which they work. Most, however, work a 5-day, 40-hour week, with occasional overtime. Those in retail shops may work evenings or Saturdays. Hours for self-employed Custom Clothing Makers depend on the amount of business they do. The work may be subject to seasonal rushes, although careful planning of work helps to reduce the pressure of rushes.

Some Custom Clothing Makers may belong to unions such as the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union or The Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE). Those who belong to unions must pay dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Working with things and objects

• Performing activities which involve the use of machines

• Performing activities which involve the use of process or methods

• Seeing the results of your work in a finished product

• Working with the public

You Should Be Able To:

• Make decisions based on personal judgment

• Make decisions based on standards that can be measured or checked

• Work within precise limits or standards of accuracy

• Perform a variety of duties that may often change

• Look at patterns/drawings of clothes/visualize the finished product

• Coordinate the use of your eyes/hands/fingers to perform a task

• Move your fingers rapidly and handle small objects

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

You have a straight skirt pattern size 12 with 36" hips. You want to enlarge it to a size 16 with 42" hips, how much material will you need for the enlargement if the material is 41" wide?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Various materials descriptions such as batiks, chintz, damask, denim, pique, sateen, crepe, and linen.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

A list of a customer's individual measurements for an alteration job.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

Excellent analytical skills and be detail oriented in altering and fitting clothing.

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer or a High School Diploma or Equivalent or a High School Diploma with specific Vocational Education Classes or a High School Diploma with specific Vocational Education Classes may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1100 ECONOMICS , 1400 FASHION , 2200 MATH

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

023 CLOTHING/TEXTILE PROD. & SERV.

Approved vocational education programs in Clothing & Textile Production & Services prepare students for occupations in the garment industry. Skills learned in these programs include pattern design, fabric care, fitting and alterations of ready-to-wear garments, dry cleaning and laundering services, and textile testing.

Courses in other home economics related programs may be required for completion of this program.

High school students should consult their guidance office for more information about the specific requirements of this program at their school or area vocational education center.

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAM***

168 TAILORING

Programs in Tailoring provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment making and altering men's and women's clothing.

Courses vary from school to school but may include:

Tailoring Alterationsg

Making Men's Clothing

Making Women's Clothi

Altering and Making Trousers, Vests, Skirts, Dresses, & Coats  

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Military programs related to this MOIScript  

E-Learning Courses and Programs  

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Secondary vocational education programs in clothing/textile production and services may offer a co-op portion through which experience may be gained. Postsecondary tailoring programs may offer opportunities as well. Other ways to gain experience in clothing fields include summer or part-time jobs in laundry or retail shops and hobbies that involve designing and making your own clothes. Training opportunities as an Alteration Tailor are offered in the military services.

                School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Custom Clothing Maker employer

internships

volunteer work with a Custom Clothing Maker employer

community service work with an agency

Most Custom Clothing Makers obtain their jobs through direct application to employers. Assistance in finding jobs may be available from a local Michigan Works! office, tailors' unions, or school placement offices. Some openings may be listed in newspaper want ads. Although individuals might enter this occupation through apprenticeship training, currently no apprenticeship programs for this occupation are available in Michigan. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:    

Michigan Talent Bank

Michigan Jobs & Career Portal  

Classifieds Employment

Yahoo! Careers

MONSTER.COM

Michigan Works!

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings vary depending on individual ability, skill level, union affiliation and geographic location. Since Production Workers are paid on a piecework basis, total earnings depend on speed and skill as well as the worker's reputation.

Nationally, workers making men's and boy's suits and coats averaged about $334 or more per week in 1998. Head Tailors who receive a weekly salary generally earned from $327 to $600 per week.

In 1999, weekly earnings ranged from $206 to nearly $1,000 for Dressmakers and Tailors. Experienced, highly skilled Custom Clothing Makers, especially those who are self-employed, have earnings in the top half of this range.

In southeastern Michigan, unionized tailors earned from $474 to $514 weekly in early 1999.

Most Custom Clothing Makers receive paid vacations and holidays; accident, disability, and hospitalization insurance; retirement plans; and sick pay. Some may also receive profit sharing plans and discounts on merchandise.

Steps in a career ladder may include trainee, alteration marker, Alteration Tailor or Garment Fitter, Custom Tailor or Dressmaker, and shop owner or clothes designer. Ability, experience, and further training are the most common factors affecting advancement.

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, there were approximately 84,200 Custom Makers employed in 1996. Employment is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2006. About 51.5% of them were self-employed. The industry distribution for Custom Tailors and Dressmakers looked like this:

Because of the improved quality and low cost of ready-to-wear clothing, and more automated, robotized manufacturing of apparel, the demand for Custom Tailors and Dressmakers is expected to decline. Many people, however, will still want clothes in sizes, styles, or fabrics that are not available in ready-to-wear garments. Therefore, opportunities for employment should still be available for highly talented workers in custom clothing making occupations. Increased sales of suits and other ready-to-wear garments requiring alteration will create a demand for more alterations workers.

There are about 2,200 Custom Clothing Makers employed in Michigan. Most worked in urban areas in retail trade and in laundry, cleaning, and garment services industries.

Employment of Custom Clothing Makers in Michigan is expected to decline through the year 2005. An average of 20 annual openings is expected, with all due to replacement of those who retire or leave the labor force for other reasons. Additional openings will occur to replace workers who transfer to other jobs or occupations.

The demand for clothes, and therefore for Custom Clothing Makers, depends somewhat on the economy, but more heavily on the makeup of the population. During good economic times, people have more money to spend on clothing, especially custom made clothing. Also, the fastest growth in the population will be among those from 35 to 54 years old, who typically have rising incomes and high rates of consumption. The availability and lower cost of ready-to-wear apparel will also increase the demand for Alteration Tailors and Garment Fitters.

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

SUMMARY PROFILE

The occupation of Custom Clothing Maker can be summarized by the following:

MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development