Sewers, Hand
Production Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 51-6051.00
Sew, join, reinforce, or finish, usually with needle and thread, a variety of manufactured items. Includes weavers and stitchers.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.12
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 12 hidden tasks13 rated tasks · 1 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (7.7%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- 3 rated tasks are not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; their scores are kept as published for O*NET 27.2.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Draw and cut patterns according to specifications.O*NET Task ID 14111 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (11)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Sew, join, reinforce, or finish parts of articles, such as garments, books, mattresses, toys, and wigs, using needles and thread or other materials. | Core |
| Trim excess threads or edges of parts, using scissors or knives. | Core |
| Select thread, twine, cord, or yarn to be used, and thread needles. | Core |
| Measure and align parts, fasteners, or trimmings, following seams, edges, or markings on parts. | Core |
| Use different sewing techniques such as felling, tacking, basting, embroidery, and fagoting. | Core |
| Draw and cut patterns according to specifications. | Supplemental |
| Fold, twist, stretch, or drape material, and secure articles in preparation for sewing. | Supplemental |
| Smooth seams with heated irons, flat bones, or rubbing sticks. | Supplemental |
| Sew buttonholes, or add lace or other trimming. | Supplemental |
| Tie, knit, weave or knot ribbon, yarn, or decorative materials. | Supplemental |
| Fit garments on clients, altering as needed. | Supplemental |
0.96/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Sew, join, reinforce, or finish parts of articles, such as garments, books, mattresses, toys, and wigs, using needles and thread or other materials. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Trim excess threads or edges of parts, using scissors or knives. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Select thread, twine, cord, or yarn to be used, and thread needles. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Measure and align parts, fasteners, or trimmings, following seams, edges, or markings on parts. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Use different sewing techniques such as felling, tacking, basting, embroidery, and fagoting. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Draw and cut patterns according to specifications. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Fold, twist, stretch, or drape material, and secure articles in preparation for sewing. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Smooth seams with heated irons, flat bones, or rubbing sticks. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Sew buttonholes, or add lace or other trimming. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Tie, knit, weave or knot ribbon, yarn, or decorative materials. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Fit garments on clients, altering as needed. | E0 none |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 5K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 5K
- Change (2025–35)
- -12%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $36,480
- Typical education needed for entry
- No formal educational credential
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72139 | 그 외 재봉사 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 72192 | 카펫 및 가발 제조원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 72131 | 직물 재봉사 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 7533Sewing, Embroidery and Related Workers
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- footwear hand sewerESCO 7536.2.3This occupation is broader
Footwear hand sewers join the cut pieces of leather and other materials using simple tools, such as needles, pliers and scissors to produce the uppers. Also, they perform hand stitches for decorative purposes or for assembling the uppers to soles in case of complete footwear.
- leather goods hand stitcherESCO 7536.1.3This occupation is broader
Leather goods hand stitchers join the cut pieces of leather and other materials using simple tools such as needles, pliers and scissors to close the product. They also perform hand stitches for decorative purposes.
- mattress makerESCO 7534.2This occupation is broader
Mattress makers form mattresses by creating pads and coverings. They tuft mattresses by hand and cut, spread and attach the padding and cover material over the innerspring assemblies.
- embroidererESCO 7533.2Overlapping, not the same
Embroiderers puch designs and decorate textile surfaces by hand or by using an embroidery machine. They apply a range of traditional stitching techniques to produce intricate designs on clothing, accessories, and home decor items. Professional embroiderers combine traditional sewing skills with current software programs to design and construct embellishments on an item.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| B1803 | Couturier / Couturière | Overlapping, not the sameprovisional |
| B1804 | Brodeur / Brodeuse | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| D1207 | Retoucheur / Retoucheuse en habillement | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 7834 | Costureros a mano, bordadores y afines | Same scope |
| 7831 | Sastres, modistos, peleteros y sombrereros | Related, not a match |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 28222 | Berufe in der Bekleidungs-, Hut- und Mützenherstellung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrower |
| 28232 | Technische Konfektionäre/Konfektionärinnen, Segelmacher/innen - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
| 28112 | Berufe in der Textilgestaltung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 535 | 紡織・衣服・繊維製品製造従事者 | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| 539 | その他の製品製造・加工処理従事者（金属製品を除く） | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources