Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
Production Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 51-6052.00
Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Moderate· 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
0.034
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
0.15
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
Exposed tasks only22 rated tasks · 3 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (13.6%)
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
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % |
|---|---|
Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric.51-6052.00 | 0.074394.7 |
Confer with customers to determine types of material and garment styles desired.51-6052.00 | 0.00425.3 |
| Not observed on any surface — 20 task(s) — These tasks have no row in the source for this release. The 0 in the share row is a display-stage composition ratio; absence is what the — in the raw row states. | |
Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations. | —0 |
Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines. | —0 |
Measure parts such as sleeves or pant legs, and mark or pin-fold alteration lines. | —0 |
Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts such as sleeves. | —0 |
Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit. | —0 |
Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines. | —0 |
Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades. | —0 |
Record required alterations and instructions on tags, and attach them to garments. | —0 |
Examine tags on garments to determine alterations that are needed. | —0 |
Fit, alter, repair, and make made-to-measure clothing, according to customers' and clothing manufacturers' specifications and fit, and applying principles of garment design, construction, and styling. | —0 |
Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed. | —0 |
Press garments, using hand irons or pressing machines. | —0 |
Trim excess material, using scissors. | —0 |
Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding. | —0 |
Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements. | —0 |
Estimate how much a garment will cost to make, based on factors such as time and material requirements. | —0 |
Repair or replace defective garment parts such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings. | —0 |
Position patterns of garment parts on fabric, and cut fabric along outlines, using scissors. | —0 |
Sew buttonholes and attach buttons to finish garments. | —0 |
Put in padding and shaping materials. | —0 |
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. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Estimate how much a garment will cost to make, based on factors such as time and material requirements.O*NET Task ID 12191 | 1.0 |
Examine tags on garments to determine alterations that are needed.O*NET Task ID 12183 | 0.5 |
Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric.O*NET Task ID 12188 | 0.5 |
Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations.O*NET Task ID 12175 | 0.0 |
Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines.O*NET Task ID 12176 | 0.0 |
Measure parts, such as sleeves or pant legs, and mark or pin-fold alteration lines.O*NET Task ID 12177 | 0.0 |
Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts, such as sleeves.O*NET Task ID 12178 | 0.0 |
Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit.O*NET Task ID 12179 | 0.0 |
Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines.O*NET Task ID 12180 | 0.0 |
Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades.O*NET Task ID 12181 | 0.0 |
Record required alterations and instructions on tags, and attach them to garments.O*NET Task ID 12182 | 0.0 |
Fit, alter, repair, and make made-to-measure clothing, according to customers' and clothing manufacturers' specifications and fit, and applying principles of garment design, construction, and styling.O*NET Task ID 12184 | 0.0 |
Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed.O*NET Task ID 12185 | 0.0 |
Press garments, using hand irons or pressing machines.O*NET Task ID 12186 | 0.0 |
Trim excess material, using scissors.O*NET Task ID 12187 | 0.0 |
Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding.O*NET Task ID 12189 | 0.0 |
Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements.O*NET Task ID 12190 | 0.0 |
Repair or replace defective garment parts, such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings.O*NET Task ID 12192 | 0.0 |
Confer with customers to determine types of material and garment styles desired.O*NET Task ID 12193 | 0.0 |
Position patterns of garment parts on fabric, and cut fabric along outlines, using scissors.O*NET Task ID 12194 | 0.0 |
Sew buttonholes and attach buttons to finish garments.O*NET Task ID 12195 | 0.0 |
Put in padding and shaping materials.O*NET Task ID 12196 | 0.0 |
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®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (22)
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 |
|---|---|
| Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations. | Core |
| Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines. | Core |
| Measure parts, such as sleeves or pant legs, and mark or pin-fold alteration lines. | Core |
| Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts, such as sleeves. | Core |
| Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit. | Core |
| Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines. | Core |
| Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades. | Core |
| Record required alterations and instructions on tags, and attach them to garments. | Core |
| Examine tags on garments to determine alterations that are needed. | Core |
| Fit, alter, repair, and make made-to-measure clothing, according to customers' and clothing manufacturers' specifications and fit, and applying principles of garment design, construction, and styling. | Core |
| Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed. | Core |
| Press garments, using hand irons or pressing machines. | Core |
| Trim excess material, using scissors. | Core |
| Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric. | Core |
| Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding. | Core |
| Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements. | Core |
| Estimate how much a garment will cost to make, based on factors such as time and material requirements. | Core |
| Repair or replace defective garment parts, such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings. | Core |
| Confer with customers to determine types of material and garment styles desired. | Core |
| Position patterns of garment parts on fabric, and cut fabric along outlines, using scissors. | Core |
| Sew buttonholes and attach buttons to finish garments. | Core |
| Put in padding and shaping materials. | Core |
0.21/ 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 |
|---|---|
| Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations. | E0 none |
| Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines. | E0 none |
| Measure parts, such as sleeves or pant legs, and mark or pin-fold alteration lines. | E0 none |
| Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts, such as sleeves. | E0 none |
| Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit. | E0 none |
| Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines. | E0 none |
| Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades. | E0 none |
| Record required alterations and instructions on tags, and attach them to garments. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Examine tags on garments to determine alterations that are needed. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Fit, alter, repair, and make made-to-measure clothing, according to customers' and clothing manufacturers' specifications and fit, and applying principles of garment design, construction, and styling. | E0 none |
| Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed. | E0 none |
| Press garments, using hand irons or pressing machines. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Trim excess material, using scissors. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding. | E0 none |
| Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements. | E2 structured facilities |
| Repair or replace defective garment parts, such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings. | E0 none |
| Position patterns of garment parts on fabric, and cut fabric along outlines, using scissors. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Sew buttonholes and attach buttons to finish garments. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Put in padding and shaping materials. | E0 none |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 33K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 30K
- Change (2025–35)
- -8.8%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $41,640
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72210 | 한복 제조원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 72221 | 양장 제조원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 72222 | 양복 제조원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 72230 | 모피 및 가죽 의복 제조원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 72241 | 의복 수선원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 72242 | 가죽 및 모피 수선원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 72290 | 그 외 의복 제조 관련 기능 종사원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 72249 | 그 외 수선원 | 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 7531Tailors, Dressmakers, Furriers and Hatters
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.
- dressmakerESCO 7531.2This occupation is broader
Dressmakers design, make or fit, alter, repair tailored, bespoke or hand-made garments from textile fabrics, light leather, fur and other material for women and children. They produce made-to-measure wearing apparel according to customer's or garment manufacturer's specifications. They are able to read and understand size charts, details surrounding finished measurements etc.
- millinerESCO 7531.4This occupation is broader
Milliners design and manufacture hats and other headwear.
- protective clothing apparel manufacturerESCO 8153.1.5This occupation is broader
Protective clothing apparel manufacturers produce personal protective equipment (PPE) made of textiles. They produce wearing apparel resistant to different hazards (e.g. thermal, physical, electrical, biological, and chemical, etc.), high visibility warming clothing, protective against cool, cold, rain, UV solar radiation, etc. They follow standards and assess the fulfillment of requirements.
- tailorESCO 7531.5This occupation is broader
Tailors design, make or fit, alter, repair tailored, bespoke or hand-made garments from textile fabrics, light leather, fur and other material, or make hats or wigs for men. They produce made-to-measure wearing apparel according to customer's or garment manufacturer's specifications. They are able to read and understand size charts, details surrounding finished measurements etc.
- clothing alteration machinistESCO 8153.1.1Overlapping, not the same
Clothing alteration machinists ensure the alteration of finished garments in line with business demands. They are responsible for the quality of any alterations or customisations and brand generic stock in line with customer branding guidelines.
- clothing sample machinistESCO 8153.1.2Overlapping, not the same
Clothing sample machinist create the first made-up sample of a garment design. They resolve regarding the makeup of garments taking into consideration bulk production to ensure sealing samples are ready on time. They press finished garments and make quality control checks.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| B1801 | Modiste | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| B1803 | Couturier / Couturière | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| B1810 | Fourreur / Fourreuse | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| B1813 | Tailleur / Tailleuse | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| D1207 | Retoucheur / Retoucheuse en habillement | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| B1808 | Premier / Première d'atelier | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 7831 | Sastres, modistos, peleteros y sombrereros | Same scope |
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 narrowerprovisional |
| 28293 | Aufsichtskräfte - Textilverarbeitung | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 28342 | Berufe in der Pelzbe- und -verarbeitung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 28343 | Berufe in der Pelzbe- und -verarbeitung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | 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 narrower |
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