Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders

Production Occupations
O*NET-SOC code
51-6061.00

Operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.

  • Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08

    Moderate· relative

    LowFour relative bandsVery high

    Group-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

    Source dataset (XLSX download)

  • Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03

    0.021

    0.000Range of values carried here0.745
    Scale, 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

    Source dataset (CSV download)

  • Data source: ILOPublished: 2025

    0.21

    0.09Range of values carried here0.70

    Group-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

    Source dataset (PDF download)

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 only

24 rated tasks · 4 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (16.7%)

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
  • 2 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
Task (O*NET 20.1)Claude.aiRaw / share %APIRaw / share %
Key in processing instructions to program electronic equipment.

51-6061.00

0.028294.80.0798100.0
Test solutions used to process textile goods to detect variations from standards.

51-6061.00

0.00165.2—0
Not observed on any surface — 22 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.
Add dyes, water, detergents, or chemicals to tanks to dilute or strengthen solutions, according to established formulas and solution test results.
—0—0
Notify supervisors or mechanics of equipment malfunctions.
—0—0
Adjust equipment controls to maintain specified heat, tension, and speed.
—0—0
Observe display screens, control panels, equipment, and cloth entering or exiting processes to determine if equipment is operating correctly.
—0—0
Prepare dyeing machines for production runs, and conduct test runs of machines to ensure their proper operation.
—0—0
Monitor factors such as temperatures and dye flow rates to ensure that they are within specified ranges.
—0—0
Start and control machines and equipment to wash, bleach, dye, or otherwise process and finish fabric, yarn, thread, or other textile goods.
—0—0
Examine and feel products to identify defects and variations from coloring and other processing standards.
—0—0
Record production information such as fabric yardage processed, temperature readings, fabric tensions, and machine speeds.
—0—0
Remove dyed articles from tanks and machines for drying and further processing.
—0—0
Study guides, charts, and specification sheets, and confer with supervisors to determine machine setup requirements.
—0—0
Confer with coworkers to get information about order details, processing plans, or problems that occur.
—0—0
Inspect machinery to determine necessary adjustments and repairs.
—0—0
Weigh ingredients to be mixed together for use in textile processing.
—0—0
Sew ends of cloth together, by hand or using machines, to form endless lengths of cloth to facilitate processing.
—0—0
Soak specified textile products for designated times.
—0—0
Thread ends of cloth or twine through specified sections of equipment prior to processing.
—0—0
Mount rolls of cloth on machines, using hoists, or place textile goods in machines or pieces of equipment.
—0—0
Perform machine maintenance, such as cleaning and oiling equipment, and repair or replace worn or defective parts.
—0—0
Ravel seams that connect cloth ends when processing is completed.
—0—0
Install, level, and align components such as gears, chains, dies, cutters, and needles.
—0—0
Creel machines with bobbins or twine.
—0—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 (23)

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
Add dyes, water, detergents, or chemicals to tanks to dilute or strengthen solutions, according to established formulas and solution test results.Core
Notify supervisors or mechanics of equipment malfunctions.Core
Adjust equipment controls to maintain specified heat, tension, and speed.Core
Observe display screens, control panels, equipment, and cloth entering or exiting processes to determine if equipment is operating correctly.Core
Monitor factors such as temperatures and dye flow rates to ensure that they are within specified ranges.Core
Start and control machines and equipment to wash, bleach, dye, or otherwise process and finish fabric, yarn, thread, or other textile goods.Core
Examine and feel products to identify defects and variations from coloring and other processing standards.Core
Confer with coworkers to get information about order details, processing plans, or problems that occur.Core
Inspect machinery to determine necessary adjustments and repairs.Core
Soak specified textile products for designated times.Core
Weigh ingredients, such as dye, to be mixed together for use in textile processing.Core
Prepare dyeing machines for production runs, and conduct test runs of machines to ensure their proper operation.Supplemental
Record production information such as fabric yardage processed, temperature readings, fabric tensions, and machine speeds.Supplemental
Test solutions used to process textile goods to detect variations from standards.Supplemental
Remove dyed articles from tanks and machines for drying and further processing.Supplemental
Study guides, charts, and specification sheets, and confer with supervisors to determine machine setup requirements.Supplemental
Sew ends of cloth together, by hand or using machines, to form endless lengths of cloth to facilitate processing.Supplemental
Key in processing instructions to program electronic equipment.Supplemental
Thread ends of cloth or twine through specified sections of equipment prior to processing.Supplemental
Mount rolls of cloth on machines, using hoists, or place textile goods in machines or pieces of equipment.Supplemental
Perform machine maintenance, such as cleaning and oiling equipment, and repair or replace worn or defective parts.Supplemental
Ravel seams that connect cloth ends when processing is completed.Supplemental
Install, level, and align components such as gears, chains, dies, cutters, and needles.Supplemental

Occupation information

Employment outlook (BLS)

Employment, 2025
6K
Projected employment, 2035
5K
Change (2025–35)
-12.5%
Median annual wage, 2025
$38,180
Typical education needed for entry
High school diploma or equivalent
lowest $30,890median wage across 825 detailed occupations, BLS EP 2025–35highest $559,030

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — Employment by detailed occupation, 2025 and projected 2035

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 codeKSCO titleRelationStatus
82121표백기 조작원This occupation is broaderconfirmed
82124염색기 조작원This occupation is broaderconfirmed
82129그 외 표백 및 염색 관련 기계 조작원This occupation is broaderconfirmed
72194수날염원Related, not a matchconfirmed
82122염색 조색 및 배합기 조작원Related, not a matchconfirmed
82123날염기 조작원Related, not a matchconfirmed
82291가죽 및 모피 가공원Related, not a matchreviewed

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 8154Bleaching, Dyeing and Fabric Cleaning Machine Operators

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.

  • finishing textile technicianESCO 8154.1This occupation is broader

    Finishing textile technicians perform operations related to setting up finishing processes. The finishing processes are the final series of operations that improves the appearance and/or usefulness of textiles.

  • textile dyeing technicianESCO 8154.2This occupation is broader

    Textile dyeing technicians perform operations related to setting up dyeing processes.

  • textile dyerESCO 8154.3This occupation is broader

    Textile dyers tend dye machines making sure that the setting of machines are in place. They prepare chemicals, dyes, dye baths and solutions according to formulas. They make samples by dyeing textiles and calculating the necessary formulas and dyes all kind of yarn or and textiles.

Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)

License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)

View original

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 codeROME title (French)Relation
H2406Conducteur / Conductrice de machines de traitement textileSame scopeprovisional
H2417Conducteur / Conductrice de rame textileThis occupation is broaderprovisional
H1240Agent / Agente de finissage couleurs et effets cuirs et peauxRelated, not a match
H1201Coloriste en industrieRelated, not a matchprovisional
H2408Imprimeur / Imprimeuse textileRelated, not a matchprovisional
H2424Chef / Cheffe de ligne chromo en industrie textileRelated, 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 codeCNO-11 title (Spanish)Relation
8154Operadores de máquinas de blanquear, teñir, estampar y acabar textilesSame scope
8155Operadores de máquinas para tratar pieles y cueroRelated, not a matchprovisional

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 codeKldB title (German)Relation
28142Berufe in der Textilveredlung - fachlich ausgerichtete TätigkeitenThis occupation is narrower
28101Berufe in der Textiltechnik (ohne Spezialisierung) - Helfer-/AnlerntätigkeitenRelated, not a match
28143Berufe in der Textilveredlung - komplexe SpezialistentätigkeitenRelated, 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 codeJSCO title (Japanese)Relation
535紡織・衣服・繊維製品製造従事者This occupation is narrower
505紡織・衣服・繊維製品生産設備制御・監視員Related, not a match

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