Home › Work activities › Repair textiles or apparel
O*NET detailed work activityRepair textiles or apparel
Stays humanHands-on work
6 jobs14 tasks
This is physical, in-person work with real objects, tools, equipment and places that change from day to day. AI can't do it for you.
Part of Sew garments or materials, under the O*NET work activity group Handling and Moving Objects. Individual tasks below can carry a different label when their own wording calls for it (0 AI-ready, 0 AI-assist, 14 stays human).
Tasks built on this activity
- Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades.
- Repair or replace defective garment parts, such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings.
- Repair and recondition leather products such as trunks, luggage, shoes, saddles, belts, purses, and baseball gloves.
- Repair or alter items by adding replacement parts or missing stitches.
- Tape or twist together thread or cord to repair breaks.
- Stretch shoes, dampening parts and inserting and twisting parts, using an adjustable stretcher.
- Dye articles to change or restore their colors, using knowledge of textile compositions and the properties and effects of bleaches and dyes.
Tasks where it is part of the work
- Repair or replace soles, heels, and other parts of footwear, using sewing, buffing and other shoe repair machines, materials, and equipment.
- 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.
- Re-sew seams, and replace handles and linings of suitcases or handbags.
- Sew rips or tears in material, or create tufting, using needles and thread.
- Prepare pointe shoes, by sewing or other means, for use in rehearsals and performance.
- Apply chemicals to neutralize the effects of solvents.
- Mend and sew articles, using hand stitching, adhesive patches, or sewing machines.