Industrial sewing jobs are not limited to clothing. A large share of sewing machine operators make non-apparel products, such as sheets, towels, curtains, bags, awnings, tents, boat covers, furniture and vehicle interiors. In 2025, more sewing machine operators worked in textile product mills, which make non-apparel textile goods, than in cut and sew apparel manufacturing.
This guide covers the main areas of technical and industrial sewing, where the jobs are, what they pay, the outlook and how to find them. Figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and were checked in October 2026.
Where Industrial Sewing Jobs Are
The BLS lists these industries with the most employed sewing machine operators in May 2025:
| Industry | Sewing machine operators, May 2025 |
|---|---|
| Cut and sew apparel manufacturing | 20,940 |
| Other textile product mills | 17,920 |
| Textile furnishings mills | 5,730 |
| Furniture manufacturing | 5,450 |
| Printing and related support activities | 5,440 |
Together, the two textile product mill industries employed 23,640 sewing machine operators in 2025, according to BLS industry data.
Main Areas of Technical Sewing
Home Furnishings
The BLS describes textile product mills as making non-apparel textile products, mostly by cutting and sewing purchased fabric, such as sheets and towels. Textile furnishings mills make products such as curtains, linens and carpets.
Canvas, Awnings, Tents and Marine Products
The other textile product mills group includes makers of textile bags and canvas products, such as awnings and tents. The Advanced Textiles Association, a trade association for the specialty fabrics and technical textiles industry with more than 1,400 member companies, has member groups for awnings, tents, marine, fabric structures, geosynthetics and military products. Its Career Center at jobs.textiles.org lists openings in the industry.
Upholstery and Vehicle Interiors
Upholsterers sew covers and cushions for furniture and vehicles. The BLS counted 10,160 upholsterers in furniture manufacturing, 910 in automotive repair, 680 in ship and boat building and 510 in motor vehicle parts manufacturing in May 2025. See our guide to upholstery jobs.
Furniture Manufacturing
Furniture plants also employ sewing machine operators, 5,450 in May 2025, alongside upholsterers.
Pay
In textile product mills, sewing machine operators earned a median of $36,460 a year, or $17.53 an hour, in 2025, according to the BLS. That is close to the $36,670 median for sewing machine operators across all industries.
Other jobs in the same industry pay more. In textile product mills in 2025, textile knitting and weaving machine operators earned a median of $42,170, inspectors and testers $41,500, and first-line supervisors $60,100. Upholsterers across all industries earned a median of $46,340 in May 2025.
Skills for Industrial Sewing
- Heavy-duty machine experience. Canvas, vinyl and webbing often call for heavier machines than garment sewing.
- Measuring and cutting. Large panels, such as awnings and covers, must be measured and cut accurately.
- Hardware and finishing. Attaching grommets, zippers, snaps and binding.
- Machine care. O*NET lists replacing needles and cleaning and oiling machines among sewing machine operators’ tasks.
- Quality checks. Inspecting finished items against specifications.
Job Outlook
The BLS projects that employment in textile product mills will decline by 11.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 93,400 to 82,200 jobs. For sewing machine operators across all industries, it projects a 15% decline.
Why Employment Is Expected to Decline
In its projections, the BLS says new technology allows textile product mills to automate the cutting, sewing and storage of fabric materials, and that companies are deploying automated machinery to sew instead of human sewers. Automation is the main reason for the decline in sewing jobs in these industries.
Not every area is shrinking at the same rate. The BLS projects that employment in ship and boat building, which uses marine upholsterers and sewers, will grow by 3.1% over the same period.
How to Find Industrial Sewing Jobs
- Search by product. Try industrial sewer, canvas sewer, awning fabricator, marine canvas, upholstery sewer and sewing machine operator.
- Look up local manufacturers. Search for awning, tent, boat cover, bedding, curtain and bag manufacturers near you.
- Check the Advanced Textiles Association Career Center. It lists jobs in the specialty fabrics industry.
- Use public job services. CareerOneStop lists openings and the American Job Centers near you.
- Show what you can sew. Mention any experience with heavy fabrics, vinyl or canvas, and the machines you have used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do industrial sewing jobs pay more than garment sewing?
Not much for machine operators. In 2025, sewing machine operators in textile product mills earned a median of $36,460, close to the all-industry median. Upholstery and supervisory roles pay more.
What is technical sewing?
It generally means sewing non-apparel products, such as awnings, tents, marine covers, furnishings and industrial textiles.
Are industrial sewing jobs declining?
Yes, in most industries. The BLS projects an 11.9% decline in textile product mill employment from 2025 to 2035, mainly because of automation.
Related Guides
- Sewing Jobs: Types, Pay and Where to Find Work
- Sewing Machine Operator Jobs
- Upholstery Jobs: Furniture, Auto and Marine
Sources: BLS – OEWS Profiles, May 2025, BLS – Textile Product Mills: Industries at a Glance, BLS – Employment and Output by Industry, 2025–35, BLS – Factors Affecting Occupational Utilization, 2025–35, O*NET – Sewing Machine Operators and Advanced Textiles Association.
