Pressers, Textile, Garment, & Related Materials
Press or shape articles by hand or machine.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Hang, fold, package, and tag finished articles for delivery to customers.
- Operate steam, hydraulic, or other pressing machines to remove wrinkles from garments and flatwork items, or to shape, form, or patch articles.
- Straighten, smooth, or shape materials to prepare them for pressing.
- Remove finished pieces from pressing machines and hang or stack them for cooling, or forward them for additional processing.
- Lower irons, rams, or pressing heads of machines into position over material to be pressed.
- Finish pleated garments, determining sizes of pleats from evidence of old pleats or from work orders, using machine presses or hand irons.
- Finish fancy garments such as evening gowns and costumes, using hand irons to produce high quality finishes.
- Identify and treat spots on garments.
- Shrink, stretch, or block articles by hand to conform to original measurements, using forms, blocks, and steam.
- Push and pull irons over surfaces of articles to smooth or shape them.
- Finish pants, jackets, shirts, skirts and other dry-cleaned and laundered articles, using hand irons.
- Select appropriate pressing machines, based on garment properties such as heat tolerance.
- Slide material back and forth over heated, metal, ball-shaped forms to smooth and press portions of garments that cannot be satisfactorily pressed with flat pressers or hand irons.
- Use covering cloths to prevent equipment from damaging delicate fabrics.
- Spray water over fabric to soften fibers when not using steam irons.
- Examine and measure finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using measuring devices such as tape measures and micrometers.
- Position materials such as cloth garments, felt, or straw on tables, dies, or feeding mechanisms of pressing machines, or on ironing boards or work tables.
- Moisten materials to soften and smooth them.
- Finish velvet garments by steaming them on bucks of hot-head presses or steam tables, and brushing pile (nap) with handbrushes.
- Measure fabric to specifications, cut uneven edges with shears, fold material, and press it with an iron to form a heading.
- Clean and maintain pressing machines, using cleaning solutions and lubricants.
- Press ties on small pressing machines.
- Block or shape knitted garments after cleaning.
- Activate and adjust machine controls to regulate temperature and pressure of rollers, ironing shoes, or plates, according to specifications.
- Insert heated metal forms into ties and touch up rough places with hand irons.
- Brush materials made of suede, leather, or felt to remove spots or to raise and smooth naps.
- Sew ends of new material to leaders or to ends of material in pressing machines, using sewing machines.
- Select, install, and adjust machine components, including pressing forms, rollers, and guides, using hoists and hand tools.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
82%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
81%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
80%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
77%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
77%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
74%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
74%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
69%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
67%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
62%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
61%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
61%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
60%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
58%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
51%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
48%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
46%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
46%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
46%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
44%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
42%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
41%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
40%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
40%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
39%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
39%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
37%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
35%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
33%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
31%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
29%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
27%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
26%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
23%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
23%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
22%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
20%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
19%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
17%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
15%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
14%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
13%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
12%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
12%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
12%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
11%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
9%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
7%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
7%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
5%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
4%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
4%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
4%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
4%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
4%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
0%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
0%
Education
Less than high school diploma
High school diploma or equivalent
Doctoral degree
Interests
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Work Styles
Work Values
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