Clothing technologist
Also known as: textile technologist, clothing engineer, garment technologist, clothing production engineer
About this occupation
Clothing technologists work on the design, development and production of textile and apparel products. They carry out a range of technical, investigative and quality control work to ensure the end product (from clothing to household up to industrial textiles). They perform to specifications, improve production efficiency and quality while liaising with those involved in the production process. They liaise with designers, adapt designs to suit production methods, make and size pre-production garments, source fabrics and accessories, undertake quality evaluations of materials and check the quality of the final product, and consider ecological aspects.
Essential skills and knowledge
- use textile technique for hand-made products
- manufacture wearing apparel products
- history of fashion
- apparel manufacturing technology
- prepare production prototypes
- operate computerised control systems
- operate garment manufacturing machines
- perform process control in the wearing apparel industry
- manufacturing of wearing apparel
- distinguish accessories
- manage briefs for clothing manufacturing
- evaluate garment quality
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other (O*NET 51-6099.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
US median pay: US$37,280 a year (2025), 13,530 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.