Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers

How to become a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator or Tender

Official title: Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Also called: Knitter, Knitting Machine Operator, Loom Fixer, Machine Operator, Operator, Tufting Machine Operator, Tufting Operator, Warp Knit Operator, Weaver, Winder Operator

Set up, operate, or tend machines that knit, loop, weave, or draw in textiles.

Main tasks

Observe woven cloth to detect weaving defects.
Thread yarn, thread, and fabric through guides, needles, and rollers of machines for weaving, knitting, or other processing.
Remove defects in cloth by cutting and pulling out filling.
Examine looms to determine causes of loom stoppage, such as warp filling, harness breaks, or mechanical defects.
Inspect products to ensure that specifications are met and to determine if machines need adjustment.
Notify supervisors or repair staff of mechanical malfunctions.
Start machines, monitor operations, and make adjustments as needed.
Stop machines when specified amounts of product have been produced.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Jacquard-Loom Weaver.
Apprenticeship: Jacquard-Plate Maker.
Apprenticeship: Knitting Machine Fixer.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $39,530 a year The middle half earn $36,390 to $45,220.
About 13,900 people work in this job now, and about 12,000 are projected by 2035. (-13.7%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator or Tender?

Ways in include: Jacquard-Loom Weaver.

How much does a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator or Tender earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $39,530 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $36,390 to $45,220.

Is a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator or Tender a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 14% by 2035, from about 13,900 to about 12,000 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator or Tender?

Usually not. Only 7% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Jacquard-Loom Weaver.

Will AI change the work of a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator or Tender?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.