How to find a seamstress or tailor for a garment unit
Line work or whole garments
Seamstresses are hired for two different kinds of work. On a line each person does one operation: stitching side seams, attaching a sleeve, finishing a neckline. In a unit that makes a whole garment you need an all-rounder who knows every stage, from cutting to the finished piece. These skills are different, and so is the pay. So say right away how work is organised in your unit.
What to sew and on which machines
Outerwear, workwear, bed linen, knitwear, curtains: each has its own fabrics and equipment. Outerwear needs machines for thick fabrics; knitwear needs an overlock and a flatlock machine. Ask which machines the person has used, whether they can adjust thread tension, and whether they can change a needle and clear a fault. Show a sample garment if you have one: the candidate will see whether they can manage it.
Be honest about the output target and the pace. Seamstresses soon get used to a line, but overload and unclear rates are the main reason for people leaving. Say whether there is a gentle start in the first weeks and whether training is paid.
What to put in the job post
- What to sew — outerwear, uniforms, bedding;
- Line or whole garment — one operation or a whole garment;
- Pay — piece rate, monthly salary, bonuses;
- Workplace — city, area, address of the unit;
- Hours — for example a six-day week, 9:00 to 18:00;
- Experience — how many years;
- Terms — permanent, on the payroll.
Example: “Seamstress needed in Hamilton for a unit that makes whole outerwear garments. 1+ year of experience, work on industrial machines, six-day week, 9:00 to 18:00, on the payroll, from $320 a month plus piece rate.”
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
You create one job request and you don't need to sit in several groups' chats. It is checked for ads and stray contact details, and you get hints on which details candidates are missing. Seamstresses in your area answer in chat: experience, machines, when they can join and what pay suits them. Reviews help you compare. Contacts stay hidden until you choose someone. More in “How it works”.
How to select and what to consider
The best test is a trial operation or a garment from a sample, with the trial day paid. Look at the neatness of the stitching and the speed. With piece-rate pay, write the rates and the output target honestly so the candidate can work out the earnings. For related work, see an order picker and a general labourer, and a fitter for repairing sewing equipment.
If you are looking for work
Register on BlaBlaPrice as a service provider, choose this category and your area, and you will receive such job posts to reply to.
