SIC 2253 Knit Outerwear Mills
SIC 2253
Manufacturers in this category are primarily engaged in knitting outerwear from yarn or in the production of outerwear from knit fabrics produced in the same establishment. Establishments that are primarily engaged in hand knitting outerwear for the trade are included in this industry. Establishments primarily engaged in knitting gloves and mittens are classified in SIC 2259: Knitting Mills, Not Elsewhere Classified. Those manufacturing outerwear from purchased knit fabrics are classified in the major group for apparel and other finished products made from fabrics and similar materials.
Products manufactured under this category include such diverse products as bathing suits, bathrobes, beachwear, blouses, body stockings, caps, collar and cuff sets, dresses, hats, headwear, housecoats, jackets, jerseys and sweaters, jogging suits, leotards, lounging robes, mufflers, neckties, pants, scarves, shawls, shirts, outerwear, shoulderettes, ski suits, skirts, slacks, suits, sweat bands, sweat pants, sweat shirts, sweaters and sweater coats, T-shirts, tank tops, ties, trousers, warm-up suits, and wristlets.
315191
Outerwear Knitting Mills
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 305 establishments operated in this category for part or all of 2004. Industry-wide employment totaled approximately 9,435 workers receiving a payroll of more than $246 million. Companies in this industry tended to be smaller in size with nearly 65 percent employing less than 20 workers while only 3 percent have greater than 500 employees. The Annual Survey of Manufactures reported that the other apparel knitting mills manufacturing industry (including outerwear knitting mills and underwear and nightwear knitting mills) was valued at nearly $1.5 billion in 2005. Additionally, for the overall industry a total of 7,122 employees worked in production in 2005, putting in more than 13 million hours to earn wages of more than $152 million. The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics showed significant losses in expected employment for the apparel knitting mills manufacturing industry as a whole by 2014 after substantial losses were experienced from 1994 to 2004; a moderate decrease is anticipated in output between 2004 to 2014.
The U.S. Department of Labor's May 2006 report on the apparel knitting mills industry estimated employment at 34,270 workers with a mean hourly wage of $12.96. Production occupations was the largest category with 22,070 workers that was dominated in size by sewing machine operators (5,030 workers with a $9.14 mean hourly wage) while the 1,290 first-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers led with a mean hourly wage of $18.45; the lowest paid of the category were hand cutters and trimmers ($9.09 mean hourly wage).
Dun & Bradstreet indicated in 2006 that the industry's estimated 1,085 establishments posted annual sales of about $8.6 billion with about 35,771 employees. North Carolina led with more than $4.5 billion in sales followed by Georgia with nearly $1.4 billion in sales and California in a distant third with $1.2 billion in sales. Comprised of 30 different specialties, the primary segment by far was knit t-shirts and tops (more than $4.7 billion in sales) with knit outerwear mills in second (nearly $1.7 billion in sales) while knit dresses (more than $633 million) rounded out the top three.
Most of these companies have worked to capitalize on one of the fastest growing product areas in the textile industry and the fastest growing section of apparel textile products: leisure and active wear. Popular products in this market segment include T-shirts and golf shirts (knit shirts with collars) for men, women, and children. The T-shirt business has been one of the fastest growing in the textile industry, especially with the trend toward putting messages and company names on them.
Notwithstanding, the apparel...
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