Textile and Clothing Award [MA000017]

This page is a summary of who the Textile and Clothing Award covers and doesn’t cover. Find a copy of the award at Textile and Clothing Award.

Learn how to calculate pay rates and check entitlements from Find pay rates and entitlements.

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Who the Textile and Clothing Award covers

The Textile and Clothing Award covers employers, and their employees who fit within the classifications of the award, in the following industries:

  • textile
  • clothing
  • bag and button making
  • footwear
  • related manufacturing and fabricating industries.

Examples of employees covered by the Textile and Clothing Award include:

The textile industry includes:

  • artificial and pure silk
  • blinds
  • braids
  • carpets
  • cloth, including shade cloth
  • commission dyeing, bleaching and finishing
  • cotton and cotton wool
  • elastic webbing
  • embroidery
  • felt, wool and/or fibre
  • filament yarns
  • flax
  • hosiery
  • knitting and knitted articles
  • kraft paper yarns
  • labels
  • lace
  • man made fibres
  • medical dressings, materials and supplies
  • mercerising
  • fabrics including, narrow and non-woven
  • personal and household hygiene products
  • printing of textiles
  • quilting
  • ribbons
  • synthetic fibres and yarns
  • tassels
  • textile waste and flock
  • trimmings
  • wadding
  • webbing tapes
  • woollen and worsted
  • woven materials.

The clothing industry includes:

  • designing (in whole or part), preparing, manufacturing, processing, labelling or finishing any type of garment, apparel or article (including aprons, napery, nappies, manchester, linen, handkerchiefs, mosquito nets, artificial flowers, cot covers, blankets, collars, cuffs, earmuffs, neckwear, rugs, mats, hats and headwear, umbrellas), or
  • where a business controls, manages or supervises (in whole or part) the processes above.

The bag and button making industries include:

  • the making and repairing of bags, including the manufacturing of jute, hessian, calico and stockinette bags, water bags, tents, tarpaulins, blinds and covers
  • the haberdashery and manufacture and/or treatment of buckles, buttons and badges.

The footwear industry includes:

  • the design or cutting of patterns for (in whole or part) preparation, manufacturing, making and repairing of footwear, boots, shoes, sandals, surgical and fitted boots and slippers
  • any part of footwear including materials, such as the cutting or preparing of half soles, tip fillers or top pieces where they are performed by bespoke boot makers and repairers and heel bar operatives.

Related manufacturing and fabricating industries include:

  • processing and treatment of raw cotton
  • spinning, throwing, texturising, creping, extruding, mercerising, impregnating, processing and treatment of fibres, filaments, threads, tyre cords, or yarns of all descriptions
  • weaving, including hand weaving braids, fabrics, materials and/or webbing tapes
  • dyeing, bleaching, coating, calendering, cleaning and/or finishing of all types of fabrics, filament yarns, wool tops, yarns and articles of all descriptions up to and including the completed product
  • printing including hand printing, screen and/or roller printing and stamping of fabrics and/or articles of all kinds and descriptions
  • mending and/or repairing (including invisible mending) of fabrics and/or articles of all kinds and descriptions
  • knitting and the manufacture of hosiery, half hose, children’s hose, underwear, outerwear, jersey piecegoods, fabrics and like goods or materials
  • storing, sorting, scouring, carbonising, mixing, blending and combing of wool and top-making
  • storing, blending, carding or garnetting of wool, hair, or other fibres, felting, needling, milling, tentering and/or drying
  • every operation, process, duty and function performed in or in connection with any of the above.

The Textile and Clothing Award also covers labour hire businesses and their employees who are placed with an organisation in the textile, clothing, bag and button making, footwear and related manufacturing and fabricating industries.

Check the award for full information on who is covered and the classification descriptions.

Source reference: Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Associated Industries Award [MA000017] clauses 2, 4 and schedules A and B

Who the Textile and Clothing Award doesn't cover

The following employees are not covered by the Textile and Clothing Award:

  • electricians
  • employees who mainly do clerical and administrative work
  • all mechanics that are not sewing or textile mechanics.

Check the award for full information on coverage and classifications.

Source reference: Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Associated Industries Award [MA000017] clauses 2, 4 and schedules A and B

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