Sewing spans a fast-evolving mix of home crafting, small-business making, and industrial production. Below are recent, data-backed sewing statistics covering market size, quilting, U.S. retail, and workforce pay.
sewing statistics
Key Sewing Statistics (Quick Facts)
Global sewing machine market (2025): USD $4.71B; projected to reach $6.14B by 2033 (Grand View Research).
Global sewing machine market (2026 estimate): about $4.87B (Grand View Research).
Quilting industry (2025 annualized revenue estimate): about $4.5B (Craft Industry Alliance / Quilting Trends Survey).
Quilting industry growth context: estimated $1.8B (2000) → $3.6B (2010) → $4.2B (2020) → $4.5B (2025) (Craft Industry Alliance).
U.S. fabric/craft/sewing supplies store market size:$5.2B (2024) and $5.3B (2025) (IBISWorld).
U.S. fabric/craft/sewing supplies store count:36,663 (2024) and 38,137 (2025) (IBISWorld).
U.S. sewing machine operators (May 2023):116,130 employed; $35,000 mean annual wage; $34,440 median annual wage (BLS OEWS).
U.S. tailors/dressmakers/custom sewers (May 2023):14,950 employed; $40,190 mean annual wage; $36,650 median annual wage (BLS OEWS).
Top state for sewing machine operator employment (May 2023):California (~17,990) (BLS OEWS).
High-paying niche: Tailors in motion picture and video industries show a mean annual wage near $94,970 (BLS OEWS).
U.S. hobby signal: A Craft & Hobby Association survey cited by Global Market Insights reports 40% of U.S. participants self-initiated sewing projects in 2023 (Global Market Insights).
Global Sewing Machine Market Size
Market sizing varies by scope (home vs. industrial, and what’s included), but major research firms consistently point to steady growth driven by DIY culture, personalization, and more computerized features.
Quilting is one of the most monetized “sewing-adjacent” craft categories, with annualized revenue estimates tracking long-run growth (even as some recent surveys suggest a softer market versus earlier expectations).
Estimated Quilting Industry Annualized Revenue (Selected Years)
Even with online competition and shifting shopping habits, U.S. specialty retail tied to fabric, craft, and sewing supplies still represents a multi-billion-dollar market, with tens of thousands of businesses.
U.S. Fabric, Craft & Sewing Supplies Stores: Market Size
Year
Bar
Value
2024
$5.2B
2025
$5.3B
Max = $5.3B. Widths: 2024 98.11%, 2025 100.00%.
U.S. Fabric, Craft & Sewing Supplies Stores: Number of Businesses
Year
Bar
Value
2024
36,663
2025
38,137
Max = 38,137. Widths: 2024 96.13%, 2025 100.00%.
Sewing Jobs & Pay in the U.S.
Professional sewing spans factory operations (sewing machine operators) and higher-skill or niche roles (tailors, dressmakers, custom sewers). BLS wage data shows meaningful differences in pay by occupation and industry.
Tailors/dressmakers/custom sewers: Median annual wage $36,650 (May 2023, BLS OEWS).
Tailors’ top-paying listed industry: Motion picture and video industries mean annual wage about $94,970 (May 2023, BLS OEWS).
Sewing machine operators’ listed high-paying category: Federal/state/local government (excluding certain subcategories) shows a mean annual wage about $48,770 (May 2023, BLS OEWS).
Sources
Grand View Research — Sewing Machine Market Summary (2025 market size; 2026 estimate; 2033 projection).
Craft Industry Alliance — “The Size of the Quilting Market: Quilting Trends Survey Results 2025” (2000/2010/2020/2025 revenue figures; 2025 estimate).
IBISWorld — Fabric, Craft & Sewing Supplies Stores in the U.S. (market size in 2024 and 2025).
IBISWorld — Number of Businesses: Fabric, Craft & Sewing Supplies Stores in the U.S. (business counts for 2024 and 2025).
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), OEWS — “Sewing Machine Operators” (May 2023 employment and wages).
