Light Manufacturing, Warehouse & Drivers
Class Code 2501: Clothing Manufacturing NOC — Workers' Comp Insurance
Covers manufacturers producing clothing and apparel items, including cutting, sewing, and finishing garments. It's the standard classification for a typical garment manufacturing operation using sewing machines and related equipment.
- Risk level:
- low
What code 2501 covers
Class 2501 applies to clothing and garment manufacturing operations, covering cutting room staff who cut fabric to pattern, sewing machine operators who assemble garments, and finishing staff who press, inspect, and package finished apparel. The work is generally machine-based and repetitive, involving sewing machines, cutting tools, and pressing equipment, with a physical demand profile that's lower than heavy manufacturing but still involves repetitive-motion and machine-contact considerations. This is an NOC classification covering general clothing manufacturing; certain specific garment categories, such as custom tailoring performed exclusively to individual customer order, may be evaluated under a different, related classification. Manufacturers who also operate a retail storefront selling their finished products may need that portion of the business evaluated under the applicable retail classification.
Included operations
- Fabric cutting and pattern layout
- Sewing machine operation and garment assembly
- Pressing, finishing, and quality inspection of garments
- Packaging and shipping of finished clothing
Assigned elsewhere
- Custom tailoring or dressmaking performed exclusively to individual customer order, evaluated under the applicable classification
- Retail clothing store operations — see code 8008
- Dry cleaning or laundering services, evaluated under the applicable classification — see code 2585 or 2586
- Textile or fabric mill production, evaluated under the applicable manufacturing classification
Businesses that typically carry 2501
- Garment manufacturers
- Apparel production companies
- Uniform and workwear manufacturers
- Small and mid-size production shops
- Contract manufacturers serving other businesses
- Regional production and distribution facilities
Common misclassifications
Code 8008
Clothing manufacturers with an attached retail outlet sometimes leave retail staff under the manufacturing code instead of the applicable retail classification.
Code 4299
A garment company that also runs its own printing or screen-printing for branded apparel can blend two distinct manufacturing classifications if that scope isn't tracked separately.
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What drives the cost of code 2501
- Total annual payroll for employees assigned to this classification
- Experience modification factor based on claims history
- State-specific base rates and loss costs filed for this class code
- Claims frequency and severity trends for the business
- Safety programs, training, and workplace controls in place
- Payroll mix across multiple classifications at the same location
What underwriters look for
- Machinery and equipment used, including guarding and lockout/tagout procedures
- Shift patterns, overtime, and production volume
- Prior claims history, especially repetitive-motion and machine-related injuries
- Safety program documentation and OSHA history
State differences
This entry uses standard NCCI class code phraseology, which applies in most NCCI-governed states. Pennsylvania (PCRB), Delaware (DCRB), California (WCIRB), New Jersey (NJCRIB), Michigan, New York (NYCIRB), and Massachusetts maintain their own classification manuals, and code numbers or phraseology can differ there. Our agency confirms the correct classification for your state before quoting.
Related class codes
Quote class code 2501.
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Class code 2501 questions
Does this code cover cutting and sewing operations?
Yes, fabric cutting, sewing machine operation, and finishing are all part of this classification.
What about custom tailoring made to individual customer order?
That may be evaluated under a different, related classification depending on how the business operates.
Does this cover a retail store attached to our manufacturing facility?
No, retail sales staff would typically be evaluated under the applicable retail clothing classification instead.
Is this a lower-risk manufacturing classification?
Generally yes, sewing and garment assembly work carries less physical hazard than heavier manufacturing processes, though claims history and other factors still affect your actual rate.
Last reviewed · Reviewed by Provident Financial Group licensed agents