Ep 24. Mannequin Factory

In this episode of Dirty Jobs, host Mike Rowe visits a mannequin factory to experience the dirty and often overlooked job of creating these figures for retail stores and fashion designers.

Rowe begins the episode by explaining the importance of mannequins in the retail industry, noting that they are essentially the "silent salespeople" of any store. He then heads to the mannequin factory where he meets with the factory's owner and workers to learn about the process of creating these lifelike figures.

At the factory, Rowe is put to work right away, helping to mix and pour the silicone material that will make up the mannequin's body. He quickly discovers that this is a messy and physically demanding job, as the silicone is heavy and difficult to work with.

Next, Rowe moves on to the assembly line, where he helps attach the mannequin's various body parts - including the arms, legs, and head. He learns that this too is a very physical job, as each part must be securely attached to the body and adjusted to ensure that the mannequin looks realistic.

As the day goes on, Rowe continues to tackle a variety of dirty jobs, including sanding down rough edges on the mannequin's body, painting the figures to give them skin tones, and even attaching wigs to their heads. Throughout it all, he is constantly amazed by the attention to detail that goes into creating each mannequin - from the way that the body parts are molded to the way that the wigs are styled.

In addition to the mannequin factory itself, Rowe also visits a local fashion school to see how mannequins are used in the world of fashion design. He meets with students who are in the process of creating their own clothing lines and sees firsthand how the mannequins are used to display their creations.

Overall, the episode highlights the often-overlooked job of creating mannequins and the hard work and attention to detail that goes into this process. It serves as a reminder that even the most seemingly mundane of jobs can be fascinating and crucial to the overall success of an industry.