The invention discloses a photoelectric control system for an industrial sewing machine, and relates to the technical field of photoelectric control, in particular to an infrared control system capable of detecting fabric edge length of materials sewn and whether sewing materials exist by an industrial sewing machine. The control system comprises two infrared emitters (1) independently forming a relative included angle (phi), an infrared receiver tube (2) and an infrared receiver tube (3) positioned in a front circular hole and a back circular hole of a needle plate holder, a cutter assembly (5), a fabric edge signal processor (10), an air suction pipe (11) and a sewing machine electric cabinet (17), and comprises steps of a to d. Two groups of signals about having or no fabric edges are provided to the fabric edge signal processor to be processed through judging whether the fabric edges are existed on a sewing machine needle plate; and starting, stopping, accounting, speed raising, speed reducing, wire cutting and air sucking and the like of the sewing machine are controlled automatically according to positions of the fabric edges supplied to a system controller. The control system has the characteristics of accurate output signals, good anti-interference property, easy processing and high performance cost ratio, is suitable for various industrial sewing machines, and the like.