...equipment for it appears (5)
I believe the answer is:
looms
'appears' is the definition.
(looming is a kind of appearing)
I can't explain the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for looms that I've seen before include "Rises threateningly ahead with weaving machines" , "More than one machine" , "appears indistinctly" .)