Jeans are the preferred choice of pants for millions of men and women throughout the world. While they were originally designed specifically for gold prospectors during the 19th century, they’ve since become a mainstay fashion item. Today, you’ll see people of all walks of life wearing jeans, regardless of where you live.
Why are jeans so popular? Well, there are several reasons attributed to their popularity, one of which is versatility. You can wear jeans with a basic t-shirt for a casual look, or you can wear them with a button-up dress shirt and blazer for a slightly more formal look. This unmatched level of versatility is just one of the many reasons for their popularity. Another reason why so many people prefer jeans over other pants is their strength and durability. Being that they are made of 100% denim — at least most varieties are — they are able to withstand the constant wear of everyday use. With that said, even 100% denim jeans aren’t immune to damage. And if you wear them long enough, you may discover a hole in your favorite pair of jeans. So, what should you do if you find a hole in your jeans?
Leave it
If you discover a hole in your jeans, rather than trying to fix it you could always just leave it. As you may already know, some jeans are actually made with holes. Known as “distressed denim,” it’s become an increasingly popular trend in recent years. Distressed denim often contains small holes and frayed fabric, most of which is found around the knees and thighs. Assuming you have just one or two small holes in your jeans, you could always leave it for a natural distressed look. If you wanted to go one step further, you could even add your own distressed areas to compliment the look. This is probably the easiest way to deal with a hole in your jeans, assuming you prefer the look of distressed denim. But if you like traditional denim jeans, you’ll need to come up with a different solution to deal with the hole.
Patch it
Of course, another option is to patch the hole. There are special iron-on denim patches made specifically for this purpose. They contain heat-activated glue, allowing the patch to set once exposed to the high heat of a clothing iron. For the price, there’s no cheaper way to fix a pair of damaged denim jeans with a hole.
Basically, you’ll need to begin by cleaning the area around the hole, cutting the fabric to ensure there’s no frayed material (the area should be smooth for a proper patching job). Next, turn your jeans inside out so the inside denim is showing and place the patch down onto the damaged area. Once placed, remove any excess material from the patch — the patch should be just large enough so that it covers the hole, without an excessive amount of overlapping material. You may then press down on the patch using a clothing iron. The heat produced by the clothing iron will activate the glue, essentially fusing the patch to your jeans. Using a needle and thread, stitch the patch into your jeans for increased security and strength. Some people may choose to skip this step, only to discover their newly created patch has fallen off just a few days later. You can prevent this from happening by hand-stitching the iron-on patch into your jeans. And when you are finished, go back over it with the clothing iron one last time.
You can check out this article by GQ for a complete step-by-step walkthrough on how to fix a pair of jeans using an iron-on denim patch.
Replace Them
A third option is to replace your denim jeans. If the hole is big and overbearing, this is probably the best solution. Jeans are relatively inexpensive, so replacing your damaged pair with a new pair shouldn’t hurt your wallet.
Rather than throwing away your damaged jeans, however, you should hang on to them. In the event that you need raw denim, you’ll be glad you did. Perhaps you can use your old and damaged denim jeans to fix a new pair, or you could always turn them into a new garment if you have knack for fashion design. Denim is always a useful material to have on hand, so don’t toss your damaged jeans just yet.
Get ’em Fixed by a Professional
Not everyone is comfortable repairing their own jeans. Maybe you’ve never done it before, in which case you’re fearful of causing additional damage to your jeans. If this sounds like a familiar scenario, perhaps you should take your damaged jeans to a professional tailor or denim repair company. They have the tools and experience necessary to fix common forms of damage, including small holes. This is usually done with a patch, similar to the method listed above. They’ll take your jeans, apply the patch, and polish it so the hole is no longer visible. The only downside to this option is the cost. You have to consider whether or not it’s even worth it to repair your damaged jeans. Depending on whom you hire to fix them, perhaps it will cost more to fix than what your jeans are actually worth.
Buy Your Jeans from a Reputable Vendor
Of course, you can avoid damage to your jeans in the first place by purchasing them from a trusted and reputable vendor, such as MakeYourOwnJeans. Not all vendors sell high-quality jeans; some of them sell low-quality jeans in an effort to cut costs and increase their profits. As such, it’s important for consumers such as yourself to do their own research before buying a new pair of jeans. How long has the vendor been in business? Do they have a professional-looking website? What type of return policy (if any) do they offer? Are the jeans really made of denim, or do they contain some other material/fabric? These are all questions that you should try to answer when shopping for jeans.
