How to Repair Ripped Denim at Home: A Complete Guide

That favourite pair of jeans getting worn holes? Before tossing them, try these DIY repair techniques to extend their life, maintain style, and save money.

1. 🗺️ Assess the Damage

Start by looking at the fabric condition:

For thinning but not fully torn areas (e.g., knees, inner thighs), internal reinforcement—like darning—can work wonders.
For visible holes or tears, especially at seams, a patch (inside, outside, or both) is necessary to restore structure and longevity.

2. ✂️ Basic Darning for Small Holes

Darning reinforces weak areas with stitching:

Lay the jeans inside out.
Stabilise the hole using a small embroidery-hoop or fabric stabiliser.
Use matching-weight thread and sew closely across the weakened zone, following the denim twill.
Repeat perpendicular rows to replicate the weave.

This technique thickens the fabric and prevents further tearing—often enough to save the area without bulky patches.

3. 🧵 Applying Patches—When Holes Are Bigger

For larger tears or full hole coverage:

Trim any frayed edges around the hole.
Cut a denim patch a little larger than the hole (1–2 cm overlap all around).
Position the patch inside the jeans, aligning the fabric grain.
Secure in place with pins or fabric glue.
Sew around the hole by hand or machine using:
- A straight stitch around the edges.
- Cross-stitch or zig-zag across the patch for reinforcement.
Press the area flat once finished.

This makes the repair discreet from the outside and sturdy from within.

4. 🎨 Embrace Visible, Decorative Mending

If you're feeling creative, turn repairs into unique style statements:

Use visible mending with vibrant thread, sashiko motifs, or colourful patches.
Merge small patches across damage areas, mixing fabrics or textures.
This boosts aesthetics while reinforcing wear zones.

5. 🎯 Reinforcing Stress Points

High-friction zones like crotch seams or knee creases need early attention:

Apply backing darning before holes appear—stitches from behind across weak seams.
Add a small reinforcement fabric piece for extra durability (soft cotton for comfort, denim for strength).

Tellar content notes that preventative inside reinforcement can save your jeans from future wear—especially in the crotch where thinning can lead to nasty holes.

6. 🧼 Care & Washing After Repair

To help your repairs last:

Wash inside-out in cold water on gentle cycles.
Skip bleach and tumble-drying—air dry instead.
After repair, re-press the denim to set stitching and reduce bulk.

7. 🧴 When DIY Isn’t Enough

For substantial damage or if DIY repairs look messy:

Take them to a professional repair—craftspeople offer machine darning on heavy denim, seam reinforcement, pocket replacement, and more.
UK-based services like Denim Doctor and Blackhorse Lane specialise in selvedge and heavy fabrics—worth it for beloved premium denim.
Budget brands may not recover beyond a point, but this elevates even fast-fashion pieces.

8. 🌐 Related Tellar Post: Nudie Jeans & Free Lifetime Repairs

One of the smartest ways to extend denim life is by choosing repair-friendly brands—like Nudie Jeans. They offer free lifetime repairs on their premium denim. See more in Tellar’s guide on Does the Brand Nudie Jeans Run Big or Small?—packed with size and repair notes.

9. 🤝 Why Proper Fit and Care Matter

Working denim wears where it stresses most. Combining Tellar’s sizing expertise with preventative repair:

Ensures less strain in delicate areas.
Reduces premature thinning and holes.
Optimises lifespan—from fit to finish.

Tellar’s tools help you buy jeans that fit well and survive wear cycles better—plus guide you through repair-friendly brands and DIY techniques.

10. ✅ Your Home Denim Repair Checklist

Task	What You'll Need	Finish Tip
Darning small holes	Matching thread, needle, stabiliser	Sew tight parallel rows
Applying a patch	Denim scrap, fabric glue or pins, pins, needle	Align grain, stitch around & across patch
Visible repair	Colourful thread, sashiko patterns	Stitch in shapes for style
Reinforcing seams	Denim or cotton backing fabric	Sew several rows along stress lines
Finishing wash	Cold water & mild detergent	Skip dryer, press repaired area

🔍 Extend Denim Longevity with Smarter Sizing

Superior repair means the injury never occurs—but buying the right size from the start matters too. Use Tellar.co.uk to find your perfect fit and pair your repairs with smarter, longer-lasting denim:

Access free sizing for 1,500+ brands, including Nudie’s repair-minded offerings.
Order your printable tape measure, save your profile, and get accurate size guidance.
Avoid re-shops and unnecessary wear—fit is critical to structural integrity.

Build a denim collection that looks and lasts long—with a bit of DIY spirit and smart sizing.

🔗 Explore Live Tellar Style & Fit Guides

Discover repair-friendly jean brands like Nudie with Nudie Jeans Size & Fit Guide
Understand why frequent size errors lead to wear in I Always Order the Wrong Clothes Size Online — How to Fix It

Stay Connected with Tellar

Follow for practical style tips, fit knowledge, and wardrobe longevity advice:

Instagram: @Tellarsizing
Twitter/X: @TellarSizing
Facebook: Tellar Sizing
Pinterest: TellarSizing

Final Thought

Fixing ripped denim at home is doable, sustainable, and stylish—whether through invisible reinforcement or artistic mending. Combine this with the right fit (thanks to Tellar’s sizing tools), and your jeans will look great—well past their first life.