You grab a belt loop to pull your jeans up, there's a ripping sound, and now there's a loop flapping loose and a small hole in the waistband. It's especially common with the centre back loop.
Why belt loops tear
Belt loops are fixed with bartacks: tiny blocks of very dense stitching. They're strong, but they concentrate all the force on a small patch of denim. When you pull your jeans up by the loop, or a heavy belt drags on it, the denim around the stitching gives way. That's why a torn loop usually leaves a hole behind.
Why a quick re-stitch fails
Sew the loop back onto the same weakened denim and it'll pull through again, sometimes making the hole bigger. The fabric underneath needs strengthening first.
How to fix it properly
- Remove what's left of the loop and trim loose threads.
- Back the damaged area with a small piece of denim on the inside.
- Stitch through both layers to close and strengthen the hole.
- Reattach the loop with a new bartack, or a tight zig-zag if you're using a home machine.
A home machine can struggle with the thickness of a waistband. If yours does, any denim repairer can handle it.
Prevention
- Pull jeans up by the waistband, not the loops.
- Wear a belt that fits, rather than one holding up jeans that are too big. (If the waist gapes, see how to fix a waist gap.)
- If a loop starts lifting, fix it before it tears off.