How to Repair a Hole in a Pocket

Pocket bag, lining or seam?

The pocket bag is the hidden pouch of thin, tightly woven fabric your hand goes into – not the same as the lining, the smooth inner layer of a jacket or coat. The pocket bag takes constant wear from hands, keys, coins and phones, which is why it wears out long before the lining. Four failures are common, and they are fixed differently: a small hole in the bottom of the bag, a seam in the bag that has opened, a bag worn thin all over that must be replaced, or the pocket opening itself tearing. Work out which one you have before you start.

How to close a small hole in the pocket bag

A small hole in the bottom of the bag is the simplest – and most common – repair. Since the bag is hidden, strength and smooth edges matter more than looks. You have two good methods:

1. Pull the pocket bag out through the opening so you can reach the damage.
2. Trim away loose fraying around the hole.
3. Method 1 – patch: lay a piece of thin, tightly woven fabric over the hole and sew around it with small stitches or a dense zigzag.
4. Method 2 – a new seam above the hole: sew a new, curved seam across the bag a little above the worn corner, closing off the damaged tip.
5. Trim the excess fabric below the new seam. You lose a little pocket depth, but the bottom is fully sound.
6. Turn the bag back into place.

When the whole pocket bag must be replaced

If the bag is worn thin, frayed or holed in several places, patching will not hold – the whole pocket bag should be replaced. It is more involved, but gives a completely new pocket:

1. Unpick the old bag from the pocket opening and any facing.
2. Use the old bag as a pattern – or its intact side – and cut a new bag in proper pocketing fabric.
3. Sew the new bag to the opening, and sew the bag's own seams, ideally as French seams so no raw edges catch coins.
4. Reattach the bag at the waistband or side seam as it was originally, keeping the same opening size.

When the pocket opening itself tears

The corners of a pocket opening take a lot of strain every time your hand goes in, and that is often where it tears – not in the bag itself. From the factory the corners are reinforced with a small bar tack, and that is what lets go. Sew a fresh, dense bar tack into each corner with strong thread. If the tear has run on into the trouser fabric itself, place a small patch on the inside behind the opening and sew through both layers so it cannot unravel further.

The right fabric and prevention

Choose the right fabric and pick up a few simple habits, and the pocket lasts much longer:

• Use real pocketing – tightly woven cotton or poly-cotton. Avoid stretchy or bulky fabric that cannot take the wear or steals space.
• French seams inside the bag hide the raw edges, so coins and keys do not snag and tear them.
• Do not carry loose, sharp keys or coins straight in the pocket – a small pouch or a key case saves the bottom.
• Empty pockets before washing, and do not overfill them – weight and sharp edges are what make holes.

Send the garment to us

If the whole pocket bag needs replacing, it is a welt or jetted pocket, or the pocket sits in a lined pair of trousers or a jacket where the bag is hard to reach, you can send the garment to us. We close, reinforce and replace pocket bags according to the fabric and how the garment is built, with proper pocketing and an opening the same size as before. If the garment also needs a seam or a belt loop, we handle it in the same round. We help customers across Norway, you order online, and you see the price before you order.

Frequently asked questions