Why do Jeans have Rivets?

Why do jeans have rivets?

A rivet is a permanent metal fastener used to strengthen the jeans and keep it from falling apart. These are usually found at the corners of the pockets and the sides to hold the fabric together where it is impossible to sew a thread because that part is too thick. Rivets are usually fastened by a machine and once it’s attached, it is a bit hard to remove, but it is possible.

In the past, jeans are the most common and cheapest clothes for people who are working under hard physical labor such as mining or carpentry. During that time, the usual problem with miner’s clothes was the pockets – it easily rips off the jeans. This is a big problem for them because what they need the most is something that can withstand strain. So a tailor named Jacob Davis, a local customer of Levi Strauss & Co, thought of placing metal copper rivets as fasteners and placed them in the part where the points of strain is (this is usually on the pocket corners and at the base of the button fly) to hold the pockets and jeans together.

Davis’ wanted to patent this idea but because he didn’t have enough money to do it, he offered Levi Strauss, who was at that time selling blue jeans in the communities of California, a deal suggesting that both of them should go into business together. Strauss did accept his offer and in May 20, 1873, the two partners received the patent #139,121 for an Improvement in Fastening Pocket-Openings” from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Removing the rivets is necessary if you want to alter and repair it, make your pants tailored to fit or simply take it apart. In removing the rivets, all you need is are some tools such as: a flat head screwdriver, long nose pliers, scissors or cutting pliers and a drill with a small drill bit.

Formerly, rivets are used to strengthen the jeans but today, traditional jeans only use copper rivets and fasteners for fashion and decoration.