Preventing pinholes in your t-shirt - What you need to know
Looking after clothing is one of the many unavoidable chores of adult life. Not only is it important to keep your outfits looking clean and professional, but taking care of your clothing will also help your favourite items last as long as possible. Today, we decided to take a closer look at those annoying little holes that can start to appear in t-shirts after a time. Known as pinholes, we'll explore how these marks can start to appear, and then we'll cover some of the ways that you can go about preventing them in the first place.
what are pinholes?
With slightly older t-shirts, little holes can start to emerge. Often not much larger than the head of a large pin- hence the name - they can make an otherwise perfect t-shirt look incredibly tatty, often relegating it to pyjama duty or wearing around the house. Not only do they make t-shirts look pretty tatty, but they can also start to grow in size as the t-shirt is worn and washed after the initial hole emerges.
what causes pinholes?
Now, the funny thing is, how pinholes are made has actually been a bit of a mystery in the garment industry. There are plenty of theories out there, from vermin biting little holes to simple wear and tear. Most experts agree that it seems to be due to how most fabrics are woven. Due to the fact that a t-shirt will be made of several, extremely long threads that are woven into flat panels (otherwise known as fabric) if one of those threads breaks, it will start to unravel, leaving a hole.
BELT BUCKLES
There are a number of ways that threads can be broken - some of them easy to explain, others less so. The reason that these holes frequently pop up around the waistline seems to be because threads can get caught in belt buckles and other trouser fastening mechanisms. It may not be a single event that causes the pinholes to emerge, but constantly getting the fabric stuck over a period of months can start to weaken the threads in the area, eventually causing it to break.
bag straps
Pinholes can also emerge around the shoulder area. While this might seem slightly confusing at first - after all, not many clothes have metal fastenings on the shoulder area - it makes a lot more sense when you think about the wear and tear caused by shoulder bags and backpacks. If you regularly wear a bag to work or school, the pressure will start to wear the fabric in the shoulder area a lot faster than other parts of the t-shirt. Eventually, this will start to lead to the emergence of pinholes.
Facial hair
For those with facial hair, the neckline of t-shirts can also start to fray quicker than it does for those without facial hair. This one is unfortunately difficult to avoid - while shaving every day does help, if your beard grows quickly, you might find that your afternoon shadow will still wear down the fabric. Ultimately, buying new t-shirts slightly more regularly might just be the price you have to pay.
how to prevent pinholes
Clearly, pinholes aren't just caused by a single thing. As a result, how you prevent them will depend on where they're appearing on your clothes.
Use a rounded belt buckle
If your pinholes show up around the waistline, you'll probably want to get a smoother buckle belt without as many ridges and edges. You can also try tucking your t-shirt into your trousers if you don't mind the slightly smarter styling effect. If you like your big belt buckle and don't want to tuck the t-shirt in, then pinholes might just be something you need to learn to live with.
Don’t wear your favourite T-shirt on the commute
If you see a lot of pinholes popping up in the shoulder region, then there's a chance that your shoulder bag or backpack is causing them. If you need to carry a bag every day, then consider wearing a different t-shirt that you don't care about as much for your commute. The added bonus is that you'll get to change into something fresh and clean after your sweaty journey.
Take care washing your clothes
Pinholes can also emerge during the wash; this can be caused by a sharp metal object in the machine - either on another item of clothing, you're washing the t-shirt with or on the machine itself. If you're seeing many t-shirts come out of the wash with holes, look at the other items you're washing the t-shirts with. Consider washing those items separately if there's a pair of trousers with a sharp metal zip or a shirt with sharp metal buttons.
If you can't see any sharp edges on any of the items of clothing you're washing the t-shirts with, there might be an edge in the machine itself. Take a close look at the drum and door, looking for small pieces of metal that the t-shirts could be catching on. If you find one, it might be time for a new machine.
Don’t tumble dry
Finally, while tumble drying is convenient for your clothes, it isn't good for the fabric. Over time, it will start to weaken the threads throughout the garment, increasing the probability that pinholes will emerge. Try to hang-dry your t-shirts wherever possible, in a dry space with adequate airflow, and only use the tumble drier when you're in a big rush.
While pinholes can't be entirely avoided, you can significantly delay their emergence in many cases. By looking at where the pinholes are showing up on the t-shirt, you can then look to identify their causes. Based on how they're being created in the first place, you can then take action to stop them from showing up, whether that means having a different commuting outfit or not wearing a sharp belt to keep your jeans up.