3 Ways To Make Distressed Jeans - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow

• Categories
• Personal Care and Style
• Clothing
• Denim
• Jeans
• Decorating Jeans

How to Make Distressed Jeans Download Article Co-authored by Shaelynn Haning

Last Updated: August 12, 2025 Approved

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• Laying Down the Groundwork
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• Cutting the Jeans
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• Avoiding Common Mistakes
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• Expert Interview
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• Q&A
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• Tips

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This article was co-authored by Shaelynn Haning. Shaelynn Haning is a Tailor & Business Owner based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Shaelynn is the founder of the highest-rated and most-reviewed alterations and tailoring service in Oklahoma, Tallgrass Tailor, employing a team of skilled craftsmen and women from across the country and the world. Shaelynn is a member of the State of Oklahoma Education Careers and Technologies Board and a member of both the Custom Tailors and Designers Association and the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals. She is the host of The Sew Show with Shae, an entertaining and educational sewing channel posting weekly videos on YouTube. Shaelynn earned her BS in Apparel Design and Product Development from Marist College. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,414,743 times.

Purchasing distressed jeans from a store can get pricey. Luckily, you can turn a regular pair of jeans into distressed jeans with a shaving razor or pair of scissors. It's fun and easy to turn even the oldest, most unfashionable pair of jeans into distressed jeans. Mark the areas you want to distress. Then, cut horizontal lines with the razor and remove threads with a pair of tweezers. When you're done, you'll have your own pair of distressed jeans.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Laying Down the Groundwork

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1. 1 Select the jeans you want to distress. You can distress any type of jeans. Choose a pair of jeans you do not mind ripping or fraying. If you've never distressed jeans before, you may want to opt for old jeans you do not mind damaging.
2. 2 Try on the denim and mark your jeans. The easiest way to see where to distress your jeans is to try them on. Jeans fit everyone differently, so there is no precise rule of thumb regarding where, say, your knees will fall in the jeans. Try your jeans on and mark the areas where you want holes using a pen, marker, or piece of chalk.
   • Jeans are commonly distressed at the knees, back pockets, upper thighs, or at the sides. Mark which area you want to distress. For example, if you're distressing your upper thigh, think about where you would want the rips to show when wearing your jeans.[1]
   • If you've never distressed jeans before, it is not advised that you distress the sides. Side seams are necessary to hold the jeans together so these areas can rip easily. If you do distress along the sides, only make a few tears.
   • If you plan on distressing your back pocket, it is probably not necessary to try the jeans on first.
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3. 3 Find a work station. You should have a flat work station with good lighting. For example, distress your jeans at the kitchen counter. You should also lay something down, like a tarp, to catch any fabric scraps while you're distressing your jeans.
4. 4 Sandpaper the areas lightly (optional). Sanding the jeans will make cutting and tweezing easier, so sand jeans if your jeans are very thick. Also, sanding can create a faded look. If you want faded colors on your jeans, use sandpaper to lightly sand the areas you're distressing beforehand.[2] Only sand the areas a bit, until the color is just faded and the fabric is worn down slightly.
5. 5 Insert cardboard into the jeans. Take a piece of cardboard and cut it until it fits into the pant legs of your jeans. Insert the cardboard into your jeans. This ensures you do not accidentally cut through to the backs of the jeans.
   • When distressing your back pocket, you can put a deck of cards or block of wood in the back pocket to protect your jeans.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Cutting the Jeans

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1. 1 Cut or scrape horizontal slits in the areas you're distressing. Use a shaving razor or a pair of scissors to distress your jeans. If you want clean holes, cut horizontal lines across your jeans. If you want white threads to show, scrape the edge of the blade across the jean to expose white threads.[3]
   • Keep your cuts half an inch to three quarters of an inch apart (about 1.3 to 2 centimeters).
   • Remember, only make a few cuts if you're distressing the sides of jeans and stay away from the side seams.
2. 2 Pull out individual threads with tweezers. Once the cuts are made, pull away excess fabric with tweezers until the holes are covered by bare strands of thread. Pull out as many threads as you can, only working in the areas where you cut.[4] Try to remove all the colored threads so only white elastic threads are spread across the holes.
   • You will not be able to remove all the colored portions of the thread. There may be some fuzz leftover around the edges of holes when you're done as well. However, these come out in the wash, so do not worry if your jeans are not perfect the first time.
3. 3 Clean up the area with a lint roller. There is usually loose fabric and thread on the jeans after you cut and tweeze them. Take a lint roller and roll it over the areas where you distressed the jeans. Roll the lint roller as many times as you need to remove excess fabric.
4. 4 Wash your jeans. Washing the jeans right after distressing will help remove any more debris and thread. Use a cold wash to protect your jeans. Warm or hot water should not be used on distressed jeans. You can dry the jeans as you usually would before wearing them.
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Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Avoiding Common Mistakes

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1. 1 Use the right material. Not all jeans will hold up during the distressing process. Denim jeans come in different weights, starting at six ounces (about .3 pounds). In general, opt for denim jeans that are at least 20 ounces (1.25 pounds) when distressing jeans. These jeans will stand up better to the distressing process.[5]
   • The weight should be written somewhere on the label.
2. 2 Read the interior label before washing your jeans. Distressed jeans are more prone to damage in the wash, so read their label carefully first. Make sure you know any special care instructions for your jeans. Follow these closely after washing them.[6]
3. 3 Wash your jeans infrequently. Most jeans do not need to be washed very often. Distressed jeans especially should be washed infrequently to prevent tears. Strive to wash your jeans no more than once a month.[7]
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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about sewing, check out our in-depth interview with Shaelynn Haning.

References

1. ↑ http://blog.ae.com/2014/10/10/do-a-distressed-denim-diy/
2. ↑ Shaelynn Haning. Professional Tailor & Business Owner. Expert Interview
3. ↑ http://stylecaster.com/how-to-make-ripped-jeans/
4. ↑ Shaelynn Haning. Professional Tailor & Business Owner. Expert Interview
5. ↑ http://blog.ae.com/2014/10/10/do-a-distressed-denim-diy/
6. ↑ http://blog.ae.com/2014/10/10/do-a-distressed-denim-diy/
7. ↑ http://blog.ae.com/2014/10/10/do-a-distressed-denim-diy/

Community Q&A

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• Question Why should I wash the jeans after? Community Answer It helps make the slit look less clean and the edges will fray faster. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 4 Helpful 16
• Question Can I do this with jeans that contain spandex? Community Answer Yes, but don’t cut where the spandex is; this could ruin the stretchiness of the jeans. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 16 Helpful 15
• Question Can I cut it anywhere? Community Answer You can, but I suggest you only cut the legs, not too high up and not too large. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 17 Helpful 14

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Tips

• Give it time. Once you've made the initial holes, jeans will become more ripped over time. Start with only a few slits and your jeans will naturally rip more as you wear them. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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About This Article

Co-authored by: Shaelynn Haning Professional Tailor & Business Owner This article was co-authored by Shaelynn Haning. Shaelynn Haning is a Tailor & Business Owner based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Shaelynn is the founder of the highest-rated and most-reviewed alterations and tailoring service in Oklahoma, Tallgrass Tailor, employing a team of skilled craftsmen and women from across the country and the world. Shaelynn is a member of the State of Oklahoma Education Careers and Technologies Board and a member of both the Custom Tailors and Designers Association and the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals. She is the host of The Sew Show with Shae, an entertaining and educational sewing channel posting weekly videos on YouTube. Shaelynn earned her BS in Apparel Design and Product Development from Marist College. This article has been viewed 1,414,743 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 82 Updated: August 12, 2025 Views: 1,414,743 Categories: Featured Articles | Decorating Jeans Article SummaryX

If you want to make your own distressed jeans, try the jeans on and mark where you want them to be distressed. Lay your jeans on a flat surface and insert a thick piece of cardboard into your jeans so you don’t accidentally cut the other side. If your jeans are very thick, rub them lightly with sandpaper to make them easier to distress. Next, use a shaving razor or a pair of scissors to scrape or cut horizontal slits in the area you’re distressing. Pull out individual threads with tweezers, then clean them up with a lint roller. If you want to learn more, like how to wash your jeans after you distress them, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

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  Keith Trussell

  Jan 1, 2019

  "Made distressing my jeans much easier, and gave helpful tips about what to be careful not to do. I'm doing my..." more

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Shaelynn Haning Professional Tailor & Business Owner Click a star to vote Co-authors: 82 Updated: August 12, 2025 Views: 1,414,743

Keith Trussell

Jan 1, 2019

"Made distressing my jeans much easier, and gave helpful tips about what to be careful not to do. I'm doing my..." more

Kay TheEnigma Chan

Jul 26, 2017

"I'm a visual learner and needed CLEAR, step-by-step instructions and pictures!!! SO, this was perfect!! Great..." more Rated this article:

Beverly Miller

Sep 11, 2016

"The use of sandpaper was helpful. Going to try it!"

Felix Mintah

Oct 5, 2018

"It was easy and simple to make distressed jeans."

Jack Murphy

Aug 22, 2017

"This helped me distress my jeans." Rated this article: Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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