How to DIY Torn Jeans

To buy a pair of ripped jeans is quite expensive. But there’s good news for you here. Cutting jeans yourself is not difficult at all. With the right steps, materials, and patience, you can sharpen your jeans simply and quickly.

Table of Contents

Steps

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First, choose a pair of jeans that fit you well. Any pair of jeans will do the same, you don’t have to experiment with your own. You can find cheaper jeans at thrift stores or consignment stores, which will save a lot of money.

Experimenting on a slightly old pair of jeans will yield better results than a new pair of jeans, but don’t hesitate to invest in a new pair of jeans for this project.
Light-colored jeans are the most suitable for sharpening because their color looks quite dusty. Dark jeans often don’t fit well and don’t look “real”.

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Prepare the necessary equipment. All you need is a pair of jeans and some sharp objects. Whatever style you prefer, you still need the right sharp tool to get the job done.

If you want to create tears in your pants , use scissors, a razor, or a sharp knife to sharpen the pants. A specialized knife (X-acto) or a paper cutter can also be used.
For a dustier look , use sandpaper, a cheese grater, steel wool, or a pumice stone.

First, choose a fixed point to cut. Place your pants on a flat table and use a pencil to mark where to cut. Use a ruler to mark the exact length you want. Keep in mind the exact shape, length, and width of the tear you want.

In general, most people are only on the knee side, but you can cut anywhere else you want.
Remember to cut a little above the knee, so the tear won’t widen as you walk. Each time you bend your knee, it gets caught in more and more tears.
Don’t cut it too high as it will expose your underwear.

Spread the jeans on a flat surface. You should put a piece of wood under the pant leg while cutting to avoid cutting the back of the pants. ^{[1] X Research Source}

If you don’t have a piece of wood, you can replace it with a board or an old book or magazine or anything that can be cut. But don’t do it on the dinner table if you’re using a sharp knife.

Sand the pants first with sandpaper. Before cutting, use a piece of sandpaper or iron wool to rub and abrade the area you want to cut. This will stretch the fibers and make it easier to cut.

Use a variety of tools for sharpening. You can also use sandpaper, iron wool, and emery stone if you have all of the above. This will take a little while depending on the thickness of the pants.
It’s okay if you don’t like sharpening your pants. But if you want your pants to look more dusty and “real”, don’t skip this step.

Stretch the fabric fibers to create a tear. If you want to fray and create fringes around the cut, use a knife or scissors to tug at the spot that has just been sharpened with sandpaper. This will help stretch the fibers and reveal a bit of the skin. Pull the white threads out so that the fibers are looser and show more skin.

Make lacerations with a knife or scissors. Use scissors to cut a small line in the center of the sharpened part. You should just cut as small as possible. It’s okay if you cut it wider, but there’s a chance you’ll damage your pants and not be able to wear them anymore. Remember to only cut a line about 1.5 cm or less.

Cut horizontally, not vertically. Your pants will look more natural.

Use your hands to widen the tears. Tear the fabric by hand to make the tear look like the real thing. Tear the fibers out so they look more natural.

Do not cut too much because the cuts on the fabric do not look dusty and natural.
As an alternative, you can also just cut a small nick and let it tear itself apart as you wear it. This will make your pants look more realistic.

You can reinforce it if you want. To prevent widening of the tear, slightly reinforce it by stitching around the circumference of the cut. You can use white or blue thread, stitch by hand or sewing machine.

If you still want wider lacerations after wearing, you can completely skip this step. ^{[2] X Research Source}
If you want to learn more about how to sew jeans, check out another article on the same topic.

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Finally, put on your new pants!

Advice

Washing pants immediately after cutting will cause the fibers to stretch and look more dusty
Avoid cutting too close to the seams as it will break the stitches.
You can splash bleach on your pants to make them look older.
With precise cuts, use a sewing needle to pull each fabric out.
Using bricks instead of pieces of wood to line the inside will help you get the job done faster.
Whether you are male or female, do not cut too high, it will reveal too much skin or inner underwear.

Warning

Do not cut or sharpen your pants while you are still wearing them.
Don’t cut too wide at first. Washing will cause the fibers to stretch and widen the tear.
Be careful when using sharp tools.

Steps

Advice

Warning

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