How to Replace a Button on a Garment and Find a Matching One

To replace a button, first carefully remove the old one with a seam ripper, then find a new one with the same diameter, number of holes and colour and sew it in the same place, copying the way the other buttons are sewn on. If an exact copy cannot be found, it is better to replace all the buttons on the visible part than to leave one that is different.

How to replace a button – step by step

1. Check for a spare button. Many manufacturers sew a spare button on an inside seam or on the care label, or put it in a small bag attached to the garment.
2. Remove the old button. Cut the threads with a seam ripper or small scissors from the back of the button, without touching the fabric. Pull out the remains with tweezers.
3. Mark the position. The marks from the old stitches usually show the exact position. If there are none, button up the garment and mark through the buttonhole.
4. Choose the thread. Compare the colour with the thread on the neighbouring buttons – not with the fabric.
5. Sew on the new button in the same way as the others – parallel or crossed, with a thread shank of the same height.
6. Check the fastening. The button should pass easily through the buttonhole and not pull the fabric.

How to find the same button

An exact match is harder than it looks. Note the following parameters before you search:

• Diameter – in millimetres or ligne (1L = 0.635 mm). Measure with a calliper.
• Thickness and profile – flat, domed, rimmed, with a recessed centre.
• Number of holes or shank – a 4-hole button cannot be replaced with a 2-hole one without a visible difference.
• Material – polyester, metal, corozo, mother-of-pearl, horn, wood.
• Colour and finish – matte, gloss, pearl effect, veining.
• Lettering or logo – the brand is often engraved on the face or the back.

Bring a button from the same garment as a sample. Photos deceive – especially with black, navy and brown tones, which look the same on screen but differ in real life.

Replacing a button on a shirt, trousers and coat

Shirt

On shirts the collar or cuff button is the one most often lost. If you have no spare, you can take the button from the very bottom of the front, which is usually tucked into the trousers, and replace it with the closest match.

Trousers

The waistband button carries the most strain. When replacing it, use stronger thread and a backing button on the inside if the fabric around the spot is torn. If it is a press-on jeans button, it is not sewn but replaced with a new pair of parts using a suitable tool.

Coat and jacket

Here the buttons are large and very visible. If one is missing and you cannot find the same, replace the whole set – front and sleeve buttons. The coat will look like new, and changing the buttons is one of the easiest ways to refresh an old garment.

When it is better to replace all the buttons

• when the original model is no longer produced;
• when the old buttons are faded, cracked or have a peeling finish;
• when you want to give the garment a more expensive look – for example with corozo or horn buttons;
• when the buttons on the jacket or coat are different because of earlier repairs.

For a full replacement, count all the buttons by size: front, sleeve, pocket, inside. A jacket can have them in two or three different sizes.

Tools for replacing buttons

For replacing at home, a needle, thread, scissors and a seam ripper are enough. Ateliers also use a thimble for thick fabrics, a calliper for accurate measurement and, for press-on buttons, a hand press with suitable dies. Without the right die, a press-on button can deform or not grip properly.

Why buttons fall off and how to prevent it

• A factory chain stitch unravels if the end is not secured – on a new garment you can reinforce the buttons with a few hand stitches.
• There is no thread shank and the button rubs against the buttonhole.
• Sharp edges on the holes cut the thread – a sign of a low-quality button.
• Washing at high temperature and spinning without fastening the buttons.

Tip for manufacturers: spare buttons with the garment

Good practice is for every garment to have a spare button for each size used on it. This increases customer trust and reduces complaints. Spare buttons are sewn on an inside seam or on the care label, or placed in a small bag attached to the hang tag. When planning the order, include these pieces in the total quantity, together with an allowance for production rejects.

If you work with men's shirts and suits, see the selection of men's buttons, and for versatile models in many colours – polyester buttons.

Buttons for replacement and series production

Repair ateliers and garment factories often need a wide range of standard buttons to cover the most common cases: white and clear for shirts, black, navy and brown for trousers and jackets, in several sizes. It is convenient to keep these basic models in stock and order them from the same source, so that the shade is kept with every subsequent delivery.

Polkom – wholesale buttons and buttons matched to a sample

Polkom is a Bulgarian manufacturer of buttons, based in Sofia, with more than 10,000 articles. If you are looking for a button matched to a sample for series production or for replacement in large quantities, send us a photo and dimensions via the inquiry form – we will select the closest model or make a new one.