How To · Fashion · Denim
How to hem jeans without losing the original hem
The factory hem is sacred—it's the mark of a well-made jean. Here's how to shorten your inseam while keeping that original selvage edge untouched.
5 min read · IrisMost hemming jobs destroy the original hem in the process. A tailor will rip it out, re-hem the leg, and you lose that authentic factory finish. But there's a better way: the open-hem method, which lets you shorten your jeans while preserving the original selvage edge completely.
This technique requires patience and a needle, not machinery. It's the approach serious denim collectors use when they need an inseam adjustment but refuse to sacrifice the integrity of the jean.
The factory hem is the jean's signature. Preserve it, and you preserve the garment's character.
What you'll need.
- 01Seam ripper
- 02Needle (size 7 or 8)
- 03Thread (matching your jeans)
- 04Fabric pen or tailor's chalk
- 05Iron and ironing board
- 06Small scissors
- 07Thimble (optional)
Step one · 5 minutes
Measure and mark your target length
Put on the jeans with the shoes you'll wear them with. Have someone mark where the hem should sit—typically a half-inch above the heel. Use a fabric pen or tailor's chalk to mark a line around the entire leg, about 2 to 3 inches above your desired finished length. This gives you working room and accounts for the thickness of the original hem.
Mark the inside of the leg, not the outside, so the marks don't show.
Step two · 10 minutes
Unpick the inseam carefully
Using a seam ripper, gently cut and remove the stitching that runs along the inside leg seam, starting from your marked line and going down to about a half-inch above the original hem. Work slowly—you're not trying to remove the entire inseam, just the section between your new hemline and the factory hem. Pull the loose threads away as you go.
If you slip and cut the fabric, stop immediately. Small nicks in the seam allowance won't affect the final result, but deep cuts do.
Step three · 8 minutes
Fold and press your new hemline
Fold the fabric at your marked line, bringing the cut edge down toward the original hem. Press with an iron on medium heat to create a crisp fold. The original hem should now be sandwiched between the outer fabric and the fold you just created. This fold becomes your new hemline.
Use steam if your denim is heavy. Let the crease set for a minute before moving on.
Step four · 15 minutes
Hand-stitch the new hem closed
Thread a needle with thread that matches your jeans. Using a ladder stitch (also called an invisible stitch), sew along the inside of your new fold, catching just a few threads of the outer fabric with each pass. This stitch is nearly invisible from the outside. Work your way around the entire leg, keeping your stitches small and even.
The ladder stitch is forgiving—if you're new to hand-sewing, practice on scrap fabric first. YouTube has excellent visual guides.
Step five · 5 minutes
Trim excess fabric and secure the inseam
Once your ladder stitch is complete, trim the excess fabric inside the fold to about a quarter-inch. Then, using a whip stitch, re-attach the inseam by stitching through the fold and the inseam allowance together. This locks everything in place and prevents fraying.
A whip stitch is just a series of small stitches that go through the fold and catch the seam allowance. It doesn't need to be perfect—it's hidden inside the pant leg.
Step six · 2 minutes
Press and try on
Give the hemmed leg a final press with the iron to set the stitches and remove any wrinkles. Put the jeans on and check the length. The original factory hem should be completely intact and visible from the inside, while the outside shows a clean, professional hemline.
If the length isn't quite right, you can adjust by removing a few stitches and re-folding. Hand-hemming is forgiving that way.
How to know it works.
A successful open-hem job preserves the original factory edge completely while creating a clean, invisible hemline on the outside. The inside of the leg should show the original selvage untouched, and the new stitching should be nearly invisible from the outside.
Questions at the mirror.
Can I use a sewing machine instead of hand-stitching?
You can, but it defeats the purpose. A machine stitch will be visible from the outside and may pucker the fabric. Hand-stitching is slower but gives you the invisible finish that preserves the jean's original character.
What if my jeans have a raw, unfinished hem instead of a factory hem?
This method still works, but you're not preserving a finished edge—you're creating one. Follow the same steps, but know that the result will be a traditional folded hem rather than an open hem.
How much length can I safely remove?
You can remove up to 3 inches without compromising the jean's structure. Beyond that, you risk losing the original inseam entirely, which changes how the jean sits.
My hand-stitching looks uneven. Is that a problem?
Not if it's tight and secure. Unevenness on the inside won't show from the outside. Focus on keeping tension consistent rather than perfect spacing.