Most people are unaware that the little metal buttons on their jeans have a very practical origin. You know the little copper or silver “buttons” to which I refer, strategically placed near the pockets? They are so insignificant that they are often unnoticed. However, they are not purely ornamental. What is the real reason for the buttons on jeans? These little fellows are termed rivets and, believe it or not, they are the unsung heroes of the durability of denim.

The Origin of Jean Rivets

In the 1870s, jeans were not the staple of fashion they are today. They were strictly work garments. They were used by miners, railroaders, and laborers who needed rugged trousers which would stand a terrific amount of wear. Enter Jacob Davis, a tailor, who was continually getting into hot water with customers who complained about their trousers ripping at the seam. He thought of a plan. It was to reinforce the strain points, such as pockets and the fly, with little metal rivets.

Davis formed a partnership with Levi Strauss, a dry goods supplier. Together they patented the riveted design of trousers in 1873. From that moment there began the demand for the modern blue jeans. The idea was a simple but good one. Add strength where the pants needed it the most. It worked. Because of the rivets, the jeans became the universal uniform of hard work. With that development came the inevitable readjustment to snappy casual wear.

The Functional Purpose

So just how do rivets function? The function of buttons on jeans, those little rivets, is that they prevent the denim from ripping in high-stress areas. They are generally made out of brass or copper since they are strong and don’t rust easily. You will see rivets placed at the corners of front pockets, at the base of the fly, and in some cases around the belt loops. These are all high-stress places where jeans are apt to stretch or pull when in action.

From my experience, especially working at a college job in a warehouse, jeans without rivets are not made as well. They will not lend themselves to wear. These pieces of metal help distribute the stress over the fabric rather than let it concentrate and wear a hole in the fabric. After all, just as riveted jeans have been washed and worn for many years, they retain their shape. A small feature like that seems to have a large effect on the durability of the denim.

From Function to Fashion

Today, very few of us are putting on jeans to mine gold or lay tracks. However, the rivets had their way of staying. Why? Because they have become a part of the design of the jeans which give them the authenticity we associate a quality jean with. The rivet has become a part of the jeans’ manufacture not only for its utility, but as a symbol of the heritage and qualities which are part of the jeans. Many of the manufacturers also put on special designs or numerous nuances of color of the rivets. This gives their jeans even greater distinction.

It is likewise amusing to see how a thing which was originally put on to be hidden from view and for purely utilitarian purposes has become a visual sign of so-called “real denim.” Even though on parade in an office or cafe, the rivet informs one that the wearer is come from hard-working stock.

Modern Materials and Solutions

At the same time, modern jeans do not put on the old styles of the metal rivets. Many of the new brands of denim have fallen back on reinforced sewing or even hidden rivets. This makes it more comfortable to wear the jeans. They are generally more serviceable for traveling or where it is uncomfortable to sit all day long. I’ve tried a few of those newer or more modernistic styles myself. While they are serviceable, I still somewhat miss that old utilitarian feature of the rivets.

The movement toward abolishing metals from wear indicates a trend toward clothing fabric without metal parts. This ensures there is not so much waste and greater facilities for being put in circulation rather than thrown away. Nevertheless, to the denim enthusiast, the old rivets still indicate quality and durability of excellence in the jeans when fast-moving plants or cheap labor products are attempted.

So here you have it, the “buttons” that you have seen on your jeans forever? They are rivets, and their real purpose was pure function, to keep your jeans from ripping. What was originally brought out to solve the problems of the hard worker has now become a lasting feature of the details in jeans. The next time you put on the old jeans that you particularly love, examine closer; those little rivets are a part of denim history.