How to Distress & Rip Jeans
Want to give your jeans a worn-in look in a matter of minutes? Follow these easy steps from Levi's® to learn the art of distressing—whether you prefer a little or a lot.
Shop Men's Jeans
Watch the video from Levi's® to learn more.
Gather the Essential Tools
- Leather gloves
- Rotary power tool
- Sandpaper
- Your favorite jeans
For Light Distressing...
- Put on the leather gloves and run your hands over the jeans while wearing them.
- Be sure to press firm to help the friction create a slightly worn appearance.
- Wash and hang dry.
For Medium Distressing...
- Lay the jeans on a flat surface.
- Sand the natural wear spots with sandpaper.
- Don't forget the seams! Sand them as little or as much as you'd like.
- Wash and hang dry.
For Heavy Distressing...
- Lay the jeans on a flat surface.
- Use the rotary tool to graze the wear spots.
- Repeat as needed to help remove some of the jean's pigments, resulting in a heavily distressed look.
- Wash and hang dry.
First, Gather Your Materials
- Your jeans that need a makeover.
- Scissors
- A thin cutting board or study cardboard
- Sandpaper
- Seam Ripper
For Creating Rips...
- Decide where you want your rips.
- Mark the area with pins.
- Use scissors to cut a hole.
- Place a hard board inside the leg
- Use the seam ripper to create fringe
- Work with the sandpaper to distress the fabric further
- Wash and hand dry
