Why Do Jeans Have a Leather Pa...

Why Do Jeans Have a Leather Patch on the Back?

Many people assume that jacrons are aesthetic and used strictly to enhance the appearance of jeans. They are found in the waistline, so they are usually visible. With a jacron, your jeans will stand out by defining your midsection and breaking up the otherwise universal color in which your jeans are made. But there are other, more practical reasons, for jacrons.

When jacrons first appeared during the late 1800s they were used to protect against counterfeiting. Even back then, counterfeiting was a common problem faced by denim manufacturers. Nefarious businesses would replicate the jeans of reputable denim brands, essentially selling knockoffs under their brand names. Consumers would think they were buying jeans from a reputable denim brand when in reality they were buying knockoff jeans.

The use of jacrons emerged during the late 1800s as a way for reputable and legitimate denim brands to protect against counterfeiting. At the time, denim brands made their patches out of genuine leather, so nefarious businesses couldn’t easily replicate them. The jacrons also featured the brand name stamped into them. This stamping process required a special tool that most businesses, especially nefarious businesses looking to counterfeit jeans, didn’t possess.

While the primary purpose of jacrons is to protect against counterfeiting, they may also strengthen jeans around the waistline. Whether low-rise, mid-rise or high rise, jeans experience stress around the waistline when worn. Even if they fit properly, a pair of jeans will inadvertently stretch at the waistline when worn. If they have a jacron, the presence of this square- or rectangular-shaped patch will help hold the waistline together.

How to Care for a Jacron?

If your jeans have a jacron, you might be wondering to care for it. The good news is that jacrons don’t require any extra work to clean, maintain or otherwise care for. You can simply follow the manufacturer’s instructions without worrying about the jacron.

Since it’s found on the waistline, the jacron may rip or pull away from the denim material to which it’s attached if severely stretched. If your jeans get tangled up in the washing machine, for instance, there’s a small chance the jacron may snag. Therefore, some people prefer to wash their jeans inside out to protect the jacrons from damage. If you wash your jeans inside out, the jacron will be concealed. As a result, it shouldn’t snag on anything inside your washing machine.

The small patch found on the back of a typical pair of jeans’ waistband is known as a jacron. Jacrons have been around for over a century. During the late 1800s, they emerged as a way for denim brands to protect against counterfeiting. Over the years, jacrons have become synonymous with jeans, so most denim brands continue to use them.