Replacing the elastic in a waistband

Short answer: If the elastic sits in a channel, it can be replaced in half an hour with a safety pin. If it is sewn directly into the fabric, it is a bigger job that is often best left to a tailor.

Find out which type it is

If you can feel the elastic move freely inside the waistband when you pull it gently, there is a channel. If it is fixed and stretches with the fabric, it is sewn on. Channels are common in trousers, but also on edges of bamboo undershirts for men and looser loungewear.

Why elastic goes slack

Elastic loses its stretch over time, especially with hot washes and tumble drying. It can also go slack if the garment is often stretched hard when put on and taken off. The garment itself may still be in good shape. That is why replacing the elastic makes more sense than putting the garment away.

What you need

You need new elastic in the same width as the old, a safety pin, small scissors, a needle and thread. Elastic is sold in fabric shops and often in supermarkets. Choose a width that fits the channel exactly, so the elastic does not twist inside the waistband when you wear it.

Measure before you cut

The new elastic should be about ten percent shorter than the stretched circumference of the waistband. Measure twice and try it around your waist before cutting. The same principle applies to cuffs on bamboo socks, where a cuff that is too tight presses and one too loose slides down.

How to thread the new elastic

Cut a small opening on the inside of the channel, ideally at a seam. Attach a safety pin to one end of the new elastic and guide it all the way round. Hold the other end so it does not vanish into the channel. The same method works on a long sleeve bamboo t-shirt with elastic cuffs.

Sew the ends together

Overlap the two ends by a few centimetres and sew them together with several stitches back and forth. Check that the elastic is not twisted in the channel first. Finally close the opening with small stitches, so it does not show and the elastic cannot slip out.

When the elastic is sewn on

If the elastic is sewn directly into the fabric, the old one must be unpicked and a new one sewn on with a stretch stitch that moves with the fabric. It takes patience and ideally a sewing machine. Many leave it to a tailor, who can do it quickly and neatly.

Make elastic last longer

Wash at low temperatures and skip the tumble dryer if you can. Heat wears elastic the most. Also put clothes on and take them off without stretching the waistband more than needed. Small everyday habits can give the elastic many extra months before it needs replacing again.

Frequently asked questions

What does new elastic cost

Very little per metre in a fabric shop or supermarket. A few metres covers several waistbands, so it is worth keeping some at home.

How long does it take

Half an hour if there is a channel. Without one it takes longer, because the old elastic must be unpicked first.

Can you use the old one as a guide

Yes, but measure it stretched, not as it lies. Worn elastic has grown longer, so take off ten percent.