Those mysterious teeny tiny holes in the front of T shirts…

[imaginethemdragons]

Has anyone EVER worked out how they come about?

No it’s not the washing machine.
No it’s not moths.
No it’s not a belt buckle.

So…where do they come from?

I’ve always had these occasionally but DH never has. Suddenly T shirts that he’s had for years and years (but different numbers of years, some 3 years old, some 10) have all started to get these. I reckon it’s because he’s put weight on and so they’re now rubbing against the kitchen worktop. I’ve always had them because I’m a different height and shape and stance.

They’re from rubbing against quartz/granite worktops

@LegoCaltrops

Are you about 5ft - 5'5" in height? People who are much taller, or who never do any housework at all, particularly washing up, don't seem to get them.

I'm nearly 6ft and have never had these!

There has been research and the conclusion is always friction

Perhaps the researchers never carry a supermarket basket over their arm and across their front then. Sometimes there are small metal bits which stick out and catch on your clothes, making a hole.

Those researchers don't have cats do they?

It is the jeans button rubbing against the worktops, I have given up on anything that isn't elasticated and it hasn't happened since.
I'm 5'4" and was always around my belly button

Obviously there are specific causes of tears such as cats, supermarket baskets - I'll add thorns as I'm a gardener. But it's usually reasonably obvious with those what the cause is. It's the 'mysterious ' ones where the commonest cause is some sort of repeated friction.

I never got holes before this worktop, as I mentioned, but I'm also getting fewer now I'm more often wearing elastic waist joggers rather than jeans - the combination with the fabric between a metal button and the hard edge was the real killer.

@aerosocks

There has been research and the conclusion is always friction

Perhaps the researchers never carry a supermarket basket over their arm and across their front then. Sometimes there are small metal bits which stick out and catch on your clothes, making a hole.

I never carry supermarket baskets - and I have so many tops with these holes.

When I worked in retail I used to hang the keys on my waistband and I always got holes in my tops, in the same place as the keys were on my waistband.

@LegoCaltrops

Are you about 5ft - 5'5" in height? People who are much taller, or who never do any housework at all, particularly washing up, don't seem to get them.

I'm 5'4" do ALL the housework and never get them - I don't wear t-shirts very often if at all though - presuming it's only a t-shirt problem.

The granite worktop sounds plausable - OP, is it happening where you're level with a surface in the house, or desk when sitting down?

Rock burns made me laugh - forgot about those - in shorts 😖

I stopped getting them after I stopped using fabric conditioner!

I had this in tee shirts and sheets. It turned to be a broken golf tee - the spike had got caught in one of the holes in the drum of the machine.

So I don’t have granite work tops, I’m not a millionaire.
I don’t play golf, again, I’m poor.
Of course they get thrown in with the rest of the washing, I don’t have time to faff separating that shit.
It’s in certain spots, only in T shirts, cheap Primark T shirts, as I say I’m poor.

I remember that loooong thread from years ago….can’t remember the conclusion though.

Would love to know. Tis annoying.

@HavelockVetinari

It's definitely moths

Moths don’t eat cotton.

I did get them in White stuff t- shirts mainly

I wear an apron in the kitchen

It's not moths, not washing machine, not pegging clothes out and not granite work surfaces. They always appear round my belly button, always multiple holes, and have appeared in clothes that have only been washed once. I can only assume jeans button or seatbelt. Nothing else makes sense.

@SirVixofVixHall, yes they do.

Moth larvae will munch most natural fibres, preferring wool, but will go for leather, silk, linen and cotton.

DD1 is a garment technologist and says that jersey (knitted) fabric often has tiny, invisible to the eye, faults where a stitch is dropped or only half caught onto the one above. This is where the hole will appear after a bit of movement like rubbing or spinning in the washer.

@thenightsky

DD1 is a garment technologist and says that jersey (knitted) fabric often has tiny, invisible to the eye, faults where a stitch is dropped or only half caught onto the one above. This is where the hole will appear after a bit of movement like rubbing or spinning in the washer.

Aaah this makes a lot of sense!

A garment technologist! Wow, never knew there was such a job!
That does make absolute sense though.
Thank you for an answer at last.

The zip in Jean's or trousers may cause them. My son is terrible for this.

I get them too. Someone told me once it's from leaning against the kitchen benches. Makes sense as the holes are right in that exact spot.

Always thought is the bit of trousers sticking out (fabric around the button). Cause it started happening to me after buying a terrible pair of jeans that sticked out

@doodlejump1980

holebuttoncover.com/

It’s your jeans button rubbing through when you’re leaning against worktops. I bought these (link above). They’re silicone button covers and I haven’t had any holes since then! They are genius!

I got these too and it's stopped it happening to my tops

I was thinking exactly the same thing this morning!