Button replacement in Tomball, TX

What this alteration involves

Button replacement sounds simple, but matching is the hard part. Many shirts, jackets and coats come with one or two spare buttons sewn to the care label, to an inside seam, or in a small bag attached to the tags. Using that spare is the surest match. Without one, the choice is a close match in size, color, shape and number of holes, or replacing the whole set so they all look alike. There are two main types. Flat buttons have two or four holes and sit against the fabric. Shank buttons have a loop or stem on the back that lifts them off the fabric. On thick fabrics, flat buttons need a thread shank wound under them so the buttonhole can close over them without pulling.

How to get the best fit

• Check the care label, the inside seams and any small bag on the tags for spare buttons, and bring them.
• If a button fell off, bring it even if it is cracked, so its size and style can be matched.
• Point out buttons that are loose but not missing. They are easier to secure before they fall off.
• If you want to keep a particular set, such as metal blazer buttons, say so when you drop the garment off.

What can and cannot be done

An exact match is not always possible without the original spare, since many buttons are made for one brand or one season. Buttons with a crest, logo or unusual finish are the hardest to match. If the fabric around a buttonhole, or where the button was attached, is torn, that needs repair before a new button will hold. At the counter we can look at the garment and say what options it has.