Patches...
While we would like to believe quality denim won't need repairs often, it is a sad reality that you can beat your jeans down within a years time to the point they need repair. For my, I try to ensure my jeans have survived every test I can throw at them including one week of paragliding in Sand City, CA with the jeans being my only pants worn for the week. This kind of wear will inevitably break down the cotton and result in holes.
While holes are part of the greatness from breaking in your denim and add to the uniqueness, they can be dangerous if in the wrong places; in this instance, the crotch. Patching then becomes an interesting situation because the area is right against your skin and a bulky patch will prove to be an annoyance but too weak of a fix and the spot will blow out again. Further more, not all patching is equal in quality and if you plan on wearing your jeans for a long time to come, it is imperative you get the best patch possible. The first place I heard of was Denim Therapy who will do an amazing job stitching the denim back together like it never happened. The only down side is, if you don't live in NY, you have to ship your jeans off and wait for them to be fixed and returned. This can be timely and potentially expensive.
While researching my options further, I found out that Nordstrom provides the same service at (from what I have seen) equal quality. If you look below, you can see my jeans externally and internally where they were patched. Because I could feel the fabric getting thin, I asked the tailor to cover the entire area I was concerned about to prevent any future holes from forming while fixing the one that was there. I forgot to take a before photo of it but as you can see in the photo on the right, you would have no idea there was even a hole if I didn't point it out. The service was $40 plus tax because I didn't purchase my denim there but it would be $15 if I did. To me, this is completely worth it because it ensures your denim will last for years to come. If you are looking to get a patch, I would strongly suggest checking out either or both of these companies or find your own, just make sure they stitch the jeans together in addition to adding an internal patch as it is the most comprehensive way to ensure your jeans stay together.
