I don’t want a t-shirt with holes, but I have around 50 of them anyway. All the holes are in the same place: on the front, a little below the waist.
Last year, a friend told me that she had the same problem and I was amazed by her analysis of it: The holes were caused by the zippers of our low-cut jeans. Looking back, I can’t believe I went along with this. It sounded so brilliant at the time, and it was nice to solve the mystery.
At some point, I realized that it wasn’t about zippers. More and more of my t-shirts sprouted the same tiny holes. And the holes are multiplying but staying roughly in the same place. Sitting in the car with my husband yesterday, I noticed a hole in one of my newer t-shirts and cursed. I explained the phenomenon, and joked that maybe it was my belly button. Maybe I have a toxic belly button! My son suggested that maybe it emits radioactive waves.
I decided to google “why are there holes in my t-shirts,” and landed on a forum where people discussed the holey t-shirt mystery. Their theories ranged from logical to absurd. Seatbelts, third-world shoddiness, kitchen counters, harsh laundry soap, the theories were offered up and then shot down by other commenters.
Finally, I came to this revelation:
Silverfish. They eat ONLY cotton and similar vegetable based natural fabrics such as rayon, they especially eat clothing that hasn’t been recently washed. They eat mostly around the bottom of the shirt because of oils and dirt from your belly button sticking to the fabric.
The “oils and dirt” from my belly button?!? Silverfish?!?
I googled silverfish and found an eco friendly product to kill them with. I can’t even think about my belly button.
I have this problem too, cant even begin to think abut silver fish and belly button oils. I’m blaming my jeans.
If the holes are perfectly round and appear in small clusters, they are probably caused by being washed in a machine. When the spin cycle starts, clothes are sucked to the outside of the spinning inner drum, and fine fabrics (like T-shirt jersey) can be drawn through the perforations. When the spinning drum comes into contact with the outer tub, the grinding causes the holes. Solution: put your fine jerseys into cloth bags (like old rice bags with zippers) before you put them in the washing machine. I think you can buy lingerie bags for this purpose, but any old cloth bag will do.
Haha…
I always thought it was from belts wearing them out, or guitars clanking down on shirts over belts!
OMG! Sorry for the juvenile vernacular but OMG!
silverfish are terrifying.
Leslie – Nope, I handwash most of my tshirts.
sharnek – Innocence is bliss, in this situation.
I thought it was from a bleach splash when I was washing clothes! Silverfish kind of grosses me out, in a big way…
alittlelux – Yes.
Gretchen – Me too, big big way.
And they laugh at me when I say don’t kill the spiders! (But a few weeks ago I had some huge spider bites, huge!)
How can it be silverfish when it happens to poly/cotton as well? Also, I have this on some, but not all of mine. They’re selective? Nah, I’ve seen those suckers (omg they are DISGUSTING and freak me out — this is coming from a woman who won’t kill spiders and can kill bugs with her bare hands) and I don’t think thats it. I’m still not sure what it could be, but the holes I’ve found are a bit higher than belly button height. I’ll stick to it being a mystery, to save my sanity! XXX Suzanne
Silverfish sound grim.
Most of my tops and vests have similar holes, I thought they were caused by my guinea pigs chewing them.
Moths? They also prefer to eat the oily areas of a garment.
NO!! I really don’t want to believe this. I get the same holes, and I will continue to believe that they are somehow caused by my belt, because the bugs theory is too horrifying for me. SO YUCK!
Inspected my t-shirts. No holes. ????
Dear Sister Wolf,
I’m not sure I believe the silverfish theory. Although I have no holes in any of my t-shirts, I had to live in a silverfish infested room last year, whilst at university, despite hoovering most days, and they never touched any of my t-shirts or fabrics (the majority of which were cottons). I hope you solve the mystery and never find any silverfish- they are so creepy!
Helen
x
Do you carry things against your belly? I used to deliver bread and rest the heavy racks on my belt buckle, so many of my shirts from that era have shreddy little holes just below the waist.
I shivered when I got to the part about the silverfish.
I have mysterious holes in my oxford shirts, but they’re not all in the same place. Only my oxford shirts, and only my really expensive ones. I don’t think it’s silverfish, though. They’re too busy chewing through the binding glue on all my books.
I usually find silverfish in my bathtub! I guess that means it’s time to clean the bathroom 🙁
Obviously they’re blessed Holys placed by the Gods!
Here I am reading your post thinking, ‘Yeah, I have those stupid holes there too’. A colleague told me they were from belts as well. But alas, silverfish you say! I hate those fucking assholes. I kill about five a day at our new place. They splat and leave a silver dust like substance. They’re getting so big now my cat won’t even eat them. Years ago, I saw silverfish on my clothes in my closet and came to the conclusion it was them eating holes in my sweaters. I hoped it was just my imagination. Fucking jerks.
You’re letting this drive you crazy for no reason, or maybe you’re just plain crazy. Silverfish eat paper primarily, and only eat fabric if they run out of paper. And besides, you’d see them in your t-shirt drawer if you had them.
But just in case, I’ve sent you an egg case of baby house centipedes to slay your imaginary silverfish. These centipedes don’t fuck around — I had one hidden in my pants leg, and it bit me on the inner thigh, leaving a small but very painful purple bruise. And i’m also sending small box of q-tips, so that you can cleanse your bellybutton thoroughly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scutigera_coleoptrata
I have the same problem. And find that it happens in the same place on all of my t-shirts. I have always assumed it’s from leaning against counters/benches and any abrasion between a jean button/belt buckle and said surface….
I had the same problem and so does my partner… but I think its from our damn cat climbing all over us with his claws out. Of course trying to keep him from doing it only makes him more insistent about jumping onto our shoulders.
I get them & think a) washing machine/detergent and b) moths plus belt or jeans or the fact they are too thin so the thread breaks easily. I don’t want to think about the silverfish stuff
All Gracie’s tee-dresses & nighties have these, because she chews them. When she outgrew her Hello Kitty nightie I took it to wear as a tee-shirt, cutting a patch out Madonna stylee where the chew holes were. From now on I will put them on eBay.
SHIT SILVERFISH? So it’s not because clothing manufactures are cheap and using lower quality fabrics that pill and tear before it leaves the store?
I have similar holes, but it finally occurred to me last week what is causing it. I have a two-tier closet. I hang shirts on the top and pants on the bottom. The bottom of the shirts partially rest on the bottom bar so I figured I must be poking the hangers through the bottoms of my shirts. The only thing I can’t explain is why it only occurs on the fronts of the shirts and not the backs.
I noticed these first on my husbands shirts but now I realize I have them too.
I’m sure it’s seatbelts. Maybe the zippers, buttons and belt buckles contribute to it.
I’m going to try putting something under my seat belt buckle to see if that helps.
Is anyone getting these holes who does not use a seatbelt?
If so why are you not using a seat belt? They save lives!
Hi. I was trying to look up the causes of the same holes on many of my clothes– even the ones that i get dry cleaned. I was pretty much convinced that it’s do to my Baby Bjorn baby carrier. Do you happen to use it?
The holes started to appear after I begun using it. There is a little hole on the back of the buckle which has sharp edges.
I read a discussion about this on a forum and the people there thought it was from standing at the kitchen counter, their stomachs pressed against the edge of the counter. It was a cooking forum, naturally.
Ok.. I’ve read all the theories and everyone in a roundabout way is getting the same sort of holes in the same places with all different reasons why they are there! I’ve worn new tops without belts, I don’t have a cat, have jeans/pants without zips, don’t use metal hangers… It has to be silverfish!! If you don’t have them inside, they’re probably working their magic outside! I’m over this happening to my new tops and you pretty much can’t repair them without making it more obvious! But the last thing I want is to smell like an old mothball with those cupboard hangers that get rid of them.. Anyone have any other suggestions??
Its carpet beetles. I can’t believe anyone would think its countertops. Its bugs. They are not easy to get rid of either. I think my house was infested with them when we moved in. grrrrr After losing several good t-shirts, that were brand new, I made it a mission. google carpet beetles and you will find out all you need to know and do to get rid of them.
My wife has T shirts that have been around for many years with no holes. She also has T shirts that are recent arrivals, and they have holes. The difference. One says ‘Made in USA’ the others either say ‘Made in China’ or ‘Made in India’. My view is that recycled fabrics are being used to make T shirts and the third world is a hub of this recycling (remember Japanese cars were rust buckets because they used recycled metal which contained the beginning of rust) or just cheaply made cotton which doesnt remove the seeds completely. Companies are in business to make money, so they just buy the cheapest possible material, construct the clothing in as cheaply a manner and in as cheap a country as possible, hence, it dont last. As is often said, I cant afford to buy cheap products.
Maybe some of you have bugs eating your shirts, *if* these mystery holes are located in various places on your shirts/clothes. But for those of us who ONLY have them on the front, near the waist area…it’s friction, plain and simple. No bug on the planet will only eat the same spot on every shirt. The friction comes from anything from zippers/buttons rubbing against counters, seatbelts, or whatever. For the women whose men don’t have them, I’m willing to bet your man is taller than you and his shirts therefore don’t rub against things in the same place as yours. For me personally, my husband and I are the same height, so voila, we get holes in the same spot.
I’m sure there ARE plenty of bugs eating clothes, babies chewing clothes, cats clawing clothes…but the little bitty holes that only occur on the fronts of shirts along the waistline/belly button area, only in the center of the shirt, are caused by friction. I’ve experienced this for well over ten years and the shirts ruined have been made from various types of fabric, made in various different countries. I do think cheaper quality shirts will get holes faster due to inferior weave, cloth, whatever, but I’ve had an $80 made-in-USA shirt get one, too, that I know (from the tag and from sight/feel) is “better” quality. I’m also sure that other things CAN cause these, but again, I’m personally referring to only the kinds of holes I described. If you spend a few weeks paying close attention to your habits and “testing” different shirts (I wore already-ruined shirts backward so I didn’t have to ruin a good one), you’ll find out how frequently your belly area is pressing against something, causing a zipper, belt, button, etc. to rub against your shirt.
Anyway, just my thoughts…regardless of the cause, it’s apparently annoying as hell to us all! For my husband and me, the mystery is finally solved. 🙂
It is prob from Standing at your kitchen counter as I work in the garment industry and the tables we use are about the same height and we ALL have these holes in this area from working and yes rubbing our tshirts against our jeans against the tables.
I can’t believe I found this as well as other posts on this issue. I have had this problem for a few years now and I do think it’s my jeans. Bought 4 pair of the same style and brand a few years ago, slightly lower cut than my old ones, and that’s when I noticed the problem. I also notice a slight discoloration and sometimes a shininess to the fabric in the area, and shortly after the holes appear. I’ve had it happen a couple hours after putting on a new shirt as well as having some shirts last a couple of weeks before it happens. Really a pain. I’ve started wearing the mens tank type undershirts under all my tops so they can take the brunt of the problem instead of my shirts.
I thought I was going crazy to have holes in my many many tops including brand new ones! My hubby thought I was carelessly zipped my top inside my jeans when I go to toilet, so I was super-careful every time. I had lost at least 10 tops so far and was very very frustrated until reading this site! Before finding this site I just ruined a just bought top with still a tag intact. I was wearing it around house for 1 hour and then noticed a HOLE in it at the exact same spot!! — in centre front and lower than my waist!! That was my last straw and googled and found this site.
From other forum site I found out what was causing it. In my case it was the combination of the granite bench top and wearing jeans and the cheap, thin fabric in between!! I tested wearing my (already holey) t-shirt back to front and moved around my kitchen and Voila!! A hole appeared! My granite top had some rough edged on it and I never noticed it was causing this very expensive damage. All I have to do from now on is wearing an apron or tucking my top inside my jeans when I work around the kitchen.
Now I can finally sleep well at night.
So glad I am not alone in this! I know it’s the button of my jeans rubbing against fabric because I only wear certain t-shirts with my jeans…and these all have holes while my dress shirts that I wear with slacks at work don’t have them. I drive in both so can’t be seatbelt.
I reckon it’s pant zips/buttons. I have them in all my t-shirts, but not lose shirts/blouses or any top I wear with a skirt. If it is silverfish, why don’t they like other areas such as underarms?! Or other clothes, such as underwear? I’m going to start wearing a thick material boob-tube thingy over the waistband and see if that works. I don’t wear belts because the metal buckles give me a rash.
It’s not silverfish. Are the holes roughly around counter-height? They are made when you stand and cook/bake at the counter. The edge of the counter catches on your belt buckle or button on your jeans- the shirt of course is in the way and rubs/ get caught.
You better make sure the silverfish aren’t living in your belly button.
Buggout – Believe me, I have looked.
These mystery holes are very frustrating. I am convinced they are caused by jeans or other heavy pants – when the fabric edges, next to the button, poke into shirts that are made of flimsy/thin fabric. I just ordered a belt called Invisibelt, to see if it will prevent this from happening (flat buckle designed to not show through tops). You can repair holes with iron-on mending fabrics, that you place on the inside of the shirt – some come in different colors and can be cut to the size you need. Different companies make them (the one I use is no longer made). Just be sure, when ironing on the patch, to place another fabric between the shirt and iron to prevent burning. If the belt I ordered does not work, I will try wearing camisoles under my shirts….
Its those effing silverfish. They have annihilated all my beloved rayon Angie dresses- and woe betide if you have any food stains… they feast on those. I’ve put boric acid out and all but the fuckers have decimated my closet. RE; counter top theory, I would agree if food remnants at waist height is what’s creating the irresistible attraction to closet vermints. But damn them to hell, those silverfish ate through about 20 of my favorite things,.. yeah and all the Cool Change coverups that cost a fortune . Probably need to fumigate my house it’s infested with the creeps.
Lissa – Fuckers! Have you tried Orange Guard? It seems to be working for me.
https://www.facebook.com/fattythedragon.holes
I think mine are from the pointy corner of my jeans where the button is. I have no silverfish. I don’t wear a belt. They are always in the same place and are not on any other part of the garments. They are not on any other garmet only the shirts. So that eliminates silverfish. Maybe I should buy 1960s side zippered slacks!
I’m going with the Kitchen counter for now. Started getting the holes a year ago when I moved into a new apartment with a man made stone counter that has a square edge & is only about 15mm thick. I run my finger along it & can see there’s a good chance thats it. My friend on the other side of the country has the same problem & when I figured it out I realised she has the same friggen kitchen top!
Going to buy one of those aprons with a picture of a chick in a bikini on it to wear in the kitchen (If I’m going to wear an apron I might as well look like a girl right). Will let you know how it goes!
I hate these friggen holes!!!!
P.S. I dont think I’m even going google Silver fish, the responses from other people already tell me I just don’t want to know…..
It is just cheap cotton from the third world. If the cotton isnt processed correctly, seeds and other minute impurities remain in the cotton. When you was the T shirt, the impurity disloges leaving a tiny hole. USA cotton is very good whle Asian cotton, going through their processes is pretty poor. However, they make cheap clothing (not so cheap if you can only wear it a few times) and people want cheap. Hence stores like Walmart, who know their customers, simply buy on price and sell on price. You are much better off to look for USA made products and remember that you get what you pay for.
All these crazy wives tales aside……It is silverfish…..
I tried storing my shirts in a cedar dresser and for the ones that I kept there, there were no holes at all. Two other shirts that I bought at the same time, that I purposely store in the non-cedar dresser have tons of holes, all in the front toward the bottom of the shirt, the older the shirt, the more holes…..
When I tried folding my t-shirts differently, I started to find holes on the side of the shirt instead of the front.
None of my shirts that go into my dressers are dirty. There are no body oils that attract silverfish. They eat many foods, among them are cotton, linen and silk. They can even cause holes in curtains.
What to do?
I removed all the shirts from my dresser and put them in the garage. I hired an exterminator to toxify all of the rooms in the house, they sprayed pesticide along the perimeter of all rooms and bathrooms, had to be out of the house for two hours after……I was not thrilled with this idea, b/c of the chemicals, but they are gone!!!! It has been a year, and no more holes, with shirts in both dressers…..
ps- they like moist areas, and turns out I had a leak in the MBR bathroom, that was a breeding ground for them….
Good luck