Can I hem trousers myself? What do shops charge?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
When you buy trousers in Japan, most shops will hem them for you before you take them home. Online purchases and second-hand clothes leave you to deal with the length yourself, and many people have no sewing machine and would rather use hemming tape. Here are the methods step by step, and what alteration shops charge.
Comparing the methods
| Method | Cost | Time | Durability | Suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The shop you bought from | Free to ¥1,000 (Uniqlo, GU, Muji etc.: a single hem free to a few hundred yen) | 30 minutes to a few days | High | New clothes | Specify hem width and finish (single / double (turn-up) / chain stitch) |
| Alterations shop (station buildings, shopping centres) | ¥1,000–3,000. Jeans chain stitch ¥2,000–3,500; double (turn-up) finish +¥500–1,000 | Same day to 1 week | High | Anything | Decide the length before you go (many shops let you try on) |
| Hemming tape (iron-on, 裾上げテープ) | ¥300–500 | 30 minutes | Low–medium (peels in the wash, stiffens) | Urgent jobs, synthetic trousers, children's clothes | Thick fabric (denim) does not bond well; watch the iron temperature; leaves a mark once applied |
| Hand-sewing (blind hem) | ¥100 for needle and thread | 30 minutes to 1 hour per pair | Medium–high | Suit trousers, chinos, uniforms | Pick up only 1–2 threads so that no stitches show on the outside |
| Sewing machine | Free if you have one | 15–30 minutes | High | Anything | Heavy-duty needle and thread for jeans |
| Turn up without cutting (roll-up) | Free | None | — | Jeans, chinos | Casual only |
Deciding the length
| Garment | Guide |
|---|---|
| Suit trousers (business) | Standing in your shoes, the hem lightly touches the top of the shoe with one small break at the front ("half cushion"). At the back, between the top and the middle of the heel counter. No break for slim or fashion-forward cuts |
| Jeans | To taste. The classic is resting on the shoe opening, or with a 1–2 cm fold. Slim cuts can be ankle-length (cropped) |
| Chinos, casual | Between suit trousers and jeans |
| Children | Leave growing room in the allowance (3–5 cm, a "let-down hem"). School uniforms: a generous allowance for a double hem |
| Wide, flared | Longer (1–2 cm off the floor); decided by the heel height of the shoes you wear with them |
Hand-sewing steps (blind hem)
1. Try on, decide the length, and mark with tailor's chalk or pins. Always in shoes. 2. Leave a 3–4 cm allowance and cut with fabric shears (over-cutting cannot be undone; leave it long). Zigzag-stitch or use fray-stop liquid on the raw edge. 3. Fold the hem inside and press the crease (3–4 cm). 4. From the inside, blind-hem just inside the fold: pick up only 1–2 threads of the outer fabric, and 2–3 mm on the allowance side. Thread in the same colour as the fabric. Stitches 1 cm apart. 5. Press and you are done. The aim is almost no visible stitching on the outside.
- Hemming jeans: chain stitch (matches the original stitching; washing brings out a "roping" fade) needs a special machine, so use an alterations shop. A single (ordinary straight) stitch is fine too. Reattaching the original hem ("original hem finish", 元裾仕様) costs +¥1,000–2,000.
- Keep the cut-off hem: you cannot restore the length, so keep the spare fabric for repairs.
- Decide after washing: cotton and denim shrink 1–3 cm in the first wash. Wash new trousers once before hemming.
- Removing hemming tape: warm with the iron and peel → remove leftover adhesive with ethanol. A mark usually remains.
- When buying: shops with free hemming; shops that stock different lengths (S, M, L length); online shops with a hemming service.
[Verify] The prices are guidelines based on typical price lists of alterations shops and mass retailers, and vary by shop.
Misunderstanding 1｜Hemming tape lasts once it's on
It peels in the wash, stiffens and leaves a mark. It suits urgent, short-term use. Sew if you will wear them for long.
Misunderstanding 2｜Measure the length sitting down
Decide standing, in your shoes. Hems rise when you sit.
Misunderstanding 3｜Cut jeans first, wash later
They shrink 1–3 cm in the first wash. Wash once, then hem.
Misunderstanding 4｜If I cut too much I can let out the allowance
Cut fabric does not come back. Leave 3–4 cm, and more for children.
Misunderstanding 5｜Hand-sewing looks bad
A blind hem picks up only 1–2 threads on the outside, so it is almost invisible. 30 minutes to an hour per pair, and with a little practice the finish is perfectly neat.
---
Sources
- Consumer Affairs Agency, "The new care labels (JIS L0001)" [新しい洗濯表示] (shrinkage and washing of cotton and denim)
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/representation/household_goods/laundry_symbols/
- All Japan Tailors' Cooperative Federation (Zenyoren), "Basics of trouser length and finishes" [ズボンの丈・仕上げの基礎知識]
https://www.zenyoren.jp/
- Japan Association of Home Economics Education, "Basics of garment making: the blind hem stitch" [被服製作の基礎：まつり縫い] (school home-economics teaching material)
https://www.jaeh.jp/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Follow the care label and the maker's instructions for any garment, shoe or bag. For expensive or sentimental items, ask a specialist cleaner or repairer.
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