Denim Details: The Vintage Bartack

The bartack is a key detail in vintage denim, rooted in the rivets of the early 1900s. Originally used to reinforce pockets, rivets became an issue—cowboys found them scratching their saddles, and people complained about them damaging furniture. To solve this, hidden bartacks were introduced, securing the pockets while preventing unwanted wear on surroundings.

Early on, denim was folded over the rivets and stitched down to conceal them, but over time, the rivets would poke through as the fabric wore down. As sewing technology advanced, bartacks gradually replaced hidden rivets as a more convenient and durable solution.

By 1965, as denim evolved from workwear to fashion, hidden rivets disappeared, leaving the bartack as a lasting symbol of function and craftsmanship. Kato Jeans honors this legacy, preserving the bartack construction as a tribute to denim’s evolution.