What is bar tack?
A bar tack is a short, dense block of zigzag stitching — about a centimetre — sewn over a point that takes strain: the corners of a kangaroo pocket, the ends of a fly, belt loops, drawcord exits, the base of a placket. It stops the seam tearing under load.
Why it matters
Its absence is why cheap hoodies tear at the pocket corner. Its presence is one of the fastest ways to tell a garment built to a spec from one built to a price.
On our floor
Bar-tacked at every stress point as standard — pocket corners, drawcord eyelets, placket ends — and called out in the tech pack.
Common questions
- Where should bar tacks be on a hoodie?
- Both corners of the kangaroo pocket and at the drawcord exits at minimum.
- Are bar tacks visible?
- Yes, as a small dense bar of stitching — usually in matching thread.
- Do t-shirts have bar tacks?
- Rarely needed; sometimes at a chest pocket.
- How do I check for them on a sample?
- Look at the pocket corners. If the stitching just ends, it will fail.
Related terms
overlock
An overlock — or serge — is a stitch that joins two pieces and wraps the raw edge in looped thread in a single pass, trimming as it goes.…
coverstitch
A coverstitch is the pair of parallel stitch lines you see on the outside of a t-shirt hem, cuff or neckband, with a looped thread covering…
cut and sew
Cut and sew means the garment is made from fabric — cut to a pattern and sewn — rather than bought as a finished blank and decorated. It is…
tech pack
A tech pack — technical package — is the document that specifies one garment completely: flat sketches, bill of materials, measurements per…
Where this applies
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