Why Are Pockets Sewn Together When You Purchase a Suit?


As a dry cleaner in Roseville and Granite Bay, we see a lot of suits come through our doors. Have you ever taken a close look at your suit pockets?

If you do, you may notice that the outer pockets have been sewn shut making you believe that they are unusable. Turns out that these outer pockets are not faux pockets, they are meant to be used.

So, why are they sewn shut when they are meant to be used?

  1. During the final manufacturing process, the pockets being sewn shut protects the jacket as well as creates less work in opening them after the final press.
  2. While being transported or hanging on a display rack, the integrity of the shape of the jacket is protected thru many means such as suit bags and high quality hangers and by the pockets being sewn shut to keep the crisp lines and a slimmer appearance.
  3. When customers try on the jacket, it prevents them from placing their hands inside the pockets so the fabric does not get stretched out or the shape changed.
  4. If any alterations need to be made, the pockets being sewn shut helps with accuracy and getting the proper fitting for your shape while keeping the integrity and crispness of the design.

Now that you know why the pockets are sewn shut, you may want to decide if you want to open them so they function or leave them closed as a faux pocket. If you decide to open them, you can remove the stitching with a seam ripper as you do with the center and side vents of the suit jacket. Once open, be sure to keep the items you place in them fairly small and light as heavy or bulky items can affect the integrity of the suit.