Tack Button
A tack button is a mainly metal button that secures fabric by sandwiching it between the front button body and a nail-like tack driven in from the back, and is fixed with a dedicated setting tool.
Definition and Overview
A tack button is a button attached by combining the button body with a nail-like fastener called a tack. Unlike ordinary buttons attached with sewing thread, it is used on heavy fabrics because the tack is pushed through the textile and pressed into the body.
It is also sometimes called a jeans button or donut button. The name varies by distribution channel and design, but it generally refers to a press-fit style with a round metal button body visible on the front side.
Materials and Structure
Most are made of metal, using brass, iron, zinc alloy, and the like, and are finished with plating or paint. The surface of the body may be flat, donut-shaped with a recessed center, or embossed with lettering or patterns.
Common tack buttons do not have holes for thread on the surface. On the back side, there is a tubular or riveting structure that receives the tack, and the tack shaft is driven in to secure it. They also differ from structures that use sewing tabs like shank buttons.
- Button body: the head visible on the front side.
- Tack: a nail-like part that passes through the textile and joins with the body.
- Washer / reinforcement material: depending on the textile and specifications, resistance to pull-out is supplemented with a pressing cloth or similar material.
Size Notation and Applications
Sizes are shown by the outer diameter of the button body in mm, and may also be expressed in lignes. One ligne is approx. 0.635 mm, so values cannot be compared by number alone when the unit differs. When ordering, check the actual measured outer diameter and the corresponding tack standard in addition to the unit.
They are mainly used for front openings and waist sections of jeans, denim pants, chino pants, and similar items. They are also used on workwear, blousons, skirts, and bags, but the structure is selected according to the fabric thickness at the application area, tensile load, and ease of opening and closing.
How to Attach and Handling Precautions
For attachment, use a setting tool suitable for the combination of the body and tack, a hand press, or a hand press machine. Avoid fabric edges and overlapping seam allowances, and determine the position including whether reinforcement is needed. Before full production, it is important to test on the same fabric construction and check holding strength and surface damage.
During washing and garment washing, contact with metal parts or the washing tub may cause scratches, plating wear, and discoloration. Suitability for dry cleaning also varies depending on the finish and attached components, so perform pretesting in line with the care label. Do not press the iron directly against the same spot for a long time with the hot soleplate, and take care not to damage the surrounding textile.
Insufficient setting can cause wobbling or detachment, while excessive pressing can deform the body or tear the textile. In particular, for thick textiles, stretch textiles, and textiles with low weave density, check whether the tack length and reinforcement specification are appropriate.
Differences from Similar Terms
A neoba button is a press-fit button sometimes used in a meaning close to tack button. However, since the scope of the term and the component structure may differ by trading partner or manufacturer, check not only the name but also the body shape, type of tack, and compatible setting tool.
Dot buttons, snap fasteners, and jumper hooks are snap types that open and close by attaching and detaching male and female parts. In contrast, a tack button is normally used by passing it through a buttonhole, and the body and tack are fixed parts that do not open or close after installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a tack button be sewn on?
Common tack buttons do not have holes for sewing and are attached by driving in a tack, so they are usually not sewn on. When attaching by hand sewing, choose a button with a structure that can be fixed with thread, such as a two-hole button, four-hole button, or shank button.
What should be checked to keep a tack button from coming off?
Check the compatibility of the body and tack, tack length, textile thickness, attachment position, and whether reinforcement is necessary. Perform test setting with the same textile, interfacing, and seam allowance construction, and after repeated opening and closing or pulling, inspect for wobbling, pull-out, and textile tearing.
