7 Op Shop Flaws You Can Fix in 60 Seconds (and 3 to Walk Away From)
You are three racks deep at your local op shop. The jumper is perfect. The price is $8. And there, just below the ribbing, is a hole the size of a five cent piece.
Put it in the basket.
Most second-hand flaws are surface damage, not structural failure, and surface damage is the easy kind. A small hole, a worn patch of denim, a snag near a pocket: all of it can be covered in about sixty seconds with a rub-on patch, no sewing, no iron, no glue on the kitchen bench. The trick is knowing which flaws are worth your eight dollars and which ones belong back on the rack.
Here are seven you can fix on the spot, and three worth walking away from.
A retro track jacket with denim patches. Second-hand does not have to mean second-best.
What makes an op shop flaw worth fixing?
One question sorts the bargains from the regrets: is the damage in one spot, or everywhere?
Damage in one spot means the garment is still sound. The fibres around the hole are strong, the seams hold, the shape is intact. You are covering a single point of wear on a piece that has plenty of life left.
Damage everywhere is different. If the fabric has gone thin and papery across a whole panel, patching one hole just moves the problem along by a fortnight. That is the difference between a fix and a delay.
Australia gave the world the phrase "op shop", short for opportunity shop, back in the 1920s. Worth honouring the name. Take the opportunity.
Which op shop flaws can you actually fix?
1. A moth hole in a wool jumper
The classic. Moths go for wool, and second-hand wool has usually spent a season or two in someone's cupboard. One or two small holes on an otherwise beautiful merino or lambswool jumper is the single most common repairable flaw on the rack.
Wool is also one of the most forgiving fabrics to patch. A fine, soft patch sits flat against the knit and moves with it instead of stiffening a section of your sleeve.
A moth hole in knitwear, gone in under a minute.
Soft as your favourite sweater. Four patches in two sizes, made to sit flat on fine knits.
2. Worn-through inner thighs on jeans
Good denim outlasts its own inner thigh. This is the spot that goes first on almost every well-loved pair, which is exactly why so many decent jeans end up donated. The rest of the jean is usually fine.
A denim-coloured patch on the inside covers the hole and adds a second layer at the point taking the most friction. Nobody sees it. You just keep wearing the jeans.
Worn through, then not. The most common flaw on any second-hand denim rack.
Five patches in denim blue. Soft, stretchy, and near invisible on a blue jean.
3. A snag or small tear in a jacket
Vintage outerwear is where op shops earn their reputation, and a snag on a sleeve is not a reason to leave a good jacket behind. Cover it and the jacket reads as styled rather than damaged.
4. A hole in leggings or activewear
Second-hand activewear is one of the better bargains going, and a small hole at the knee or seat is usually the only thing wrong with it. Stretch fabric needs a patch that stretches with it, which rules out anything stiff.
5. A rip at a pocket corner
Pocket corners take the load every time someone shoves keys or a phone in. The tear is small, the fix is small, and the pocket goes back to being a pocket.
6. A stain that will not shift
Not every mark comes out in the wash. A patch over a stubborn stain is faster than three rounds of soaking, and on a $6 shirt it is the only sensible maths.
7. A worn knee or elbow
Kids' clothes and workwear both go at the same two points. Both take a patch beautifully, and on a thrifted piece a contrast patch at the elbow looks completely deliberate.
Patch in a print and the repair becomes the point.
Five patches, two of them in a banksia print. For when you want the repair to be seen.
What should you leave on the rack?
Three flaws are not worth your time, and it is worth being honest about them.
Heavy pilling across the whole garment. Pilling is the fibre breaking down, not sitting on top of it. A fabric shaver buys you a few weeks and then the pills come back. If the surface is rough all over, the garment is near the end of its run.
Fabric that has gone thin and sheer. Hold it up to the light. If you can see the shop through a whole panel, a patch on one spot will not save it. The next hole is already forming somewhere you cannot see.
Broken zips, split structural seams and missing hardware. These need a sewing machine and a spare part, not a patch. Worth a trip to an alterations place if the piece is special, but that is a different budget and a different afternoon.
Which patch for which op shop find?
| The find | The flaw | The patch |
|---|---|---|
| Wool jumper, cardigan, scarf | Moth holes, thin elbows | Merino |
| Jeans, cords, chinos | Worn inner thighs, knees | Stretch Denim |
| Leggings, activewear, tees | Small holes, snags | Stretch Black |
| Denim jacket, shirt, tote | Stains, pocket tears | Stretch Banksia or a print |
| Raincoat, puffer, outdoor gear | Rips, weather exposure | Extreme |
If you want to go deeper on a particular garment, we have full guides on repairing jeans and on repairing indoor clothing like knitwear and everyday tops.
How long does an op shop fix actually take?
About a minute per patch, and most of that is deciding where to put it.
- Lay the garment flat and smooth the fabric around the damage.
- Bring the edges of the hole together so they sit flush.
- Peel the patch and place it over the damage, centred.
- Rub firmly across the whole patch for about sixty seconds, working from the middle out to the edges.
- Wear it now but wait 3 days before washing.
No iron. No needle. No sewing machine gathering dust in the hall cupboard. You can FabPatch it on the kitchen table while the kettle boils.
Frequently asked questions
Should I wash op shop clothes before I patch them?
Yes, and before you wear them. Wash first, dry fully, then patch onto clean, dry fabric. A patch needs a clean surface to bond to, and second-hand fabric often carries detergent residue or storage dust you cannot see.
Can I patch a hole on the inside so it does not show?
On woven fabrics like denim and cotton, yes. Applying from the inside hides the patch and still closes the hole. On fine knits, a patch on the outside usually gives a neater result because the knit structure is more open.
What is the biggest hole a patch can cover?
The patch needs to make solid contact with healthy fabric all the way around the damage, so leave a decent margin. If the hole runs close to the edge of the patch, size up or use a larger shape from the pack.
Do rub-on patches work on vintage or delicate fabrics?
Yes but we recommend delicate vintage silk and heavily aged fabric are better handled by a professional mender.
Can I patch a second-hand piece I plan to resell?
You can, and it is worth describing the repair honestly in your listing. A neatly patched piece with a disclosed fix sells better than a hole nobody mentioned.
What if the op shop find is a colour I do not have a patch for?
Go the other way and make it deliberate. A contrast patch on a plain garment reads as a design choice, which is why visible mending has taken off. Two patches placed symmetrically look even more intentional than one.
Your next op shop trip just got better
Keep a pack in the drawer and that $8 jumper with one hole in it stops being a gamble. Long live the adventure.
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