Down jackets provide excellent protection against cold, wintry weather. They’re also lightweight, making them ideal outerwear, especially if you’re a keen hiker or mountain climber.
Unfortunately, down jackets are also liable to start leaking feathers or down if they tear. So what do you do when that happens?
Resist Sewing Up the Hole
It’s tempting to get out a needle and thread and start sewing. But if you want to repair a down jacket effectively, the first thing you need to know is that sewing isn’t the solution to fixing down jackets.
Anyone familiar with down pillows has seen feathers slip, not out of holes, but from the spaces between threads in high-quality thread count fabric. That tells you everything you need to know; Down can leak out from even the tiniest holes, including needle holes.
Just because needle and thread can’t get the job done, that doesn’t mean your down jacket is irreparable – patches are the solution to this problem.
Before You Get Started
Regardless of what kind of patch you use to repair your down jacket, you first want to clean or wash the fabric. By doing this, you can remove anything that might be sticking to your jacket like:
- Oils
- Dirt
- Tree gum
Washing your down jacket after it’s mended is still an option. However, cleaning it first ensures that the patch you use to perform the repair will bond effectively with the jacket itself, rather than the oils or dirt that might be on it.
Additionally, it’s recommended that you take the time to cut and alter your patch to a suitable size. Doing this can prevent the patch from snagging on trees, branches, or even hangers in the future. Rounding out the edges before pressing will also help keep the edges smooth and snag-free.
Adhesive Patches – Things You’ll Need
- Adhesive Patch
- Scissors
- Isopropyl Alcohol
Repairing Down Jackets with Adhesive Patches
Washing your jacket before mending it is particularly important for self-adhesive patches.
When using a self-adhesive patch to repair a tear in a down jacket, the next step is to rinse the site of the tear with a small amount of isopropyl alcohol.
Next, inspect the tear for any loose threads or down that might be leaking out. Cut any loose threads with scissors. If you notice any down sticking out of the jacket, push it back in. If that’s not possible, remove the down and set it aside.
With the tear tidied, remove the backing from the adhesive patch. Tenacious Tape Mini Patches or Tenacious Tape Gear Patches are both excellent products to use for this kind of repair.
Place the patch over the damaged part of the down jacket, ensuring that the patch overlaps with the rip by 0.5 inches (12mm) in all directions.
Starting from the center out, smooth out all air bubbles and puckers. When the edges are flat, and the patch is smooth, you’ve finished.
Before washing your jacket, wait 24 hours after repairing it. This will give the patch enough time to bond with the down jacket and ensure that the repair is complete.
Iron-On Patches – Things You’ll Need
- Iron-on patch
- Scissors
- Either an iron, hairdryer or tumble dryer
Repairing Down Jackets With an Iron-On Patch
Using an iron-on patch to repair a down jacket isn’t too different from using an adhesive patch, but it takes a bit longer.
Start by rinsing and drying off the part of the down jacket that needs mending.
As with an adhesive patch, check for loose threads and down, and remove them before patching.
Remove the backing from the iron-on patch and place it over the tear in your down jacket.
If you’re using an iron to complete the repair, set it to a medium temperature. Alternatively, if there is a permanent press setting, use this instead. If you don’t have an iron, a hairdryer makes an adequate substitute.
Carefully heat the patch in all directions for 30 seconds. Take care that you distribute the iron’s heat and pressure evenly across the surface of the patch.
After repairing your down jacket, you can tumble dry it using regular heat for 30 minutes. This reinforces the bond between the patch and down jacket.
Wrapping Things Up
By following this guide, you should now have a fully repaired down jacket.
Remember, it’s essential that you leave that needle and thread in the sewing box. This is one repair where a stitch in time won’t save nine. On the other hand, grab a patch and your trusty pair of scissors to do the job. Be sure to keep those scissors handy to help smooth out any tears and make patching as easy as possible.
Once you’ve patched and repaired your down jacket, you’ll be all set to resume any outdoor adventuring you have planned and warmly embrace the coming winter months.
