There are many mysteries in life that we never end up understanding. But the metal buttons on the pockets of your jeans? Let's knock that one off the list.
While you probably never really notice these design details, they're actually there for a really good reason. Patented by Levi Strauss, these buttons are called rivets and they're there to make sure your denim holds up to the wear and tear your body puts it through as you move about each day.
The idea dates back to 1829, when Strauss noticed that miners were complaining about their pants not lasting through long work days. We can thank Strauss for the follow-through on the design, but it was actually tailor Jacob Davis who sent Strauss a letter in 1872 bringing this issue to light. He shared that he discovered through his own work that reinforcing pockets and other weak points on the jean with copper rivets helped them last longer, according to History.com.
That wasn't the end of Strauss and Davis' relationship. While the pocket design was popular in Davis' hometown of Reno, he was searching for someone to help him patent the idea. Strauss agreed, and brought Davis on as the production manager of his company.
So, thank you, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis, for ensuring that the whole ripped pants situation steers clear of the pocket area.
