A snap is a type of fastener comprised of two separate pieces that create a “click” sound when they are joined together. There are two different types of snaps that can be found in most fabric stores. A post-style snap has a shaft that penetrates through a hole cut into fabric and the prong-style snap includes teeth that poke through the garment material. If the snap on your shirt becomes lost or damaged, you can simply replace it. Every snap is comprised of two pieces, a stud and a socket.

Remove from your shirt the snap components that you wish to replace. A snap component is manufactured and guaranteed to fit only with its matching counterpart. Therefore, if only one part of the snap on your shirt is missing or damaged, you should still remove the remaining piece and replace it with a completely new matching snap set. You may need pliers in order to remove the entire unwanted snap.

Lay your shirt flat on a table and close any other snaps or buttons so you can make sure you align the replacement evenly. Place the stud component on the shirt where the previous stud was positioned. For women, when looking down at the shirt, this should be on the right side. For men’s shirts, it will be on the left side.

Thread a needle and tie the end of the string in a knot. For post-style snaps, thread the string through the fabric and into the two or four holes in the metal or plastic snap. It is a good idea to thread the snap holes to the fabric multiple times to ensure the thread will not break. Repeat this process for the socket component on the opposite side of the shirt where the previous socket was positioned. For prong-style snaps, use an application tool to fix the stud component to the fabric on the shirt where the previous stud was positioned. The application tool affixes the stud to the shirt by squeezing it once the stud is placed in the application tool. Repeat this process for the socket component on the opposite side of the shirt where the previous socket was positioned.

Snap the stud and socket components together to ensure that they rest at the same corresponding places of the shirt.

Repeat the steps for each snap along the shirt that needs to be replaced.