It may not seem so, but hem tapes are one of the most important useful inventions for sewing. In fact, the best hem tapes can make your sewing effortless and easy.
A hem tape is nothing more complicated than a thin strip of webbing that comes with double-sided glue. The glue is activated with heat, i.e. with the help of a household iron when you need to use it on your clothes.
Hem tapes also come with rolls of tape that you can use to stick to your fabric when you need one in a hurry. Most of the time, hem tapes are no-sew, and they come with either heat-sensitive glue or tape on both sides to save time and effort.
As simple as hem tapes are, you can’t just buy the first roll of hem tape you see without knowing its features. Although most hem tapes are similar, they can have some specific characteristics that you need to know beforehand.
Top 8 Best Hem Tapes Reviews
1. Outus Fabric Adhesive Fusing Hem Tape
This is an affordable and practical pack of two hem tapes, each 27 yards in length. The hems are both ½” in breadth, just the right size for most pieces of clothing. You can use this hem tape for pillow cases, bottom part of dresses and skirts, jeans, double backing robbins, curtains and cushion covers.
These hem tapes are both durable and time saving; you won’t have to sew them onto your fabrics painstakingly. Rather, they can be fixed to a number of fabric types simply by applying heat with a household iron.
These hem tapes are extremely easy to apply. You have to simply flatten the piece of fabric or clothing you want to use the hem tape on, and cut the tape piece accordingly. The next step would be to place the hem tape on the seam of the piece of fabric, dampen the surface and iron the cloth with a household iron.
It takes about 10 seconds of heat to fix the piece of hem tape to the fabric permanently. You need to move the handheld iron back and forth on the piece of clothing for at least 10 seconds to make it permanent.
This is a durable help tape that helps in making your fabric and pieces of clothing strong and reliable. With this hem tape in place, your fabric becomes stronger and less prone to tears around the hemmed areas, even after multiple washes.
You can dry clean or machine wash any piece of clothing that you have used this piece of hem tape on, and it won’t tear or wash away in the water.
This is a very versatile piece of hem tape that you can use in not just your clothes, but in a number of art and craft projects around the house, including plush toys, curtains and backpacks, tapestry and pillows.
Key Features:
- Set of two rolls
- Each tape is 27 yards long
- Hem tapes are ½” wide
- Can be fixed permanently to fabric with heat
- Needs a regular household iron to fix to fabric
- Needs 10 seconds to permanently fix
- Can be used on most fabric types and craft projects
- Extremely easy to cut and use
- Makes your clothes stronger and more durable
- Almost weightless and convenient to use
- Can be washed, machine washed and dry cleaned
- Won’t wash away or melt over time
- Comes in convenient rolls of hem tape
- Shouldn’t be ironed directly
- Not suitable for sticky, smooth or very silky fabrics
2. Singer 00240 Heavy Duty Fusing Web
This is a small but durable hem tape from Singer – the world’s leading manufacturer of sewing machines and machine parts. The pack contains a single roll of hem tape of ¾” in width and a length of 8 yards.
The hem tape can be fused to most fabric types and craft projects with just a household iron, with no need to sew or add glue. This roll of hem tape can be used on any heavy fabric like denim, twill and corduroy but also on regular fabrics like cotton and polyester.
This hem tape is, first and foremost, great for adding to the hems of your stiff skirts and jeans, but also in the hems of any kind of clothing where you want the hem to be sturdy and durable.
You can easily fuse the hem of your dresses, dress pants, jeans and skirts with this hem tape, but also use it to fix hems, facings, trims and other parts of your clothes and crafts – all without needing a needle and thread.
This is also a heavy-duty hem tape that you can use for mending tears in your clothes or in the hems of your clothes. To activate the hem, you simply have to press an iron on the piece of cloth covering the hem tape in between layers, and your hem will remain sturdy for a long time.
Key Features:
- Small, affordable and durable hem tape
- 27 yards long and ¾” wide
- Can be fixed permanently to fabric with heat
- Needs a regular household iron to fix to fabric
- Needs only a few seconds to permanently fix to fabrics
- Can be used on most fabric types and craft projects
- Extremely easy to cut and use
- Makes your clothes stronger and more durable
- Almost weightless and convenient to use
- Won’t wash away or melt over time
- Comes in a convenient roll that can be easily stored
- Shouldn’t be ironed directly
- One small roll can finish 5 pair of work pants
- Can be used in heavy curtains and tapestry
3. Scotch Essentials Permanent Hem Bonding Strips
Instead of rolls of tape, you get individual strips of bonding hem tape in this set of 30 tapes. Each piece of tape ¾” in width and 4” in length (19 mm x 10.1 cm), with a 0.5” thickness and beige in color, these strips will be completely invisible beneath your clothes.
You can use these strips of bonding hem tapes anywhere on your clothes, not just at the hems of your pant bottoms and skirts. Practically invisible, they can keep portions of your clothes firm and durable when used in between button holes in your work shirts to hold them together, to secure your necklines, or around your shoulders to keep them straight.
Besides adding to your hems, these bonding strips can be carried around in your bag for instant garment fixing purposes, i.e. to keep your scarves and other accessories stay attached and secured to your clothes, to cover uncomfortable tags at the back, to conceal a wide cleavage in T-shirts and dresses, and even to brush away fuzzes and pills from woven and knit sweaters.
An one-stop solution that all women should carry in their bags for instant garment solutions.
Perfectly durable, these strips instantly fasten to any fabric type permanently and doesn’t wash away with water or when dry cleaned.
Key Features:
- Comes in individual strips of bonding hem
- Permanent bonding without the need for ironing or sewing
- Each strip is 4” in length and ¾” in width
- Can be fixed permanently to fabric instantly
- 30 individual strips in a packet
- Permanently fixes to most fabrics immediately after application
- Can be used on most fabric types except silk
- Can be used as emergency garment fixture
- Can be used to mend clothes, conceal a wide cleavage cover tags and stop pills and fizzes of knit clothes
- Makes your clothes stronger and more durable
- Vanishes inside your clothes
- Can be carried around in a bag or pocket
- Almost weightless and convenient to use
- Won’t wash away or melt over time
- Can be used as a hem around pant bottoms and jeans
- Can be used to fix lost buttons immediately
- Beige color vanishes against most clothing and skin
- Perfectly comfortable against bare skin
4. Dritz 22 STITCH WITCHERY Fusible Bonding
A rather large roll of fusible bonding web that is 20 yards in length and comes with a width of ⅝” inch. Made from polyamide, this is a transparent and fusible hem tape that you can use to bind two pieces of fabric together. Simply with a household iron, you can fuse your fabrics together with a layer of this hem tape in the middle.
This hem tape is most suitable for fabrics that are both light and dark colored, as the tape itself is white and almost invisible inside fabrics. It is also more suited to regular-weighted clothes and fabrics than heavier ones. This hem tape from Dritz is machine washable and dryable.
Other similar hem tapes from Dristz can also be applied in heavy clothes and fabrics, and they come in various weights and sizes. You can use this hem tape not just for your hems at the bottom of your jeans, work pants and skirts, but also in ribbons, as trims on clothes and while pacing appliques on your clothes.
Key Features:
- Set of single role comes in its own packaging
- 20 yards in length and ⅝” in width
- Can be fixed permanently to fabric almost instantly
- Needs to be ironed on for permanent sticking
- Activated by a regular household iron
- Permanently fixes to most fabrics immediately after application
- Can be used on most fabric types
- Perfect for both white colored and dark colored fabrics
- More suitable for regular-weighted clothes
- Makes your clothes stronger and more durable
- Vanishes inside your clothes
- Won’t wash away or melt over time
- Can be machine washed and dried
- White in color
- Can be used in ribbons, as appliques and trims on clothes
5. Quilting Wash Away Tape
These are rather sticky tapes that are only ¼” in width, but great for piercing quilting ribbons, placing appliques, positioning patch pockets and for lining up zip tape to your fabrics and clothes. This is a set of 4 rolls that are each 22 yards long, with tape on both sides.
With these sticky tapes, you won’t have to iron the hem tapes on to your fabrics. You can directly stick them to most fabrics or sew them in to make your clothes more durable and strong.
The hem tapes are quite thin and fit any small pocket or lining of your clothes. They can be easily washed away by water when you wash it the first time, and they can easily be sewed through with any regular needle. You can simply attach them while sewing complicated areas and then wash the hem tape inside for a more comfortable wear.
Key Features:
- Pack of 4 rolls
- Each roll is 22 yards in length and ¼” in width
- Self-adhesive hem tape sticky on both sides
- Can be washed away with water after project is completed
- Perfect for piercing quilting ribbons, placing appliques, positioning patch pockets and lining up zip tape
- Smooth enough to sew with regular needles
- Fits perfectly into small linings and under button holes
- Temporarily holds two pieces of fabric together for sewing
6. Therm O Web PeelnStick Fabric Fuse Tape
This is a single roll of sticky hem tape that is 20 feet (6.67 yards) long with a width of ⅝”, with adhesive on both sides. It is also washable by water so you can use it to temporarily hold your fabric in place while you sew.
These are temporary hem tapes for convenience of sewing and will be washed away when you are finished with the project. Unless you wash your clothing, the hem tapes will hold on permanently to your fabrics, even after multiple use.
You won’t need to sew or iron-on these hem tapes. They come with durable and strong adhesive on both sides that you can simply press on to your fabrics. They bond instantly with most fabrics when you press them to your clothes.
Key Features:
- Single roll of sticky hem tape
- 20 feet or 6.67 yard long
- ⅝” in width
- Washable in water
- Temporary water-soluble hem tape for ease in sewing and instant repair
- Permanent on most fabrics unless washed
- Durable and strong adhesive on both sides
- Bonds instantly with fabric after application
- Adhesive on both sides
7. HeatnBond Iron-on Adhesive Hem Tape
Another heat-adhesive, iron-on hem tape from which is from the brand HeatnBond, perfect for permanent use in hemming garments and craft projects. You won’t have to sew these hem tapes to your clothes to work; nor would you have to press them into the fabrics.
What you need instead, is a household iron that you can use to iron the hem tape to your clothes instantly. In only a few seconds, you’ll get a durable and strong hem tape with just a little amount of heat. The roll is ¾” in width and 8 yards in length.
This is a super-weighted hem tape that is more suitable for heavier fabrics like denim, wool, suede, corduroy and heavy cotton. The color is white and almost transparent, making it the perfect for both dark and light colored fabrics. With the heat from a household iron, this hem tape becomes permanently attached to most heavy fabrics, even after regular use and multiple washes.
This set of roll doesn’t come with any paper liner or backing paper, but turns into a permanent hem tape in a matter of seconds. You can use this tape as hemming or lining in curtains and tapestries, craft projects and even jeans, pants and heavy skirts.
Key Features:
- Single roll in a packet
- Permanent bonding hem with just a regular household iron
- Each strip is ¾” in width and 8 yards in length
- Can be fixed permanently to fabric instantly
- Permanently fixes to most fabrics immediately after applying heat
- Can be used on most fabric types
- Specifically perfect for heavy fabrics like denim, wool, suede, corduroy and heavy cotton
- Makes your clothes stronger and more durable
- Won’t wash away or melt over time
- Which color perfect for both dark and white clothes
- No paper liner or backing paper
- Adhesive on both side
- Heat-activated
8. 3346 Peel’n Stick Fabric Fuse Tape
A two-role set from iCraft, these hem and fuse tapes come in their own packaging and are small enough to carry with you in your bag, or keep on your work table. Each roll is 20 feet in length and ⅝” in width, and they can be used as permanent hem tape on most kinds of fibres and clothings – heavy to light.
From your work pants and skirts to heavy curtains and upholstery, this is a kind of hem tape that can be used without any worries.
There’s no need to sew or iron these hem tapes to your clothes. They come with their own permanent adhesive on both sides that can stick to most fabrics almost immediately. You can wash the fabrics with water, by hand or in a machine, and even tumble dry in a machine, and there would be no problem with the hem tape inside.
It would not wash away or melt away with time or water; this hem tape comes with a strong and durable adhesive that will bond instantly with fabrics and stay permanent over the years.
Key Features:
- Comes in a pack of two hem tapes
- 20 feet long and ⅝” wide
- Can be fixed permanently to fabric with adhesive
- Needs only a few seconds to permanently fix
- No need to sew or use an iron
- Can be used on most fabric types and craft projects
- Can be used on heavy clothes and curtains
- Makes your clothes stronger and more durable
- Won’t wash away or melt over time
- Comes in a convenient roll that can be easily stored
- Can be machined washed and tumbled dry
- Can be used as a quick fix hem
- Cannot be dry cleaned
- Strong double-sided adhesive
Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Hem Tapes
Although hem tapes are a very small tool needed in sewing, it is important that you keep some features in mind while buying or ordering some for yourself. There are some things to consider before buying them, which you can find below.
1. Permanent vs. Temporary Hem Tapes
Most of the hem tapes are temporary, but some of them can also be temporary. Although hem tapes are used inside layers of fabrics to make the clothes stronger and more durable, sometimes we need the help of temporary hem tapes for emergency clothing disasters and quick fixes.
While most hem tapes are permanent ones, there are a few temporary ones like the Quilting Wash Away Tape and the Therm O Web PeelnStick Fabric Fuse Tape. These are temporary hem tapes that you can use to keep two or more pieces of fabrics together while you sew them or attach them permanently for your projects.
Although strong and durable, they will wash away when the fabric is washed for the first time. Unless you wash your finished fabrics, these hem tapes will stay permanently attached to your fabric for as long as you want it to.
The Scotch Essentials Permanent Hem Bonding Strips are also a temporary solution that you can use to fix clothing emergencies like attaching scarves and accessories to your clothes, fixing wide cleavages, to cover uncomfortable tags at the back and for stopping sweater spills and frizzes. Unless you wash them, they will stay attached to your clothes,making them both permanent and temporary.
Apart from these three, all the other types of hem tapes in this list are all permanent ones that can all be sewn to the fabric or ironed on.
2. Method of Application
There are three methods of application when it comes to hem tapes: press on, iron-on and sew-on. Among them, sew-on and iron-on methods are permanent ones whereas most press-on hem tapes or tapes with adhesives work temporarily.
The different types of hem tapes are used for different purposes. The Singer 00240 Heavy Duty Fusing Web, for example, is a heavy-duty iron-on hem tape that you can attach to the bottom hem of stiff pants, jeans and skirts to make them more durable and sturdy. The Therm O Web PeelnStick Fabric Fuse Tape is another iron-on hem tape that are temporary ones. They can hold your fabric together while sewing and then wash away with water.
The 3346 Peel N Stick Fabric Fuse Tape, on the other hand, is a roll of press-on hem tape that you don’t need to iron on or sew on. They come with adhesive on both sides that can simply be pressed on the fabric to make them stick to the clothes. These types of press-on hem tapes can be both permanent and temporary.
3. Width of the Hem Tape
With hem tapes, the width of each roll or strip can be anything under an inch. Although you can get tapes wider than an inch, most hem tapes stay under one inch based on their width. The Outus Fabric Adhesive Fusing Hem Tape is a medium width tape that is ½ inch in width, the Singer 00240 Heavy Duty Fusing Web is slightly larger at ¾ inch and the Quilting Wash Away Tape is extremely thin at ¼ inch.
For the hems around the bottom of jeans or work pants, the wider hem tapes are better, but for using under ribbons and appliques, the ones with thinner widths are better.
4. Length of the Hem Tapes
Length of hem tapes aren’t very important because they mostly come in rolls that can be cut into smaller pieces, as much as needed. The rolls can be anything from 5 to 50 yards long, and they usually come in single pieces or sets of multiple pieces. Depending on the need, you can order single rolls of hem tapes or a dozen of them.
In some cases, however, the length is important, i.e. the Scotch Essentials Permanent Hem Bonding Strips. These are strips of hem tape instead of rolls and each strip is 4” in length.
5. Color
Color is important when you are using these hem tapes inside light-colored fabrics. You don’t want the hems to be visible from inside light-colored or white-colored clothes. However, most hem tape rolls and strips are either beige or white in color, which means they can be used to stay perfectly hidden away inside both white, light-colored and dark-colored fabrics.
6. Wash-away vs. Permanent Hem Tapes
Permanent tapes are the ones that stay hidden inside the hems of our clothes to make them fit better, stay strong and durable. The primary use of these hem tapes are to stay permanently hidden inside our clothes, even after multiple washing, drying and regular use.
On the other hand, wash-away hem tapes such as the Quilting Wash Away Tape are only used to keep two pieces of fabric together while you sew them and finish your project. They are meant to be washed away immediately after you have completed the project.
7. Fabric Types
Most hem tapes are suitable for regular weighted fabrics that we use every day, but not fabrics that are too smooth or too silky, i.e. silk and satin. Some hem tapes are perfectly suited for heavy-weighted fabrics like corduroy, denim and twill, such as the Singer 00240 Heavy Duty Fusing Web.
As you can see, these are the features you need to remember while buying or ordering hem tapes for your clothes, for the best results.
How to Use the Best Hem Tapes?
Although it is something small and almost invisible, a hem tape or a hemming tape is a wonderful tool that is really going to help you when you are sewing, making clothes or working on a craft or a project.
Hem tapes are simply a very lightweight and thin piece of fabric, almost sheer and invisible that we put between two pieces of fabric. There are a few uses of a hem tape in sewing; they are used to keep a particular portion of our clothes stiff, they are used to make our fabric sturdy and more durable, or they are used to repair and sew through clothes.
The use of hem tapes depend on where they are being used, and the type of hem tapes we are using. Hem tapes are usually of three types: sew-on, press-on and iron-on. Every single type of these hem tapes need to be used in different ways.
Sew-in hem tapes are also permanent hem tapes. They are used in hems of pants and skirts made of stiff materials, curtain edges and edges made from similar heavy-weight fabrics.
These kinds of hem tapes do not wash away with water but stay permanent and fixed to the fabrics. Sew-in hem tapes come with adhesives on both sides that you can use to hold two or more pieces of fabrics together. The adhesive makes it possible to sew the fabrics together without any kind of problem.
For using sew-in hem tapes, the tape needs to be cut into the required size; the backing paper from the hem tapes need to be removed before placing them on the fabric. Hemming tape that comes in rolls doesn’t always come with a backing paper.
They need to be directly placed on one part of the fabric, and the other part of the fabric is folded to cover the hem tape. The fabrics are pressed together so the adhesive keeps them attached. A regular needle can be used to sew along the edges of the fabric, or even through the hem tapes.
The process is the same when using press-on and iron-on hem tapes. These hem tapes are placed in between two pieces of fabric just like in sew-on hem tapes, but the method of application is different.
In case of iron-on hem tapes, a household iron is used on the piece of fabric covering the hem tape. The heat from the iron fuses the hem tape permanently to the hem tape between the two pieces of fabric. Iron-on hem tapes are also mostly permanent hem tapes that are not washed away with water.
The method of application in case of press-on hem tapes are also similar. These hem tapes come with strong and durable adhesive on both sides. Applying pressure on the pieces of fabric activates the adhesive and the two pieces of fabric stick together without the need for heat or sewing. Press-on hem tapes can be both permanent and temporary.
Conclusion
Hem tapes are one of the important tools that you might need in sewing, repairing or crafting projects. Although they may not seem unimportant, it is very important to get the right kind of hem tapes when you are sewing so that you get the best possible results.