If you've ever worn a pair of jeans you've probably wondered what these tiny buttons on the pockets are for. They're rivets. ... The rivets held the pockets to the clothing. As miners were using them to carry nuggets, tools, and other items that were too heavy for just a seam, as the seams would rip under too much weight.

Why do they put rivets on jeans?

The tiny metal round things on the pockets of jeans may have escaped most people's notice. Known as 'rivets', they are placed on areas of the jeans that are most likely to be pulled apart by strain or movement and help hold the fabric together, thereby making them last longer.

What are the little snaps on jeans for?

Apparently those buttons are called rivets, and they're there to prevent jeans from wearing out and ripping at the seam. ... Young Levi Strauss came up with the idea for the rivets in 1829 when he noticed miners were complaining about how quickly their pants wore out.