If you keep finding small holes in shirts, sweaters, or other clothing, the first suspects are often clothes moths or carpet beetle larvae. These pests don’t usually eat synthetic fabric itself, but they can damage wool, cashmere, silk, fur, feathers, and clothing that contains traces of sweat, food, or skin oils. Carpet beetle larvae are especially easy to miss because they hide in closets, drawers, carpeting, and dark corners rather than crawling around openly on clothes.
However, insects aren’t the only possible cause. Holes like the ones in this photo can also come from friction and repeated rubbing. Shirt fabric frequently wears out where it touches belt buckles, jeans buttons, countertops, backpack straps, or rough furniture. Washing machines and dryers can make existing weak spots worse, particularly if clothing catches on zippers, bra hooks, damaged drum surfaces, or other sharp objects during a cycle.
A useful clue is where the damage appears. If holes repeatedly develop in the same area—such as around the waist or lower front of shirts—friction is more likely. If you find scattered holes across clothing stored untouched for weeks or months, especially natural-fiber garments, check for pests. Look inside closets and drawers for tiny larvae, shed skins, webbing, small cocoons, or adult moths and beetles. Vacuuming storage areas thoroughly and washing affected clothes can help stop an infestation.
To prevent future damage, store clean clothing rather than putting away items with food or sweat residue, and consider sealed containers for valuable wool or cashmere garments. Inspect your washer and dryer for rough edges and close zippers before washing. If new holes keep appearing despite those precautions, pest activity becomes more likely. The mystery usually comes down to one of two things: something is eating the fibers, or something is repeatedly rubbing and tearing them.
