How do I keep ribbon ends from fraying? My teenage daughter dances ballet, and on a fairly regular basis we need to get her new pointe shoes. After so many pairs, I've gotten surprisingly good at sewing in the elastic and ribbons that need to go on the new shoes.

One thing I would like to improve on is the ends of the satin ribbons. When they are simply trimmed to length with scissors, they will inevitably fray and unravel over time. This is only somewhat alleviated by cutting a "snake tongue" at the end, an indented "V" shape -- that angle will help the ribbons last a few weeks longer, but I'm trying to find a solution that will last for months (without constantly trimming the ends until there is really nothing left!)...

How can I prevent the ends of satin ribbon from fraying?
I would like to suggest something I was told while I was working on my ties. What you could do is to use some clear nail polish, not a lot, to stiffen the ends of the ribbon. That should prevent them from fraying at all. It is likely that you could use something like a super glue to accomplish the same thing. 

You don't need a lot so, while it will darken the ribbon, if used sparingly it should not be noticeable.



Image from Wikihow

The page that comes from also suggests gluing as well as an alternative. It also covers using heat which Stephanie's answer covers better.

Of course, that could also be seen as less then aesthetically pleasing. So to compliment my solution I would then suggest you use some thread and something simple like a tight overcast stitch. The thread will hold around the polish and hopefully distract from its presence. The nail polish alone should be enough to stop it from coming undone for a while. That would all depend on wear and tear at that point.