The zipper has become indispensable in our everyday life. The
practical fastener works well everywhere, whether you want to close your
jacket, handbag, boots, or jeans.
In the following article, you will learn what types of
zippers there are and what to do in the event of a defective zipper. popbom
History of the zipper
People used ribbons and cords or buttons and hooks and eyes
to fasten their clothes in the past. In 1851, the American Elias Howe
registered a patent for a locking mechanism that connected two fabric edges
with small metal clips. Howe's idea could hardly be implemented in practice and
was highly bulky so that it was hardly ever used.
In 1890, the inventor Withcomb Leonard Judson was tired of
clumsily fastening his shoes with laces. He sewed two metal chains into his boots,
which he connected with a kind of slider. He presented his idea at the Chicago
World's Fair and applied for a patent three years later. He did not meet with
great interest, but he opened a zipper factory near New York one year later. tockhop
The Swede Gideon Sundbäck took up Judson's idea in 1912 and
developed the closure further. Since then, the zipper has consisted of two
strips of fabric that are provided with teeth and hooked into one another. The
"Separable Fastener" was patented in the USA in 1917.
The Swiss Martin Othmar Winterhalter bought the patent in
1923 and refined the idea with ribs and grooves, leading to RiRi. The RiRi
company, founded in 1936, is still based in Mendrisio, Switzerland. The first
mass-produced zippers were made.
While the US Navy primarily used the closures at first, they
found their way into people's everyday clothing around 1930. Today you can see
the abbreviation "YKK" on many zippers, which stands for the Japanese
company Yoshida Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, the largest manufacturer of zippers in
the world.
In the meantime, the zippers are not just practical but
serve as fashionable eye-catchers.
You are sure to have discovered different types of
fastenings on your clothing: Some zippers are separable, others are closed at
the bottom. There are models made of metal and plastic or zippers that can be
opened from above and below
Perfect closure for jeans (Image: OttoPles -
shutterstock.com)
Divisible and non-divisible zippers
Divisible fasteners are perfect for jackets and vests. At
the end of the buckle, you can use a plug-in part to thread the individual pieces
back together. A small box underneath ensures that the slide or slide does not
unhook. Especially with longer jackets, two-way closures that can be opened
from both sides are practical; opening at the bottom allows you to sit more
comfortably, for example. A non-divisible zipper can only be opened up to a
certain point. In the end, the slide is blocked by a so-called stopper. An
endless zipper is a particular model of the non-divisible fastener. It is
mainly used for bed linen or bags.
Zippers often serve as eye-catchers. (Image: Greens and
Blues - shutterstock.com)
Special types of zippers
In some cases, a zipper must be openable from both sides.
Reversible zippers do not have a front or back but can be opened from both
sides using a particular slide. These closures are used, for example, in tents
or outdoor clothing.
Seam-covered zippers are practically invisible because the zipper
chain and the slider are attached to the back. These fasteners are mainly used
in dresses or skirts.
Make zips run smoothly
It is annoying when the zipper no longer closes properly.
Often it is enough to rub the teeth a little with graphite so that the lock
runs more smoothly. If you don't have graphite on hand, a bar of soap is also
suitable. Sometimes some of the teeth bend, and you can straighten them
carefully with small pliers or a screwdriver. Unfortunately, if there are
missing teeth, you will have to replace the zipper completely; in these cases,
a repair is no longer possible. Even if the parts are badly bent, there is no
more rescue. If the tooth is missing at the lower end, you can sew up the
zipper with a needle and thread at this point, then the fastener with the slide
can no longer be fully closed, but it is closed.
It becomes problematic when the teeth no longer interlock.
(Image: RUM-photo -shutterstock.com)
The zipper may be on a zipper
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