Omar Khalid
The plastic zipper, a ubiquitous feature of modern clothing, has a long history of innovation. The zipper itself was invented in 1917 by Swedish-American engineer Gideon Sundback, who received a patent for a separable fastener. However, the story of the zipper begins much earlier, with various inventors contributing to its development over time. The early versions of the zipper faced issues with durability and manufacturing challenges, but Sundback's design gained traction when it was used on boots, and the term zipper was coined in 1923. Over the years, zippers evolved from metal to plastic, with plastic zippers offering advantages such as colour customisation and watertight seals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of invention | Technically, the zipper was invented in 1917 |
| Inventor | Gideon Sundback |
| First patent | Germany, 1909 |
| Patent for "separable fastener" | 1917 |
| Name "Zipper" coined | 1923 |
| Zippers used in | Boots, children's clothing, men's pants, women's clothing, pencil cases, small plastic pouches, stationery, jackets, coats, luggage, scuba diving dry suits, ocean survival suits, hazmat suits |
| Zipper types | Metal, plastic, nylon, airtight, watertight, spiral, die-cast, injection-molded, coil, polyacetal resin, polyethylene, pre-formed wire, flat wire |
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What You'll Learn
The zipper was technically invented in 1917
In the following decades, several inventors built upon Howe's concept, trying to create a more practical and effective closure system. In 1891, Whitcomb L. Judson, a mechanical engineer, patented a similar invention called the "Clasp Locker", which was composed of hooks and eyes joined by a hand-pulled guide. This invention was debuted at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago but struggled to gain popularity due to its tendency to come apart easily.
Despite these setbacks, Gideon Sundback, a Swedish-American engineer, continued to refine the design. In 1909, he registered his first patent for a fastening device in Germany. However, it wasn't until 1917 that he received a patent for a "separable fastener", which was the modern zipper in its first true design. Sundback's invention featured interlocking teeth and a slider, addressing the issues of previous designs that tended to pull apart.
The term "zipper" was coined in 1923 by the B.F. Goodrich Company, an American company that used Sundback's design on boots. The name was derived from the distinctive zipping sound the device made when it was opened and closed. It wasn't until the 1930s that zippers began to be widely used in children's clothing and adult fashion, revolutionising the way we dress and fastening our garments securely.
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The name 'zipper' was coined in 1923
The name 'Zipper' for the popular fastening device was coined in 1923 by the B.F. Goodrich Company, an American firm. The company used Swedish-American engineer Gideon Sundback's design on boots and created the term 'Zipper', inspired by the noise the device made when used.
The zipper was technically invented in 1917, but the name was formalised in 1923. Sundback had improved upon previous designs to create the first truly functional zipper. The device was initially used in footwear, and zippers remained a fixture in the footwear industry for nearly 20 years. They were added to children's clothing in the 1930s, and this is when they gained popularity. Marketing campaigns labelled zippers as a way to improve children's independence, as they could dress themselves.
The zipper's invention can be traced back to earlier designs and concepts. In 1851, Elias Howe created a garment fastener, but he did not pursue it further, perhaps due to his work on the sewing machine. In 1891, Whitcomb Judson patented a similar device, which he called the 'Clasp Locker'. This design was also similar to a zipper but lacked a slider to bring the two sides together.
Gideon Sundback joined the Automatic Hook and Eye Company in 1906 and, through trial and error, invented the first version of the zipper with interlocking teeth in 1913. This design prevented the pulling apart problem seen in earlier versions. Sundback's design was called the 'Hookless Fastener No.1'. The name 'Zipper' was formalised soon after, and the device became popular in children's and men's clothing in the 1920s and 1930s.
Zippers have evolved since their early days, and different types are constantly being developed. Plastic zippers, for example, were a result of war shortages and became popular due to their strength and economy. They can be made in any colour and are commonly used in stationery, pencil cases, and small plastic pouches.
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The first zipper was made of brass
The zipper was technically invented in 1917, but the story of its creation begins much earlier. In 1851, Elias Howe created the first known effort at a closure system, which he called the "automatic continuous clothing closure". This invention was a series of clasps joined by a connecting cord, but it was never marketed. Several inventors built upon Howe's design over the next few decades. In 1891, Whitcomb Judson patented a similar invention, the "clasp locker", composed of hooks and eyes. However, this design was prone to coming apart.
In 1906, Gideon Sundback joined the Automatic Hook and Eye Company and began working on improving the zipper design. In 1913, he invented the first version of the zipper with interlocking teeth, which he called the "Hookless Fastener No. 1". The first zippers were made of a low-friction, long-wearing brass alloy. Sundback's design was a significant improvement, but it wasn't until 1923 that the term "zipper" was coined by the B.F. Goodrich Company, who used his design on boots.
Zippers became popular for children's and men's clothing in the 1920s and 1930s, and they began to be used in adult fashion, starting with men's pants and then moving into womenswear. In the 1930s, metal zippers were commonly made using the "DaB" (wire on tape) process, where staples were punched out of a wire and pressed onto a fabric band. However, it wasn't until the 1940s that coil-type nylon zippers were invented, and they did not come into common use until the 1960s.
During this time, war shortages led to the creation of zippers made out of plastic. The development of plastic zippers allowed for a wide range of colours and uses, from clothing to stationery. Today, plastic zippers are commonly made using polyacetal resin or other thermoplastic polymers, and they are valued for their strength and economy.
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Plastic zippers were a result of war shortages
The zipper was invented in 1917 by Swedish-American engineer Gideon Sundback. However, the first zippers were made of metal. War shortages meant that zippers began to be made out of plastic. This shift in materials was also influenced by the increasing importance of plastics in many areas due to their strength and economy.
Plastic zippers are typically made using polyacetal resin, although other thermoplastic polymers such as polyethylene are also used. They are commonly used for pencil cases, small plastic pouches, and other stationery. Plastic zippers can be made in any colour of plastic, unlike metal zippers, which must be painted to match the surrounding fabric.
Plastic zippers are also used in airtight zipper constructions, which are commonly used in scuba diving dry suits, ocean survival suits, and hazmat suits. These zippers are built like standard toothed zippers but feature a waterproof sheeting made of fabric-reinforced polyethylene. When the zipper is closed, the two facing sides of the plastic sheeting are squeezed tightly against one another, forming a double seal.
The development of plastic zippers was also influenced by the need for new developments in the fashion industry. Plastic zippers allowed for a wider range of colours and designs, as well as improved functionality and strength.
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Zippers were added to children's clothing in the 1930s
The zipper was technically invented in 1917 by Swedish-American engineer Gideon Sundback. Sundback built upon previous designs, such as the 1851 "Automatic Continuous Clothing Closure" by Elias Howe, to create the "Separable Fastener", which became the modern zipper in its first true design. However, the name "zipper" was not used until 1923, when the B.F. Goodrich Company used Sundback's design on boots and coined the term based on the noise the device made.
For the next two decades, zippers remained popular mainly in footwear and tobacco pouches. This was partly because clothes were typically fastened with buttons or laces, which most people were content with. However, in the 1930s, zippers began to be added to children's clothing. Marketing campaigns labelled them as a way to improve children's independence, as they made it possible for kids to dress themselves. From there, zippers exploded into adult fashion, starting with men's pants and later making their way into womenswear.
Zippers became a fashion trend in the 1930s, known for making clothing more practical and stylish. They were featured in designer Elsa Schiaparelli's avant-garde gowns, promoting their popularity in women's clothing. The 1930s also saw the rise of jackets with zippers that open on both ends, and side seam zips became common from the late 1930s to the 1960s. By the time of World War II, zips had become widely used in Europe and North America.
The widespread adoption of zippers in clothing was also influenced by societal changes. The women's suffrage movement led to a shift away from formal and restrictive clothing, such as lace-up dresses, towards more comfortable and practical styles like flapper dresses and trousers. Zippers offered greater garment security than buttons and were faster and more convenient to use. These advantages contributed to their increasing popularity and made them the most common type of fastener used today.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic zippers were invented during World War II due to metal shortages. However, the zipper business still suffered because raw goods were in short supply.
The plastic zipper was likely invented by the same person who invented the metal zipper, Swedish-American engineer Gideon Sundback.
Plastics became increasingly important in zipper manufacturing in many areas from the 1950s onwards, due to their superior strength and economy. However, metal zippers continued to be used in certain applications, such as high-grade jeans and workwear.
Plastic zippers are identical to metallic zippers, except that the teeth are made of plastic instead of metal. Plastic zippers mostly use polyacetal resin, though other thermoplastic polymers such as polyethylene are also used.
