How to Fix A Zip

It's a common issue facing anyone who owns anything with a zipper; which is pretty much all of us. But many people will put up with a poorly performing zipper for way longer than they should. People will stop using a $200 bag because a $0.20 zip slider needs a little squeeze. 

Zips and zip sliders are often one of the cheapest parts of your garment or item. That's invariably because they are so basic. You can't make something so brilliantly designed anymore complicated. Yet the zip works harder than anything else. It's pulled up and down constantly with little regard for what's going on in that little slider. 

Did you know the zipper was first introduced to world in 1893 at the World's Fair in Chicago? And it hasn't changed too much since then. 

This animation shows what happens within the rails of the zip slider. 

Zippers (the teeth and ribbon) and zip sliders (the metal separator) are often taken for granted but when you study them you see that they are very basic. That means they are invariably easy to break as well as fix and replace. 

So next time you have a zip issue, manage it early to minimise further damage and inconvenience. 

FYI, while I don't claim Jack Stillman zips won't ever fail you, we choose to use YKK zippers on our bags and wallets because of their higher than average quality control and manufacturing standards. 

What are your zip fix tips? Share them below

Blogs and copy wrote by Jarrod Stillman and Jangle E-Commerce