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When they finally appeared, many people thought they were unnecessary, impractical and even scandalous
Today, we barely give zips a second thought. They are so common that most of us only notice them when one breaks. But behind this everyday invention lies a story involving decades of failed inventions, public ridicule, accidental success, Hollywood glamour, royal fashion, and even political controversy.
Here’s the fascinating, and at times scandalous, history of one of the world’s most overlooked inventions.
Before the zip, getting dressed was a serious chore
It’s difficult to imagine modern clothing without zips, but for centuries, people relied on buttons, hooks, laces, buckles, pins and complicated fastenings to hold their clothes together.
Victorian dresses often required another person to lace them up. Men’s boots featured rows of tiny buttons that could take several minutes to fasten. Corsets demanded patience, strength and assistance.
Inventors recognised there had to be a quicker way. The problem was finding one that actually worked.
The first zip wasn’t really a zip
The story begins in 1851 when American inventor Elias Howe, better known for helping develop the sewing machine, patented an invention called the “Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure.”
On paper, it looked promising, but Howe never seriously developed or marketed it. His attention remained focused on the sewing machine, which was already transforming clothing production. As a result, his fastening device faded into obscurity.
Had Howe pursued it, history might remember him not only as the father of the sewing machine but also as the inventor of the zip.
A disastrous invention almost killed the idea
Several decades later, another inventor decided to tackle the problem: Whitcomb Judson introduced what he called the “Clasp Locker” in 1893.
Rather than clothing, Judson originally designed it to help people fasten boots without struggling with dozens of tiny buttons. There was only one problem: it barely worked. The mechanism frequently jammed, came apart unexpectedly and was expensive to manufacture.
Judson proudly unveiled his invention at the Chicago World’s Fair, hoping to revolutionise fashion, but buyers remained unconvinced. The Clasp Locker earned little commercial success, and many believed the concept was simply impractical.
It might have disappeared forever if not for another engineer.
The man who quietly changed everything
Swedish American engineer Gideon Sundback rarely receives the recognition he deserves.
Working for the Universal Fastener Company in the early 1900s, Sundback completely redesigned Judson’s flawed invention.
Instead of awkward hooks, he created two rows of precisely engineered metal teeth that locked together using a sliding mechanism. His 1913 design is remarkably similar to the zips we still use today. It was stronger, more reliable and easier to manufacture. Most importantly, it worked.
Sundback also developed machinery capable of producing the fasteners on a large scale, making mass production commercially viable. Without his engineering breakthrough, the zip would probably never have become an everyday object.
The strange reason the zip became popular
military, which began using zips during the First World War on money belts, flight suits, military clothing and equipment because they were quicker and more reliable than buttons.
Pilots especially appreciated fasteners that could be opened and closed quickly while wearing gloves. The military helped prove that the invention was practical, and civilian manufacturers soon took notice.
Where did the word “zip” come from?
For years, the invention had awkward names like “separable fastener” and “slide fastener”, neither of which exactly rolled off the tongue.
Then, in the 1920s, the American rubber company B.F. Goodrich began using the fastener on a new range of rubber boots. When opening and closing the boots, the device made a distinctive “zip” sound.
The company nicknamed the boots “Zippers”, and consumers loved the catchy name. Eventually, the name transferred from the boots to the fastening mechanism itself. Today, “zip” is the common term across much of the English-speaking world, although Americans often still say “zipper.”
Fashion initially rejected the invention
Surprisingly, many clothing designers disliked the zip. Buttons had been associated with elegance and craftsmanship for centuries. Metal fasteners seemed industrial, mechanical and unattractive.
Luxury fashion houses worried that visible zips would cheapen expensive garments. For years, they remained hidden inside clothing rather than celebrated as a design feature. That attitude would eventually change dramatically.
The scandal that changed fashion forever
One of the biggest turning points came in the 1930s. Children’s clothing manufacturers began replacing fiddly buttons with zips because they were easier for youngsters to manage independently.
Psychologists and parenting experts praised the innovation, arguing it encouraged children to dress themselves.
Then came one of fashion’s biggest marketing moments. French fashion designers embraced the zip for men’s trousers, arguing it was more secure and practical than buttons. The fashion industry declared this the “Battle of the Fly.”
Advertisers claimed zipped trousers were safer, smarter and less likely to accidentally come undone than traditional button flies.
The campaign caused considerable debate. At a time when discussions about underwear and trouser fastenings were considered improper in polite society, openly advertising the benefits of trouser zips shocked many people.
By modern standards it seems harmless, but at the time, it was surprisingly controversial.
Hollywood made the zip glamorous
Once film stars started wearing zipped clothing, public opinion shifted. Costume designers appreciated the speed and convenience of dressing actors between scenes.
The sleek appearance also suited the streamlined fashions of the 1930s and 1940s.
As cinema became increasingly influential, consumers wanted to imitate what they saw on screen. The zip slowly evolved from a practical invention into a symbol of modernity.
Then came the wardrobe malfunction
The very feature that made the zip revolutionary also created one of fashion’s greatest embarrassments. Everyone fears discovering their fly has been left open, because unlike missing a single button, an unfastened zip can be immediately noticeable.
Politicians, celebrities, television presenters and even members of royalty have all suffered public zip mishaps over the decades.
Entire internet galleries have been devoted to famous wardrobe malfunctions involving forgotten flies. The phrase “XYZ” even entered popular culture as a discreet way of telling someone, “Examine your zip.”
The zip changed women’s fashion too
The invention also transformed women’s clothing. Before widespread zip adoption, many dresses required rows of buttons or hooks running down the back, which often meant another person was needed to help fasten them.
Side and back zips made dressing much faster and significantly more convenient. Eventually, front zips appeared on dresses, skirts and jumpsuits, becoming both functional and fashionable. Today, exposed decorative zips are often intentionally incorporated into luxury fashion.
The invention that reached the top of the world
The zip’s reliability made it invaluable far beyond everyday clothing. Mountaineers rely on heavy-duty zips in extreme weather. Firefighters wear specialised protective suits fitted with heat-resistant fastening systems. Divers use waterproof pressure-resistant zips that prevent water entering specialised dry suits.
Perhaps most impressively, astronauts wear sophisticated airtight zips inside space suits and equipment designed to function in some of the harshest environments imaginable.
The same basic principle developed over a century ago now helps people survive conditions its inventors could never have imagined.
Jeans helped create a global obsession
If one garment cemented the zip’s place in everyday life, it was denim jeans. Early jeans often featured button flies, but over time, zipped versions became increasingly popular because they were quicker and more convenient.
Today, billions of pairs of jeans are manufactured every year, each containing a zip that most owners never think twice about, making it one of the most mass-produced mechanical devices in history.
Luxury brands turned the zip into a status symbol
Fashion eventually embraced what it had once rejected. Designers began using oversized polished metal zips as decorative features rather than hiding them inside garments.
Luxury handbags, leather jackets and designer boots frequently showcase premium zips as visible design elements. In some cases, the hardware itself has become a signature feature associated with particular fashion houses.
A fastening once dismissed as ugly became something worth showing off.
There is a hidden science behind every zip
Modern zips may look simple, but their engineering remains remarkably precise.
Each tiny tooth must align perfectly with its opposite partner. The slider is carefully shaped to guide both rows together while applying exactly the right amount of pressure. Too loose, and the teeth separate. Too tight, and the zip jams.
Manufacturers also produce specialised versions for different purposes. Plastic moulded zips are lightweight and resistant to corrosion. Metal zips are often chosen for strength and style.
Coil zips, made from spiralled synthetic material, are flexible and commonly found on luggage and sportswear. Invisible zips are designed to disappear into seams, making them popular for formal dresses and tailored garments.
The company behind billions of zips
Although many manufacturers now produce fasteners, one name dominates the industry. Japanese company YKK manufactures roughly 10 billion zips every year which accounts for about half the global market. They supply fashion brands across the world. and generates an annual revenue of over $6 billion.
Its products appear on everything from luxury handbags to camping equipment and outdoor clothing. The company became famous for controlling almost every stage of production itself, from melting the metal to manufacturing the finished zip.
This extraordinary attention to quality has made the three small letters “YKK” on a zip familiar to millions of consumers, even if many have never realised what they stand for.
Image credits: Pakin Songmor, Moritz Scholz, Yevhen Maksymov, Shunsuke Onji
