How Zippers Work

Zippers are simple but clever inventions. They use two rows of tiny teeth that lock together when a slider moves up. Each tooth has a hook on top and a hollow on the bottom. When the slider brings two teeth together, the hook of one fits into the hollow of the other, locking them in place.

How the Slider Works

The slider is the key part of a zipper. It has a Y-shaped channel inside. When you pull the slider up, it brings the two rows of teeth together at an angle. This forces each tooth to lock into the one across from it. When you pull the slider down, it separates the teeth by pushing them apart.

The History of Zippers

The zipper was invented in the early 1900s. An engineer named Gideon Sundback improved earlier designs and created the modern zipper in 1913. At first, zippers were used mainly on boots and bags. By the 1930s, they became popular on all kinds of clothing. Today, billions of zippers are made every year.

Fun Facts

• The YKK on many zippers stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha, a Japanese company that makes about half the world's zippers.
• The word zipper was coined by the B.F. Goodrich company in the 1920s.
• A single zipper can have over 200 individual teeth.

Did You Know?

Before zippers were common, most clothing was fastened with buttons, hooks, and laces. Getting dressed took much longer. The zipper was one of the inventions that changed fashion and made getting dressed much faster!