Zipper Facts

Zippers are Big Business

According to reports by Research and Markets, the global market for zippers is enormous and growing at a healthy rate.

The Growth of Zipper Sales:

• $1.6 billion in 2000
• $11 billion in 2019
• 17.7 billion in 2022
• Zipper Sales are projected to be over $23 billion by 2030

In the US alone Zippers sales were estimated at $4.8 billion in year 2022!

Most people take zippers for granted. But ask yourself…what would you do without zippers for your pants, coats, luggage, backpacks, etc? Yes, we all hate a zipper that fails don’t we? But when a zippers works we don’t give them the love they deserve! In this up and down world of zippers we should try to appreciate them for all the good they do… so read on and thank goodness for zippers! In this article we’re going to unzip some facts and share some fascinating facts about the zippers that many might not know and will surprise you. So don’t complain… keep your mouth zipped. Its time to sit back and learn!

A Short History of Zippers

John Howard Company is a leading supplier of zippers and zipper chain for product manufactures in the USA. Our zippers can be found in a wide range of products including: backpacks, apparel, camping gear, military equipment, clothing, furniture, sports gear, outdoor equipment and more. Because we sell so many zippers and zipper chain we thought it would be nice to put together a factual information article on zippers.

The history of zippers dates back to the late 19th century, with the invention of the “clasp locker” by Whitcomb Judson in 1893. (Question: how many Whitcombs do you know?) This early version of the zipper consisted of a series of hooks and eyes, and was primarily used for shoes and was largely considered a dud.

However, it was Swedish-American engineer Gideon Sundback who is credited with developing the modern zipper as we know it today. Sundback patented his “separable fastener” in 1917, which used interlocking teeth instead of hooks and eyes. Gideon’s design was a great improvement over the earlier “clasp locker” design. This new type of fastener was much more reliable and easy to use.

THE ZIPPER NAME CHANGES – DID YOU KNOW?
Initially, the original zipper name was the “clasp locker”. With the next iteration it was called the separable fastener. Finally, the innovative B. F. Goodrich Company jumped into the zipper naming fray when they built zippers into their rubber galoshes. (Because who wants to button up rubber boots?) Unimpressed by the name “separable fastener” they renamed it as the “zipper”. Which was and still is a fantastic name from a marketing perspective! Zippers grew in popularity, and by the 1930s, zippers were being used in a variety of products, including luggage, sporting goods, and even automobiles.

1935 gave birth to “The Battle of the Fly”. This was when a French fashion whiz came out with the concept of putting zippers onto the front of men’s pants. Button fans around the world rue that day. Thus…button manufacturers were soundly defeated and had their buttons handed to them when zippers found their way onto men’s pant. Indeed…Zippers came, saw and conquered.

And zippers marched onward…
A money belt with a zipper became an instant success among WWI U.S. sailors, whose uniforms did NOT have pockets. Almost all initial zipper sales were for the money belts! (Thanks to JSTOR Daily for this little known factoid.)

The military adopted zippers quickly and by World War II, zippers were widely used in military uniforms and equipment, further increasing their popularity and availability. Leather bomber jackets sported sharp looking zippers and America fell in love with those bomber jackets! After the war, zippers became even more ubiquitous, as mass production techniques allowed for cheaper and more efficient manufacturing of zippers.

Today, zippers are an integral part of many products, from clothing and bags to furniture and industrial equipment. And yes…the military still uses plenty of zippers on all kinds of berry compliant gear and equipment.

Zippers have certainly come a long way since the early days of Whitcomb and Gideon. Today, with improvements in technology, materials, design, and manufacturing techniques manufacturers are making them more reliable, durable, and versatile than ever before.

Who Invented the first Plastic Zipper?

Who was the genius that invented the first plastic zipper? Yes… you guessed it! Our old friend…Swedish-American inventor Gideon Sundback, who (in case you forgot already) had also invented the modern metal zipper in 1913. Sundback was way ahead of his time on this idea. His new plastic zipper was called the “Spiral Plastic Zipper” and it used interlocking plastic teeth on a nylon or polyester tape instead of metal teeth on a cotton or silk tape. Perhaps Gideon was getting complaints about rusting zippers so he shut those folks up in one brilliant move!

During World War II, zippers were widely used in military uniforms and equipment, further increasing their popularity and availability. After the war, they became even more ubiquitous, as mass production techniques allowed for cheaper and more efficient manufacturing of zippers.

Today, zippers are an integral part of many products, from clothing and bags to furniture and industrial equipment. They have come a long way since their early days, with improvements in materials, design, and manufacturing techniques making them more reliable, durable, and versatile than ever before.

When is National Zipper Day?

Thanks to our hard working politicians who seem to forever find nothing better to do (besides raising our taxes) – after years of debate they came up with “National Zipper Day”. Perhaps the best day of the year? April 29, 1913 it is! This is day we should all wear something which zips AND which commemorates the hallowed date back in 1913, when Gideon Sundback patented the modern zipper.

PS. The lowly and left out button lovers perhaps are wondering…is there a day for us too? Yes! Your politicians are working hard for you again! There is also a National Button Day which is November 16th.

Who are Leading Suppliers of Zippers in the USA?

Glad you asked! If you’re a product manufacturer in need of loads of zippers or zipper chain, John Howard Company is the company you need to contact! We invite you to talk to our zipper experts and see how we can help you get the right zippers for your products today!