Google Celebrates Zipper's Inventor




Early prototypes from Coats and Clark archives. On right, one of the first zippers from 1905. On left, zipper from 1925.



• 1893 The debut of the zipper in the U. S Patent Office was made in 1893 by inventor W. L. Judson, however, the design was more promising than practical.

•  1914 Sundback created the zipper with interlocking elements—teeth or scoops on both sides of the tape while employed by the Hookless Fastener company
• 1918 Zippers were first successfully used on tobacco pouches.

• 1922- B. F. Goodrich used the fasteners for galoshes and registered the trademark for the rubber footwear.

• 1935 Elsa Schiaparelli was one of the first couturiers to use zippers in garments.
• 1940 Research on coil zippers began in Europe. The early ones were made of brass which tended to bend. After the discovery of flexible synthetics, the polyester coil zipper was developed.



Zippers for defense



• In the 1940’s zippers were scarce because production was going to the war effort for everything from Eisenhower jackets to airplane flaps. Crown Zipper Company which later became part of Coats & Clark was awarded the Army-Navy Production Award for Excellence in War Production.

• 1968 Invisible zippers hit the home sewing market as the “Unique” zipper.




Early prototypes from Coats and Clark archives. On right, one of the first zippers from 1905. On left, zipper from 1925.



• 1893 The debut of the zipper in the U. S Patent Office was made in 1893 by inventor W. L. Judson, however, the design was more promising than practical.

•  1914 Sundback created the zipper with interlocking elements—teeth or scoops on both sides of the tape while employed by the Hookless Fastener company
• 1918 Zippers were first successfully used on tobacco pouches.

• 1922- B. F. Goodrich used the fasteners for galoshes and registered the trademark for the rubber footwear.

• 1935 Elsa Schiaparelli was one of the first couturiers to use zippers in garments.
• 1940 Research on coil zippers began in Europe. The early ones were made of brass which tended to bend. After the discovery of flexible synthetics, the polyester coil zipper was developed.



Zippers for defense



• In the 1940’s zippers were scarce because production was going to the war effort for everything from Eisenhower jackets to airplane flaps. Crown Zipper Company which later became part of Coats & Clark was awarded the Army-Navy Production Award for Excellence in War Production.

• 1968 Invisible zippers hit the home sewing market as the “Unique” zipper.




Early prototypes from Coats and Clark archives. On right, one of the first zippers from 1905. On left, zipper from 1925.



• 1893 The debut of the zipper in the U. S Patent Office was made in 1893 by inventor W. L. Judson, however, the design was more promising than practical.

•  1914 Sundback created the zipper with interlocking elements—teeth or scoops on both sides of the tape while employed by the Hookless Fastener company
• 1918 Zippers were first successfully used on tobacco pouches.

• 1922- B. F. Goodrich used the fasteners for galoshes and registered the trademark for the rubber footwear.

• 1935 Elsa Schiaparelli was one of the first couturiers to use zippers in garments.
• 1940 Research on coil zippers began in Europe. The early ones were made of brass which tended to bend. After the discovery of flexible synthetics, the polyester coil zipper was developed.



Zippers for defense



• In the 1940’s zippers were scarce because production was going to the war effort for everything from Eisenhower jackets to airplane flaps. Crown Zipper Company which later became part of Coats & Clark was awarded the Army-Navy Production Award for Excellence in War Production.

• 1968 Invisible zippers hit the home sewing market as the “Unique” zipper.