GUIDE TO ORDERING ZIPPERS
Whether you need a 23 inch zipper, a 9 foot zipper, or something even
longer (or shorter), we are your source! Read on to hone in on your
perfect zipper.
6 Steps To Finding Your Perfect Zipper
For those who are new to the world of zippers, there are 6 important
pieces of information you need to know to find your perfect zipper. The
guide below walks you through all of the relevant information you
should gather to find your specific zipper on our website. Once you
have all of this information, your zipper should be a cinch to find by
navigating to
Zippers by Gauge
or
Zippers by Material
!
1. Type of Zipper Teeth –The material out of which the
zipper teeth are made.
The types we stock
are:
- Aluminum
Metal
- Antique
Brass Metal
- Antique
Nickel Metal
- Brass
Metal
- Copper
Metal
- Invisible
(hidden teeth made of nylon coil)
- Molded
Plastic
- Nickel
Metal
- Nylon
Coil
Some examples:
Molded Plastic / Nylon Coil / Invisible
Brass / Antique Brass / Aluminum
2. Gauge – A
number which describes the thickness of the zipper teeth.
The
number of the gauge corresponds to the width of the zipper teeth, in
millimeters, when the zipper is zipped. The larger the number, the more heavy
duty the zipper.
- The gauges we
currently stock are:
- #2
(Invisible Zippers Only)
- #3 (Most common gauge for skirts and dresses)
- #4
- #4.5
- #5 (Most common gauge for women's jackets and men's lightweight and medium weight jackets)
- #7
(Antique Brass Zippers Only)
- #8
- #10 (For tents, sleeping bags, and heavy duty coveralls and men's coats)
Side by Side Comparison of #5, #8 and #10 Gauge Brass Zippers
3. Separating or Closed-Ended - Whether the zipper needs to
separate at the bottom.
There
are two “bottom types” of zippers that we carry.
Separating zippers have a pin
and box at the bottom, allowing the zipper to separate fully into 2 pieces. An
example of a separating zipper is a jacket zipper.
Closed-ended zippers do not
separate. An example of a closed ended zipper is a zipper in the fly of a pair
of pants.
Bottom-Separating ("Separating") Zipper
Closed-Ended Zipper
4. One-way or Two-Way – How many sliders (pieces that move
up and down the tracks) are on the zipper.
Most
zippers have one slider and are therefore one-way zippers. On the Zipper
Shipper website, we simply refer to this as a zipper and don’t describe it as “one-way.”
However, some zippers have two sliders and are therefore called “two-way
zippers.” An example is a zipper on a longer jacket or coat, which can unzip
from the bottom when the person wearing it is sitting down in order to allow
room for their legs to move around more easily. Zippers for coveralls are often two-way zippers as well.
One-way Zipper
Two-Way Zipper
Note about 2-way zippers for bags or backpacks which have 2 sliders that open from the middle:
At this time, we do not carry ready-made zippers in bag-style configurations that have 2 sliders that open as you pull them away from the middle.
However, you can create a zipper like that from our zipper chain by the yard and corresponding sliders. You would attach your sliders yourself in the configuration you wish to have. Nonlocking sliders are typically used for bags. You can use nylon or plastic zipper chain (nylon takes curves the best, but either are feasible). Here is a link:
https://www.zippershipper.com/zipper-chain-by-the-yard
#5 = medium weight
#10 = heavy duty
Unfortunately, it is not possible to make a two-way zipper from any of our metal zipper chain.
5. Color – The color of the polyester fabric on the sides of
the zipper.
6. Length – How long the actual opening of the zipper is.
- Separating zippers: Length
is measured from the bottom of the zipper’s retainer box to the top stop (the
metal piece at the top that prevents the slider from being pulled any higher).
This measurement does NOT include the extra fabric beyond the top stop.
- Closed-end zippers: Length
is measured from the bottom stop to the top stop. This measurement does NOT
include the extra fabric beyond the top stop.
That’s it, you’re ready to go! With this information
in hand, try navigating to
Zippers by Gauge or Zippers by Material to zero in
on your specific zipper.
MORE ON ZIPPER LENGTH
Zipper Shipper Can Supply Virtually Any Custom Length Zipper.
Most
of the time, all of the above factors can be flexible. For instance, if you can’t
find the perfect zipper with antique brass teeth, a zipper with brass teeth or
even molded plastic teeth can be used instead.
Also,
any bottom separating zipper can be converted to a closed-ended zipper by
sewing over the bottom.
The
one specification for a zipper that usually cannot be flexible is the length.
Looking
for a zipper in a specific length?
We stock a huge variety of zippers, and, in most cases, carry
many different lengths of each type. Zippers are like people though; they come
in all different lengths! You could be looking for a length that we do not keep
in stock. If you need a length that we do not stock, however, have no fear….
Any
zipper can be shortened!
If you do not see the length you need listed, you can
choose to have the zipper shortened for you to your custom length. Just type
your length in the “shorten to” field and we will shorten it for you. This shortening
service does have an additional fee which you can see when you are on the
zipper’s product page. Some customers order zippers from us “off the shelf” in
stock lengths and then shorten the zippers on their own.
*If you are interested in ordering 100 pieces or more of a non-stock length or color, you can request a quote for custom zippers. No shortening required, however minimums and lead times apply.
Zipper Lengths Supplied By Zipper Shipper
Shorter zippers – often for pants, purses, or
skirts
- 1 inch zippers
- 2 inch "
- 3 inch "
- 4 inch "
- 5 inch "
- 6 inch zippers
- 7 inch "
- 8 inch "
- 9 inch "
- 10 inch "
- 11 inch zippers
- 12 inch "
- 13 inch "
- 14 inch "
- 15 inch "
Popular zippers we offer in these lengths are as follows (but
remember, ANY zipper can be shortened to these short lengths):
Medium length zippers – often for jackets and
coats
- 16 inch zippers
- 17 inch "
- 18 inch "
- 19 inch "
- 20 inch "
- 21 inch "
- 22 inch "
- 23 inch zippers
- 24 inch (2 foot) "
- 25 inch "
- 26 inch "
- 27 inch "
- 28 inch "
- 29 inch "
-
30 inch zippers
- 31 inch "
- 32 inch "
- 33 inch "
- 34 inch "
- 35 inch "
- 36 inch (3 foot) "
Popular zippers we offer in these lengths are (but
remember, ANY zipper can be shortened to these lengths):
Long length zippers – often for coveralls or boat
covers
- 37 inch zippers
- 38 inch "
- 39 inch "
- 40 inch "
- 41 inch "
- 42 inch "
- 43 inch "
- 44 inch "
- 45 inch zippers
- 46 inch "
- 47 inch "
- 48 inch (4 feet) "
- 49 inch "
- 50 inch "
- 51 inch "
- 52 inch "
- 53 inch zippers
- 54 inch "
- 55 inch "
- 56 inch "
- 57 inch "
- 58 inch "
- 59 inch "
- 60 inch (5 feet) "
Popular zippers we offer in these lengths are (but
remember, ANY zipper can be shortened to these lengths):
Extra-long length zippers – often for tents,
sleeping bags, bimini tops, Jeeps, and mattress covers
- 61 inch zippers
- 62 inch "
- 63 inch "
- 64 inch "
- 65 inch "
- 66 inch "
- 67 inch "
- 68 inch "
- 69 inch "
- 70 inch "
- 71 inch "
- 72 inch (6 foot) "
- 73 inch"
- 74 inch "
- 75 inch "
- 76 inch "
- 77 inch "
- 78 inch "
- 79 inch "
- 80 inch "
- 81 inch "
- 82 inch "
- 83 inch "
- 84 inch (7 foot) "
- 85 inch "
- 86 inch "
- 87 inch "
- 88 inch "
- 89 inch "
- 90 inch "
- 91 inch zippers
- 92 inch "
- 93 inch "
- 94 inch "
- 95 inch "
- 96 inch (8 foot) "
- 97 inch "
- 98 inch "
- 99 inch "
- 100 inch "
- 101 inch "
- 102 inch "
- 103 inch "
- 104 inch "
- 105 inch "
- 106 inch "
- 107 inch "
- 108 inch (9 foot) "
- 109 inch "
- 110 inch "
- 111 inch "
- 112 inch "
- 113 inch "
- 114 inch "
- 115 inch "
- 116 inch "
- 117 inch "
- 118 inch "
- 119 inch "
- 120 inch (10 foot) "
- 121 inch zippers
- 122 inch "
- 123 inch "
- 124 inch "
- 125 inch "
- 126 inch "
- 127 inch "
- 129 inch "
- 130 inch "
- 131 inch "
- 132 inch (11 foot) "
- 133 inch "
- 134 inch "
- 135 inch "
- 136 inch "
- 137 inch "
- 138 inch "
- 139 inch "
- 140 inch "
- 141 inch"
- 142 inch "
- 143 inch "
- 144 inch (12 foot) "
- 145 inch zippers up to 360" (360 inch zippers available in #10 molded plastic only)
Popular zippers we offer in these lengths are (but
remember, ANY zipper can be shortened to these lengths):
A more general search for zippers can always start on our home page. And if you have more questions about our company's services, please check the Frequently Asked Questions.
Thank you
and happy zipping!