National Zipper Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

While the exact date of the first National Zipper Day is unknown, this device that has a whole day dedicated to it has a surprisingly lengthy history.

The 29th of April is National Zipper Day, and we are full of zing in anticipation! We take many things for granted in life, including the humble fastener. Have you ever considered the significant function zippers play in our daily lives? There are zippers on clothing, purses, boots, etc., and they are immensely useful.

The background of National Zipper Day

While the exact date of the first National Zipper Day is unknown, this device that has a whole day dedicated to it has a surprisingly lengthy history. Elias Howe is believed to have invented the first zip and received a patent for what he dubbed the “Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure” in the 1800s. Neither did he market his product, nor was he recognised for it.

At the same time, a “clasp locker” was introduced to secure shoes at the Chicago World’s Fair. Although it somewhat resembled Howe’s creation, it was not identical and soon lost momentum. Nonetheless, the company that manufactured it, the Universal Fastener Company, remained fully operational.

Gideon Sundback, a Swedish-American electrical engineer at Universal Fastener, is credited with devising the modern zipper. On April 29, 1913, he received the first patent for a “Hookless Fastener,” which subsequently evolved into the “Separable Fastener.” It took some time to become ubiquitous, as it was initially primarily used as a shoe fastener until World War I, when the military began using it for flying suits. Some manufacturers even incorporated the device into their tobacco containers. However, it wasn’t until exactly a decade after this device received its first patent that it was dubbed the “zipper.” B.F. Goodrich coined the term in 1923 due to the sound it produced.

National Zipper Day brings the humble zipper back into the limelight, if only for a day.

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NATIONAL ZIPPER DAY ACTIVITIES

Disseminate the word via social media

Share your zip knowledge or some interesting facts on social media. Utilise the hashtag #NationalZipperDay when posting online.

Use zippered clothing

What better way to honour National Zipper Day than by wearing only garments with zippers? You may also carry a purse with a closure if you’re leaving the house.

Sew a fastener

Why not engage in a little bit of do-it-yourself and attach a zip onto an article of clothing? Even old and disused zippers can be repurposed into jewellery.