For the longest time, the world has been intrigued the zipper. These fasteners are everywhere: on backpacks, camping equipment, clothes, shoes, suitcases, sporting goods, and more.
Even if zippers have many other different applications, the main function of these is as clothes fasteners, making it easy to put on and take off wearing apparel.
Due to the need for precision design and manufacturing, the zipper can be considered a rather recent advancement in the history of clothes fasteners that actually have a long list of varieties.
The truth is that for most of the history of mankind, any kind of clothes fasteners were not really used. They were not actually necessary in the first place because most clothing was in the form of garments that resemble tunics and were simply slipped over the head.
The only item that might have been required was something to close the hole through where the head was pushed if ever it was too big to be worn comfortably.
By the time clothing became more cultured, the means and ways of closing and opening garments became more and more essential. Devices for closing and opening garments used through the years included, and to a large extent, continue to include the following.
Table of Contents
Broaches
The “‘keyhole opening” was an early solution to the issue of an awkwardly large neck hole on a tunic-like garment. It was some sort of round neckline that featured a slit in front. After the head passed through, there were small brooches used to fasten the slit’s edges together. As expected, the brooches worn wealthy people were more ornate. Larger brooches were also used for cloaks as well as other garments that are more loosely fitting.
Buttons
Buttons were probably made from attractively applied beads before being seen as something practical. The transformation of buttons into clothes fasteners seems to have started in Hungary during the 9th century, with their alteration into a combination of buttonholes and buttons probably emerging in Germany in the 13th century. Buttonholes had to be cautiously handstitched with a strong cord or thread for strength.
Hooks and Eyes
The hooks and eyes were used on the late medieval garments to close livery coats, gowns, and collars. Fabrics with lavish patterns were popular during the latter part of the 15th century, and these required a closure device that would not detract from the patterns. These were later used to close gowns, jackets, bodices, and jerkins. Today, hooks and eyes are still used, mostly on lingerie items.
Laces
Laces are fabric strips used for holding garments together. It is believed that some of the earliest laced garments can be traced as far back as the 12th century. The era’s dresses were laced at the sides through the hand-sewn eyelets using a woven or plaited cord.
A similar technique was used during the late medieval period, starting from the 14th century onward to close and open kirtles and gowns. Sometimes referred to as cotte, a kirtle was a kind of garment that women and men alike wore. These were laced either at the back or front or the sides.
Toggles
Toggles are a type of button mostly used on medieval shoes in medieval times. During later centuries, toggles became outdated and were replaced on shoes buttons, laces, and buckles.
Check out https://www.zippershipper.com/zipper-sliders to find the selection of zipper sliders for your zippers.
