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A zipper (zip fastener or zip in British English) is a device for temporarily joining two edges of fabric together. It is widely used in clothing, bags and suitcases, purses, tents, sleeping bags and other textiles.

Alternatives that are also frequently used are buttons, Velcro, laces, buckles, and safety pins.

1 Description

The bulk of a zip consists of two strips of fabric tape, one permanently fixed to each of the two flaps to be joined, and each carrying tens or hundreds of specially shaped metal or plastic teeth. Another part, the slider, which is operated by hand, rides up and down the two sets of teeth. Inside the slider is a Y-shaped channel that pushes the opposing sets of teeth together or apart, depending on the slider's direction of travel. The friction of the slider against the teeth causes a characteristic buzzing noise which is probably the origin of the name zip.

Some zips have slides on both sides, allowing one to vary not only the size, but also the position of the opening.

Applications of zips in clothing:

• to connect and disconnect the left and right front side (usually fitted vertically so that pushing the slider from top to bottom opens it, and pushing it from bottom to top closes it)
• to widen an opening:
  • to allow the head to pass the neck opening
  • to allow the hips to pass the waist opening ( trousersTrousers (or " pants" in North American English) are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body and covering both legs separately (rather than together as in skirts and dresses). Trousers are worn at the hips or waist, and may be held up by th, skirt)
  • sometimes to allow handAlternate meanings: Hand (disambiguation A human left hand The hand ( med. manus) is a portion of the arm or anterior limb of a human or other primate, at where the appendage terminates. This part of the limb is especially used in grasping and holding.s to pass sleeves, and feetThis article is about a foot as a biological structure. For other uses of foot, see foot (disambiguation). The foot is a biological structure found in many animals that is used for locomotion. The plural of foot is feet and this pair is one of seven mutat the legs of trousers or high bootThis article is about a type of footwear. For other uses of the word "boot" see boot (disambiguation). A boot is a type of footwear which covers at least the foot and usually the ankle, and sometimes extends up to the knee or even the hip. They come in evs
• the zip in the fly is additionally used by men for urinationUrination also called micturition is the process of disposing urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. The process of urination is usually under voluntary control. When control over urination is lost or absent, this i without taking the trousers down
• to open and close pocketA pocket is a small bag, particularly a bag-like recepticle either fastened to or inserted in an article of clothing. There was a sack called a pocket which was used particularly for storing 168 to 224 lb (76 to 102 kg) of hops. The word appears in Middles
• for attaching/detaching a hood and legs of trousers
• for decoration