Zipper By-the-Yard

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zipper slider installation zipper FAQ & types

Illustrated weekend bag with closeup of metal zipper

Illustrated belt bag with closeup of zipper tape

an essential bag closure

Everybody knows zippers. Zippers are everywhere and exist in all kind of forms. Take your jacket (separating zipper), your dress (invisible zipper), jeans (short, metal zipper), your sleeping bag (very long zipper), or tent (waterproof zipper) to name a few.

But bagmakers? Bagmakers LOOOVE zippers. A decade ago, we did not have many options in style and color. But that has changed fiercely with the emergence of zipper-by-the-yard in the creative marketplace.

We could fill pages on this topic, but because we do want you to get on with your bag project at some point, we’ll make it as brief as we can and limit our scope to zipper-by-the-yard, also known as continuous zipper, endless zipper or zipper tape.

To put it briefly, zipper-by-the-yard is an endless tape with teeth, which you can cut to the length you need.

Teeth Size and Type Matter

Essentially, there are 3 types of zipper tape, and this refers to the zipper teeth: coil, also called nylon zippers, metal teeth zippers, and VislonⓇ or molded plastic zippers. The molded plastic ones are often preferred for sportswear or outdoor gear. The metal ones are often the go-to zippers for leatherworkers due to the sturdiness and timeless appearance.

Bagmakers like you and me though…

We want zippers that are easy to work with using a domestic sewing machine, both flexible and fashionable. That’s where nylon zippers come into play! They are:

Easy to work with using a domestic machine! You don’t have to worry about breaking your needle, and can safely sew over the coil.
Flexible! The cool thing about endless zippers is that you don’t depend on pre-sized ready-made zippers. You are super flexible in zipper length and width/size and style of zipper sliders (see below). You just cut the zipper tape exactly to the length you need. Whether your project calls for a single slider or 2 sliders that open head-to-head, nylon zippers can do both.
Fashionable! These zippers exist in virtually all colors, designs, and coil finishes. Bagmakers are especially charmed by the metallic-look coil zippers because they can pair the look of the zipper perfectly with the rest of their bag hardware. The zipper tape itself, which is the textile surrounding the zipper coil, is also available in endless options! From solids, to stripes, to textures, to patterns, and even transparent PVC, there is a way to add sophistication or bit of fun to any bag.

In addition to teeth type, zippers come in many sizes. Internationally, the size is indicated by a # and a number. The larger the number, the bigger the zipper. Easy, right? The most common sizes used in our field are #3 and #5.

#3 – This is a rather narrow zipper, both in coil/teeth (4mm wide) and zipper tape (25mm wide when closed). This size is mostly used for small projects like clutches, wallets, and zippered pockets.
#5 – This is the most common zipper size out there. The coil/teeth are about 6mm wide and the zipper tape is 32mm wide. It is used for all kinds of bags: as the main closure, for a front pocket, inside the bag…

Question: I want to sew or repair a jacket. Can I use zipper-by-the-yard?

Answer: Unfortunately, no. Unless you like to climb out of your jacket, you’ll need a zipper that separates at both ends. A separating zipper has a small box at the end for easily inserting a zipper slider over and over again. You need professional tools in order to install that box properly and securely.

You should use a pre-sized, ready-to-use separating zipper that is labeled for use in jackets.

Question: Does the zipper number refer to the length or width?

Answer: No, the zipper size number has nothing to do with length. You buy zipper-by-the-yard in yards or meters, and the available increments is determined by the shop.

The zipper size number in a way does hint at the width, since smaller teeth size means narrower zipper tape width and larger teeth size means wider zipper tape width. See the description above for rough estimates on zipper width.

Common Zipper Tape Styles

Zipper Slider

an essential bag closure

We can’t talk about zippers without also having a close look at zipper sliders.

A zipper slider is the piece of hardware that slides over the zipper teeth to actually close and open the zipper.

The part that is attached to the slider needed to operate the slider is called a zipper pull or puller. Often, slider and puller are used interchangeably, since they usually come pre-assembled.

Zipper sliders are also called: runner, puller, zipper pull, zip fastener, zipper closure, or slide fastener.

Slider Size and Type Matter

You know already that zippers come in types and sizes. Importantly, the same is true for zipper sliders.

Size is the most obvious one. Since the coil or teeth of a #3 zipper is more narrow than that of a #5 zipper, you need to match the size of your slider the zipper.

Less obvious is that you need to match also the type of slider to the type of zipper. While you may succeed in placing a slider for another type zipper on your zipper tape while assembling your bag, chances are either that the slider will not run smoothly or will eventually stop functioning, leaving you with a faulty end product.

If you have a bunch of sliders lying around, but have no idea which type they are, don’t worry. Just compare the back of your slider with the shape in the illustrations above, and you are ready to go! And remember: metallic look coil zippers are NOT to be confused with metal teeth zippers!

Question: What is the difference between (auto) lock and non-lock sliders?

Answer: If you take a close look inside the zipper slider, you will see that some have a pin-mechanism which can be removed only by pulling at the zipper pull. This mechanism is invented is to prevent zippers from opening by themselves due to strain.

For bags, this mechanism is not a must, so most zipper sliders on the bagmaking market are non-lock sliders. However, if you have some lovely auto-lock sliders at hand, there is no harm in using them for your bag!

Question: Do all zipper sliders fit on all types of zipper tape?

Answer: No, definitely not!

First, you must match the slider type to the zipper type: metal, or nylon coil, or Vislon/molded plastic. The sections above cover this in more detail.

Second, you must match the slider size to the zipper size. This refers to the size of the zipper teeth and is a number such as #3, #5, or #4.5.

Question: Can I mix and match zipper sliders and zipper tape?

Answer: You can, as long as they are the same type and size.

Any #5 slider for metal teeth will fit #5 metal teeth zipper tape, and any #5 slider for nylon coil will fit #5 nylon coil zipper tape.

A #5 slider for metal teeth will not fit #5 nylon coil zipper tape even if the nylon coil looks metallic.

Question: What if I see a fun, pretty, or unique zipper pull, but it’s not listed for my zipper type?

Answer: The “fun” part of a zipper slider is the zipper pull, and those are universal! You might need special tools, but you can mix and match zipper pulls and sliders. If you buy zipper tape that comes with plain sliders/pulls, you can swap out the plain pull for a pull of your choosing, or use the plain slider and create your own zipper pull that you attach with a very small o-ring or d-ring. One easy option is to use snap-on zipper pulls.

Question: I don’t want to worry about all this. Can I buy zipper tape with sliders already installed?

Answer: Rarely, and that is usually by special request. Otherwise, your option is to buy pre-sized zippers instead of zipper tape. In this case, the zipper length needs to be exact for your project.

Common Zipper Slider + Pull Styles

How to Apply A Zipper Slider

So you bought your zipper and chose the right slider to go with that zipper. Now what? You’re in luck, because there are several methods available for attaching the zipper slider to the zipper itself. Select one of the following methods for detailed instructions.

If you are handy and maybe a bit adventurous, you can place that slider without any special tool. There are many tutorials out there, but below is what mostly works for us.

If you struggle to install the slider with just your hands, we recommend using a special tool. You can just slide our Wonder Zip tool over the edge of your table top and you are all set to go.

As already mentioned, a zipper slider actually consists of 2 parts: A slider and a pull. Both can be purchased separately, and with our handy and flexible snap-on system there is no limit to your creativity. Let’s have a look!