In our modern society we take much for granted. Things are easy these days, certainly when compared to years gone by. We have refrigeration, electricity, global communications, fast and safe transport, ever-advancing medical practices and so much more. Rarely do we stop to wonder what life would have been like without the everyday items that make our life faster, easier or more simple. Today I did just that.
Once of the most simple items we use today, and probably one of the most-used items is the humble zipper.
The zipper began life in around 1850 but it didn’t receive widespread notice. The inventor of the sewing machine received a patent for it however it quickly faded away, possibly through poor marketing of the product until 1893 when a guy called Whitcomb Judson marketed a similar product he called a clasp locker which made its debut at the Chicago World’s Fair. Alas, it was not to take off in the way the inventor expected.
It wasn’t until a Swedish-born man called Gideon Sundback came along that the zipper gained the status it has today as one of the most common fastening systems. Sundback was working for the Universal Fastener Company, started by none other than Sir Whitcomb Judson of the clasp locker fame, at the time and on the death of his wife in 1911 dedicated himself to the design of his product. He finally completed what would become the modern zipper in 1913. The patent was issued in 1917.
The fashion industry would take some 20 years to incorporate the zipper into clothing and its primary use was on rubber boots produced by B.F Goodrich and on tobacco pouches. However in 1937 the French fashion industry began to embrace the zipper as an alternative to the button up fly for men’s trousers. The rest is history as they say.
Thinking about this item, the zipper, and its long history it makes me wonder how many other products too such a long time to get into mainstream circulation. In fact, how many potential products start and end in someone’s garage simply though lack of development or marketing funds. What type of mind does it take to come up with something that seems so simple now, but at the time might have required years of research and development? A couple that come to mind are the reflector and Velcro. I think it’s fascinating to think that simple items first thought about in 1850 for instance can influence our lives so much today.
Design and create your ideal life, don’t live it by default
Photo by Rohan Makhecha on Unsplash