How to shorten a zipper

Zippers, also called zips or slide fasteners, are essential fastening devices in the field of sewing and ready-to-wear.

A zipper consists of two strips of fabric, each equipped with interlocking teeth that engage with a sliding slider. There are several types of zippers, including separable and fixed zippers, metal, plastic, and more. Each has its own specific characteristics and uses.

Zippers are used for a variety of products, from clothing to bags to home accessories. They not only offer a practical solution  and quick to open and close, but also add a touch of style and functionality to your textile creations.

Our zippers

Shortening a zipper may seem complex, but rest assured, with the right techniques, it's a perfectly achievable task and a skill that can prove useful in the future.

Whether you're working with metal, plastic, separable, or non-separable zippers, this comprehensive guide will show you how. A zipper that's too long can be adjusted to fit your creations perfectly, whether it's clothing, bags, or accessories.

By following our step-by-step instructions, you'll learn how to safely shorten a zip, while achieving a clean, professional finish.

What is a zipper?

Before you begin, it is important to know how to identify the different components of a zip:

1. The slider : this is the moving part that opens or closes the zip.
2. The teeth : also called slides, this is the part on which the cursor slides. They are arranged in a staggered pattern so that they fit together.
3. The stops or stops : upper and lower, they prevent the cursor from coming out of the zip.
4. The bands or ribbons: there are two on which the teeth and stops are fixed. They are placed opposite each other.

What are the different types of zip?

To know how to shorten your zipper, it is essential to know what type of zipper we are dealing with:

1. Molded or injected teeth: These are made of plastic and have been fused to the zip strip.
2. Spiral teeth: These are nylon teeth sewn directly onto the band.
3. Metal teeth: they are fixed by compression on the ribbon.

The zipper is sold by the meter or individually by length (e.g. 15, 25, 45 or 75 cm). It can be equipped with one or more sliders. The zipper can be separable (opens completely, detaches in two pieces) or non-separable if it does not open completely (it remains attached by the slider).

What to choose: separable or non-separable closure?

The two are not used in the same scenarios. Separable closures are used for jackets and coats, garments that open completely, while non-separable closures are common on dresses, codpieces, or bags, on garments that are put on over the head or legs.

Just as a bag that splits in two wouldn't be convenient, a jacket that doesn't split in two wouldn't be very useful. So it's important to keep your project in mind before choosing a closure.

What equipment do I need to shorten a zipper?

• A zipper
• A measuring tool (ruler, tape measure, etc.)
• Flat pliers
• A pair of wire cutters
• A textile pen or chalk
• Thread
• A needle
• A sewing machine
• A lighter or individual zip ties and tweezers.

You won't need all of this hardware, it depends on your closure.

How to shorten a metal zipper?

• Close the zip and mark the desired final length with a textile pen or chalk (1).
• Open the zip and, using suitable pliers, carefully remove the stop rings from the top of the zip by opening them without damaging them as they will be used again (2).
• Then remove the links one by one, until you reach slightly below the mark (to leave room for the stop rings). Use cutting pliers without damaging the zip braid (3). Repeat symmetrically by removing the same number of links.
• Replace the stop rings at the mark (just below) by gently pressing them with flat pliers (4).
• Finally, cut the top of the textile braid of the zip to keep approximately 3 cm of braid without links on the top (5).

How to shorten a plastic zipper?

• The plastic links cannot be removed, so you will have to shorten them by folding the braids (1).
• Open the zip and place it E/E along the outer fabric fronts, making sure that the two parts are aligned face to face. Pin, stitch along the bottom links up to the mark, then fold the excess braid at a right angle inwards at the top of the front to take it into the seam (2).
• Finally, cut off the top of the zip fabric braid to keep about 3 cm of braid (3). The excess zip will be caught between the outer fabric and the lining, but will probably form an unsightly excess thickness.

How to shorten a nylon zipper?

• Close the zip and mark the desired final length with a textile pen or chalk (1).
• Open the zip and, using suitable pliers, carefully remove the stop rings from the top of the zip by opening them without damaging them as they will be used again (2).
• Cut all the links with scissors, until you reach slightly below the mark (to leave room for the stop rings). Remove the links from the retaining seam (3). Repeat symmetrically, removing the same number of links.
• Replace the stop rings at the mark (just below) by gently pressing them with flat pliers (4).
• Finally, cut the top of the textile braid of the zip to keep approximately 3 cm of braid without links on the top (5).

How to achieve beautiful finishes?

If your project is not lined, it is important to finish the ends for greater comfort and aesthetics:

1. Prepare a piece of fabric: cut a rectangle of fabric (4 cm by 2 x the width of the zip).
2. Prepare your work: align the edges right sides together, fold the sides of the rectangle and pin everything.
3. Sew: stitch 1 cm from the edge. Turn the rectangle over, make two 1 cm seams, and topstitch. ( See video )

Also find out how to fit a zip slider to a zipper in our dedicated article .

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