Zipper

   Although Elias Howe had patented the "automatic and continuous closure device" in 1851, and Whitcomb L. Judson invented and patented the "clasp locker" in 1891, it was Gideon Sunback, a Swedish-born Canadian immigrant, who invented the concept of interlocking teeth called the "hookless fastener" in 1913. Although the Hookless Fastener Company opened in Meadeville, Pennsylvania, in 1914, the clothing industry was slow to accept the invention. In 1920, the B.F. Goodrich Company used the fastener on its rubber boots and coined the word zipper. But, in 1928, the Hookless Fastener Company trademarked the word talon and, in 1938, changed the company name to Talon, Inc. It was during the mid to late 1930s that the zipper gained acceptance in men's, women's, and children's clothing. Today, zippers are not only the fastener of choice for all areas of the apparel industry, but are offered in various materials and styles, including coil or classic, invisible, metal or plastic, separating, and closed-ended zippers. Designers have promoted their use in such trends as the punk style and to evoke sexual provocation.