Repair a Zipper when the Slider Has Come Off Completely

If the slider has come off of your zipper, it is a relatively simple matter to replace it. You will need a zipper slider repair kit, a few simple tools, and an understanding of what type of zipper you have. Gather your supplies, determine whether your zipper is split/open-ended or closed, and use the appropriate method to repair it.

Steps

Preparing Your Supplies

1. Determine what type of zipper you have. You will need to vary your approach to repairing your zipper depending on whether it is split (open-ended) or closed.
   • Split zippers are the type typically found on jackets and coats—i.e. zippers that separate completely at both ends when fully unzipped.
   • Closed zippers may be closed at both ends (e.g. in tents and many types of bags) or at one end (e.g. the zipper on the fly of your jeans). The two ends are never fully separated, and the bottom of the zipper may be stopped by a prong stop or with a few stitches.
2. Measure the width of your zipper. Use a ruler or measuring tape to measure the width of the teeth while the zipper is closed. This will help you select a repair kit of the right size. Zipper size is determined by the width of the zipper in millimeters. For example, a #5 zipper is 5mm wide across the teeth.
3. Gather your supplies. You will need a zipper slider repair kit of the correct size, along with pliers, cutting pliers, a seam ripper, and a needle and thread. You may also need tweezers or a pin to help you thread the new slider onto your zipper.

Fixing a Split Zipper

1. Identify the correct side for attaching the slider. To repair a split or open-ended zipper, you will be putting your new slider on from the top. Identify the side that the slider was originally attached to (i.e. the side where the bottom stop is attached).
2. Remove the top stop on the correct side. Once you have determined which side the slider was attached to, use cutting pliers to remove the top stop on that side.
   • Take care not to damage the fabric when you snip off the zipper stop.
   • Once you have removed the stop, or if the stop is already missing (which may be the reason your slider came off in the first place), use tweezers to remove any loose threads in the area.
3. Thread the new slider onto the zipper. Slide the slider on from the top of the side where you just removed the zipper stop. Make sure that the zipper pull is facing out (toward you) and that the flat end of the slider is facing down. Test the slider to make sure it is working correctly by zipping up your zipper from the bottom as you normally would.
4. Replace the top stop. Put your new top stop in the same position as the one you removed, and crimp it onto the zipper fabric with a pair of pliers.

Fixing a Closed Zipper

1. Open up the stitching at the bottom of the zipper. To repair a closed-ended or closed loop zipper, you will need to replace the slider from the bottom. The bottoms of most closed zippers are encased in fabric. Use a seam ripper to open the stitches around the bottom of the zipper to give yourself easy access.
2. Remove the bottom stop. A closed zipper may be stopped with a prong stop (usually the case with zippers on jeans and some purses or bags) or just a few stitches at the bottom of the zipper.
   • If your zipper ends in a prong stop, use pliers to pull it off.
   • If your zipper is stopped with stitches, use a seam ripper to remove them. Take care not to damage the fabric at the bottom of the zipper.
3. Thread the new slider onto both sides of the zipper. Make sure the slider is facing the right way up (i.e. with the flat end facing the bottom of the zipper). Guide the bottom zipper teeth into the compartments on each side of the slider.
   • If you are repairing a zipper on a pair of pants, it may be easiest to do this with the zipper flipped inside out, so that the back of the slider is facing you as you work.
   • You may need to use a pin or tweezers to help you guide the teeth into the slider.
4. Carefully ease the slider up the zipper. Hold the ends of the zipper with one hand to create equal tension on both sides, and slowly pull up the zipper with the other hand. Make sure that the teeth lock correctly. Don’t pull the slider up so far that it comes off the top of the zipper again.
5. Replace the bottom stop. Once you have zipped up your zipper most of the way, it is time to repair the stop you removed from the bottom of the zipper.
   • If your zipper originally had a prong stop at the bottom, replace it with a new one. Push the prongs through the fabric in the same place where the original stop was positioned, making sure not to leave a gap between the top of the stop and the bottom teeth of the zipper. Crimp down the prongs at the back of the zipper with pliers.
   • If your zipper was stopped with stitches, re-stitch them with a needle and thread.
6. Crimp new stops onto the top of the zipper. If your zipper is open on one end (e.g. like the fly on a pair of jeans) and the slider came off, there is a good chance that you lost the slider because the top stops were broken or damaged. If necessary, remove any damaged top stops with cutting pliers. Crimp new top stops on with pliers, making sure to position them directly above the top teeth of the zipper.
7. Repair any damaged stitching. If you ripped out any of the stitches around the bottom or top of your zipper, you will need to repair them with a needle and thread.

Warnings

• If the bottom stop has come off of your split (open-ended) zipper, you probably will not be able to replace it easily. This is a problem that would require replacing the entire zipper.

Things You'll Need

• Zipper slider
• Zipper stops
• Seam ripper
• Pliers
• Cutting pliers
• Tweezers
• Ruler or measuring tape
• Needle and thread

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Sources and Citations

See also

• Machine Sew on a Button
• Fix a Broken Zipper
• Sew a Button
• Sew a Fly Zipper
• Sew in a Zipper
• Sew Buttonholes
• Sew a Hand Stitched Buttonhole

What links here

• Fix a Broken Zipper
• Fix Clothes
• Loosen a Hard to Close Zipper
• Remove a Woodruff Key
• Stop a Zipper from Unzipping Itself