Today’s Google doodle is brought to you in the form of an interactive zipper running across the Google homepage. This doodle pays homage to the late Swedish-American electrical engineer Gideon Sundback, who revolutionized the clothing industry with the invention of the fastening device we love, the zipper. Unless of course, during those times when you’ve forgotten to zip up your pants on public outings. Yes, we’ve all been there.
Google rarely creates Google doodle animations, but this is a much deserved honour for the inventor since modern society owes a lot to the zipper, which has become a staple item on clothing, luggage and so forth.
In 1913, Sundback was the first to perfect the idea for a fastener based on interlocking teeth after almost 20 years of unsuccessful experimentation by his peers. This stroke of genius came from placing a dimple underneath each tooth on the fastener and a nib on the top so it wouldn’t have enough room to move on its own within the dimple of the tooth above it. This safely secured the teeth into place. He took this one step further by creating a manufacturing machine for the new zipper.
Sundback thought his invention was to be used as a simple replacement for hook-and-eye fasteners on women’s boots, not comprehending how widespread it would become within the entire clothing industry by the 1930s. Interestingly, one of the most popular sales campaign began in the 1930s for children’s clothing featuring zippers. It promoted self-reliance in young children as the zippered clothes made dressing oneself easier.
Check out the video of the history of the zipper below if you’re interested.
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