Zippers are one of the most common materials used in bag and pouch sewing projects.
There are many different zipper types and sizes, and choosing the correct one can affect both the sewing process and the final result.
Common Zipper Types
Some common zipper types used in sewing are:
- nylon coil zippers
- metal zippers
- invisible zippers
- molded plastic zippers
Many bag sewing projects commonly use nylon coil zippers because they are flexible and easier to sew.
Common Ready-Made Zippers
Most zippers commonly found at local fabric stores, Walmart, or Michaels are ready-made zippers with fixed lengths.
These zippers already include zipper stops at both ends to help prevent the zipper pull from coming off.
They are convenient and beginner-friendly because the zipper length is already pre-determined.
How Zipper Length Is Measured
The zipper stop near the closed end is usually called the top stop, while the stop near the opening end is called the bottom stop.
When zipper sizes are listed, the measurement usually refers to the distance between the zipper stops rather than the entire zipper tape length.
What Is Zipper Tape (Zipper by the yard)?
In bag and pouch sewing, there are many situations where you may want to cut a zipper to a custom length.
This is where zipper tape becomes very useful.
Zipper tape is sold continuously by the yard without fixed zipper stops, allowing you to cut exactly the length you need.
It is especially popular in bag sewing because it gives much more flexibility for different project sizes.
Zipper tape is also fairly easy to find online, especially on Amazon.
If zipper tape is difficult to find locally, regular ready-made zippers can still sometimes be modified by removing the zipper stops.
What Do #3 and #5 Mean?
The numbers usually refer to the width of the zipper teeth.
For example:
#3 zipper → smaller teeth
#5 zipper → larger teeth
A #3 zipper has teeth that are approximately 3 mm wide, while a #5 zipper is around 5 mm wide.
There are other zipper sizes available as well, but #3 and #5 are among the most commonly used in home sewing projects.
Even though the difference looks small, it can noticeably affect the finished size and appearance of a project.
Different zipper sizes also slightly change the amount of space taken up around the seam area. Because of this, projects sewn with the same seam allowance can still turn out slightly different in size depending on the zipper used.
Many home sewing patterns do not focus heavily on these small differences, but I personally think these details can make a noticeable difference in the final
Why Zipper Size Matters
Many sewing patterns are designed specifically for a certain zipper size.
Using a different zipper than recommended may affect:
- seam alignment
- finished measurements
- zipper placement
- panel matching
Zipper Tape Width Can Also Differ
Even zippers with the same tooth size may have slightly different tape widths depending on the manufacturer.
This is one reason why accurate seam allowance becomes especially important in zipper projects.
Zipper Beginner Graduate 🎓
If most of this already feels familiar, you’re probably no longer a zipper beginner anymore.
