Fasteners: Types, Uses and More

The garment industry is coming up with new ideas, and one major factor affecting the outfit is the fastener types. But do you know what clothing fasteners are? If not, this guide is for you! 

Clothing Fasteners play a vital role in handling two or more pieces of material together and act as a fashion statement. For example, a button will fasten the clothing only when it crosses through the buttonhole. Therefore, both the parts must be properly sewed or attached to the garment. A little disarrangement in fasteners can mess up the whole outlook of your clothing. 

Hence, there are different types of fasteners and their subtypes used in the garment industry. If you wonder what they could be, here we have covered everything about clothing fasteners – types, uses, and tips to choose the right fastener for your work! 

What are Garment Fasteners?

When we talk about fasteners, our brain automatically strikes towards the seat belts. However, garments fasteners are a lot different than mechanical fasteners. They are to secure two things together and are sewed in the garment. 

The basic use of garment fasteners is to hold two pieces of a garment together, for example, shirt buttons, pant buttons, skirt hooks, etc. So, it is necessary to choose a good quality fastener because it keeps the clothing intact and closely hooked to the body. Besides, while purchasing, make sure that the fastener you choose is rust-free and can withstand a little pressure not to get damaged while washing the clothes. The garment fastener is suggested to be sewed into double layers for enhanced safety and strength. 

History of Garment Fasteners 

Earlier, people used needles to sew the clothing together. Then came the age of metals which introduced safety pins and bone buttons. Finally, when people understood the importance of applying pressure and using friction as a source of keeping the clothing closed, they came up with the idea of brooches and pins. 

Gradually, different garment fastening elements started coming into the market, including snaps, hooks and eyes, plastic coils, interlocking metal teeth, and more. World War II led to the design of Velcro - a combination of the words "velvet" and "crochet," which is used till now in the garment industry. At present, the garment fastener is growing rapidly, thus producing new fasteners and utilizing them to create unique apparel appearances. 

Types of Garments Fasteners

Garment fasteners are of two types: 

• Permanent Fasteners

Permanent fastening is a lasting fixture in clothing. They are stitches and fusing, which do not leave any option for opening and closing the clothing piece. The permanent fastening is log-term; however, you can always correct them if any problem occurs. There are certain conditions attached to the correction of permanent fixtures; therefore, some clothing pieces are easier to work on, while you may not be able to rectify some pieces if the sews and fusing is damaged. 

Moreover, every clothing and garment may or may not have a temporary fastener, but it is bound to behave at least one permanent fastener in it. 

• Temporary Fasteners

Temporary fasteners in any outfit allow easy opening and closing for the apparel. They can take many forms, and any outfit may have one or more such fasteners attached to it. So whether you have a zipper, buckle, button, or snap in your outfit, you will be able to secure your clothing and open it at any given moment. Mostly temporary fasteners are seen as an object that helps to don and to doff any garment. 

Here are a few temporary fasteners used in the garment industry: 

1. Buttons

The button is the necessary fastener used in almost all types of clothing. Whether you see babies, men's, or women's clothing, you will find buttons in many apparels. It comes in a square, round or oval shape, with two or four holes in the middle. The sewer sews the button with the fabric using a thread and needle. If the button gets lost, you can easily resew it simultaneously. 

Hence, buttons are available in many colors, sizes, materials, and designs. Besides, cover buttons, shank buttons, decorative buttons, and many more are regularly used in the garment industry.  

2. Buckles 

Traditionally, buckles were used by the Roman soldiers to keep their head and body armor in place and called it 'buccula.' These are majorly used at the ends of any strap to keep them where they need to be. Buckles are made of soft and hard metal and are available in many designs. 

Nowadays, buckles are used in belts, coats, bags, and even shoes. The growing trends in buckles also lead to newer shapes and styles. Earlier, there were push buckles, but now, we have rectangular, square rings that work as buckles. It is up to the designer what kind of buckles they want to add a unique look to the apparel. 

3. Grommets

Grommets are also known as eyelets that come in plastic/metal rings that emphasize holes in fabrics. Cords, laces or ribbons are threaded through the grommets to handle the piece of material properly. Hence, these are usually seen in corsets, shoes, belts, and more. You can also use some tools to apply the grommets to the fabric.

4. Hook and Loop 

Hook and Loop fastener was conceived in 1941. These are comparatively a more recent invention than other fasteners in the garment industry. Hook and Loop are used in shoes, blouses, shirts, and more to give them a secure look without sewing the fabric. It keeps access to clothing easy and also adds as a fashion statement. 

Besides, it has adhesive on one side, and the other side rolls to form a secure loop. However, it is unnecessary; the usage varies based on the garment and apparel. These are available in different colors and widths. 

5. Zippers

Zippers are also known as slide fasteners or zip fasteners in which two straps are attached with the help of metal teeth that run with the help of a small buckle. These are used in all kinds of garments; pants, jackets, blouses, pockets, lower, and many others. You can also find them on shoes and bags. They are made of different materials such as hard plastic or metals that offer additional flexibility and strength to the zipper. 

The first zipper was invented in 1913 by an engineer named Gideon Sundback. After that, people use invisible zippers, open-ended zippers, two-way separating zippers, and more as per the requirement of the outfit. 

Things to Keep in Mind While Buying Garment Fasteners

Since fasteners are low costing and mostly a low-priority object, people do not give much thought while buying fasteners. However, if not managed well, these can increase your inventory costs, waste, etc. Therefore, it is important to consider some points while buying fasteners that fit your aesthetic and functional needs. They are as follows:

• Material: Choosing the right material for your fastener is important because the material will directly impact the strength, durability, corrosion resistance, and overall look of the garment. Fasteners used in the garment industry are available in various materials such as metals, stainless steel, plastic, copper, brass, and more. Your choice will rely on your budget, the design of the outfit, and the fastener usage. 
• Coating: Fasteners are coated in different materials for increasing corrosion resistance and adding a decorative touch. You will find zinc-coated, hot-dip galvanizing, chrome-coated fasteners. They are commonly used in the fashion industry to increase the uniqueness component in apparel. You must check the coating, costing of the coating, and durability before finalizing the fastener. 
• Size: The size of a garment fastener matters as much as that of a mechanical fastener. It can mess up the whole look or create a unique look on the outfit. Therefore, go through the design and check different sizes of fasteners because an outfit may carry one big button but can look weird with a big buckle on the side. Hence, check for the size based on the overall look. 
• Source: Fasteners are also a part of the inventory; therefore, it is important to check the source. You can buy fasteners through distributors instead of manufacturers because the distributor will be more varied and cost-effective. Manufacturers will be beneficial only if you have to buy in bulk. 
• Special Requirements: Individuals have different requirements such as stronger physical performance, needle detection, environmental protection, garment wash, etc. So, it is vital to know your specific requirements in advance and then apply additional measures.

Final Words 

Fasteners are used in many industries like clothing, mechanical, etc. Although garment fasteners are unique in themselves, however, there are many varieties within the garment fastener industry. They come in various designs, styles, and sizes to choose from for your clothing piece. It allows many new ideas to work on and create amazing outfits. 

If you are working in the garment industry or have projects related to garments and fasteners, you can contact us. Here you can get a wide spectrum of fasteners at reasonable prices.