How to Put a Cord Stopper on a Drawstring – Step by Step

How to put a cord stopper on a drawstring: press the button until the holes in the body and the plunger line up, and thread the end of the cord through the hole. With a two-hole stopper, each end of the cord passes through its own hole. When you release the button, the spring grips the cord. Finally the end of the cord is finished with a knot or a cord end so that it cannot slip out of the stopper.

What you need

• a stopper with a hole that matches the thickness of the cord;
• a cord already threaded through the casing of the garment;
• a thin wire folded in two, or a large-eye needle (an aid for a narrow hole);
• tape or a lighter to stiffen the end of a synthetic cord temporarily;
• cord ends or thread for finishing the end.

How to fit a one-hole cord stopper

1. Prepare the end. If the cord is frayed, cut it cleanly. With polyester or polyamide cord, the end can be lightly sealed with a flame; with cotton cord, wrap it tightly with tape.
2. Press the button all the way. Look through the hole – you should see light, meaning the holes in the body and the plunger are aligned.
3. Thread the cord. Insert the end and pull it out the other side without releasing the button.
4. Position the stopper. Slide it to the desired place and release the button.
5. Check the grip. Pull the cord without pressing – the stopper should not slide.
6. Finish the end. Tie a knot or fit a cord end.

With a single cord, for example a shock cord on a backpack or a cord at the end of a sleeve, the stopper is often fitted on both ends coming out of one point: both ends pass together through one larger hole. In this case the hole must take double the thickness.

Two-hole stoppers – specifics

Two-hole stoppers are the standard for hoods, waists and jacket hems. They are fitted like this:

1. Press the button and thread the left end of the cord through one hole.
2. Without releasing, thread the right end through the second hole in the same direction.
3. Even out the length of the two ends and release the button.
4. Finish each end separately with a knot or a cord end.

If the garment is a hood, position the stopper so that with the cord fully released it sits close to the casing, and when tightened enough free cord remains to grip with the fingers. It is important that both ends pass in the same direction. If one is threaded from the top and the other from the bottom, the cord twists and the stopper sits crooked.

Stopper on elastic cord

Elastic (shock) cord behaves differently from ordinary cord. It gets thinner when stretched, so the stopper may hold well at rest but slip under load. When fitting a stopper on elastic cord, choose a hole at the lower end of the range for the cord diameter and check the grip while the cord is stretched. On backpacks, covers and luggage nets, stoppers with an eye or a sew-on base are often used so that the stopper stays in place while the elastic works. If the cord has a smooth polyester sheath, the grip is weaker than with a matt or rough braid.

How to get a thick or soft cord through a narrow hole

Soft braided cord is hard to push through a hole close to its diameter. Fold a thin wire in two, insert the loop through the stopper hole (with the button pressed), put the end of the cord into the loop and pull it back. The same can be done with a needle and thread: stitch the end of the cord with thread, pass the needle through the hole and pull. If force is needed, the hole is probably too small for the cord and the stopper will not adjust comfortably.

Finishing the end: knot or cord end

A knot is a quick solution, but it is bulky and loosens over time. In series production, cord ends are finished with metal or plastic cord ends (aglets), which stop fraying, act as a stop and give a finished look. With elastic cord, a double knot hidden in a cap or in the stopper body itself is often used.

Common mistakes when fitting a stopper

• Wrong hole size. The stopper does not hold or the cord gets scuffed. The solution is a model with a suitable hole, not more force.
• Fitting before threading the cord through the casing. With some designs the cord then cannot pass through the buttonhole or eyelet.
• Unfinished end. The cord slips out of the stopper at the first stronger pull.
• Twisted cord on a two-hole stopper. The stopper sits crooked and jams.
• No test with the actual cord. Even with the same nominal diameter, braided and woven cords behave differently.

Fitting in series production

In the garment factory, stoppers are fitted after the cord has been threaded and the garment is almost finished. To keep the operation fast, it is important that the stopper and cord are matched at the sample stage. We recommend testing several sets: whether the cord passes smoothly with the button pressed, whether it holds under a strong pull and whether the spring weakens after repeated pressing. Suitable models are in the cord stoppers category, and compatible cords in the cords for garments section.

Samples and orders from Polkom

Polkom manufactures accessories for fashion, furniture, footwear and bags in Sofia and supplies them wholesale – cord stoppers, cords, cord ends and everything you need for hoods and waists. If you are not sure which stopper fits your cord, send us a piece of cord and a description of the garment. We will select a model and send you a sample. Write to us via the contact page.