Manufacturer · Fashion & Home Accessories
Ironing a garment with a zip is safe as long as you do not press a hot iron directly onto the coil. A coil zip is made of polyester or polyamide and tolerates moderate heat, but at the highest settings it can deform. Iron through a cloth, at the temperature shown on the care label, and with the zip closed – this keeps the tape flat and the coil unharmed.
Ironing a garment with a zip – why it needs care
Metal zips tolerate high temperatures, but coil zips are plastic. Under the iron, the coil’s windings can soften and lose their precise shape; a deformed coil stops engaging and the zip starts to split. In addition, the metal slider heats up very quickly and can leave an imprint on the fabric or melt a synthetic lining underneath it. The problem is often seen during final pressing in the factory, where work is fast and temperatures are high.
Temperatures by care symbol
The ironing symbols under ISO 3758 indicate the maximum iron temperature with dots:
| Symbol | Maximum temperature | What it means for the zip |
|---|---|---|
| Iron with one dot | 110 °C | Safe for a coil zip, even with brief contact |
| Iron with two dots | 150 °C | Safe, but iron through a cloth and do not let the iron rest |
| Iron with three dots | 200 °C | Do not iron directly on the coil; use a cloth and iron around the zip |
| Crossed-out iron | Do not iron | Applies to the whole garment |
When the main fabric needs a high temperature – linen or cotton, for example – and the zip is a coil zip, the care label can keep the higher value, but it is wise to add “do not iron over the zip” to the instructions.
How to iron a garment with a coil zip
- Close the zip. This keeps the tapes parallel and prevents puckering.
- Turn the garment inside out if possible, and iron the zip area from the inside.
- Use a pressing cloth – cotton or a special ironing pad, especially over the coil.
- Iron along the length of the zip, not across it, so you do not distort the tape.
- Do not rest the iron on the slider. The metal heats up and can leave a mark.
- When using steam, direct it at the fabric, not straight at the coil.
Invisible zips
Invisible zips are coil zips, but their coil is turned inwards and lies in the seam. Ironing is even more delicate here, because the iron presses the coil directly through the fabric. Iron at a low temperature and with a cloth. You will find more on this line under YKK invisible zips.
Final pressing in the factory
In series production the risk is greater, because steam irons and presses with high temperature and pressure are used. These practices reduce defects:
- set a separate programme or temperature for garments with coil zips;
- use silicone- or PTFE-coated pads on the presses;
- do not press the zip area at full pressure; iron it by hand;
- train operators to check the zip after pressing – opening and closing it along its full length;
- with a new fabric, do a trial pressing on a sample with a zip sewn in.
Washing garments with a zip
Washing is the second place where a zip can suffer, though for a different reason – mechanical rather than thermal.
- Close the zip before washing. An open zip bends in the drum, and the slider and pin scratch and snag other garments.
- Turn the garment inside out. This protects the coil and the slider.
- Follow the temperature on the label. A coil zip tolerates normal garment washing temperatures.
- Tumble dryer – a high temperature and long cycle can deform the coil and damage the slider’s finish. If the garment can be tumble dried, prefer a lower setting.
- Dry cleaning – YKK coil zips withstand the usual processes, but for special finishes and water-repellent zips check the recommendations for the specific model.
Signs that a zip has been damaged by heat
- the coil is shiny, flattened or has uneven windings in one spot;
- the zip splits only in a particular area;
- the slider sticks or skips as it moves;
- the tape is puckered, wavy or has shiny patches.
In these cases repair is usually not possible and the zip must be replaced.
What to include on the care label
Care symbols are determined by the most sensitive component of the garment. If the main fabric tolerates three dots but the zip is a coil zip, you can keep the symbol for the fabric and add a text instruction – “Close zip before washing”, “Do not iron over zip”. This informs the customer and reduces complaints. Zips that tolerate harsher conditions – metal ones, for example – are a possible alternative if the garment requires frequent high-temperature ironing.
Choosing the right zip from the start
If you know the garment will be ironed often and intensively – workwear or shirts, for example – consider at the design stage whether a coil zip is suitable and exactly where it will be placed. Standard nylon coil zips and original YKK coil zips behave similarly under the iron; the difference lies in the consistency of quality between batches.
Advice and ordering
Polkom is a Bulgarian manufacturer of accessories for fashion, furniture, footwear and bags with over 30 years of experience, and also supplies original YKK zips. If you are preparing a new style and want to choose a zip that will withstand your pressing and washing process, send an inquiry – we will suggest an option and a sample for testing.
