Manufacturer · Fashion & Home Accessories
Every jacket zip puller is chosen according to the type of jacket and the position of the zip. The main zip of a winter or hiking jacket needs a larger puller that can be gripped with a glove – rubber or cord. For a leather jacket, a metal puller in the colour of the metal accessories is preferred. The pockets get smaller, lighter pullers from the same family so that the jacket looks coherent.
A jacket usually has several zips – the main one, pockets, sleeves, sometimes ventilation openings and an inside pocket. Each is used differently, so the same puller is rarely the optimal solution everywhere. Good practice is to choose a common shape and style that scales by size.
Jacket zip puller: the main zip
The main zip is opened and closed most often, sometimes with one hand and on the move. The requirements for the puller are:
- Sufficient length to grip easily, including with a glove.
- A comfortable shape – with a finger hole or a relief that does not slip.
- Moderate weight – so that it does not pull the slider down or hit the chin.
- Quiet – especially on sports jackets.
The main zip is often a two-way (open-end) zip with two sliders. The lower slider then also has a puller – usually the same, but sometimes smaller so that it does not get in the way when sitting.
Pockets, sleeves and ventilation zips
A pocket zip is used less often and its puller should be more discreet:
- smaller and lighter than the main one so that it does not make the pocket bulge;
- with the same finish or colour as the main puller;
- on underarm ventilation zips – a short cord puller that can be found by feel.
Inside pockets often do without a branded puller altogether – the standard slider pull or a small cord loop is enough.
By type of jacket
| Type of jacket | Recommended puller | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Winter and down jacket | Rubber or cord, longer | Can be gripped with a glove, does not get cold |
| Ski and hiking jacket | Cord with a rubber end | Light, quiet, easy to replace |
| Leather jacket | Metal, in the colour of the metal accessories | Ties in with eyelets, rivets and buckles |
| Denim jacket | Metal in antique or gunmetal | Matches the rivets and buttons |
| Hoodie and sports top | Rubber or cord | Does not rattle, is soft, withstands washing |
| Shell jacket, windbreaker | Cord or small rubber | Minimal weight |
| Work jacket | Large rubber or metal with a hole | Can be gripped with work gloves |
Leather jacket: metal and detail
On a leather jacket, the zip is visible and often asymmetric. The puller is part of the silhouette and must be in harmony with the metal accessories. If the jacket uses metal zips in antique brass, the pullers should be in the same tone. Elongated rectangular pullers with an embossed logo, or ones with a leather insert of the same leather as the jacket, are popular.
Weight matters here too: a metal puller on a leather jacket can be more substantial, because a metal zip is stronger and the slider is most often a locking one.
Hoodies and sportswear
Hoodies and sports tops usually use No. 5 nylon coil zips. The puller must be light so that it does not pull the slider down, and it must withstand frequent washing. A rubber logo puller is the classic solution, but a cord with a small end also works well. A metal puller on sportswear rattles in the washing machine and dryer, so it is used less often.
Finish and colour
The puller should “talk” to the other details of the jacket:
- Metal pullers – nickel colour (nickel free), gold, antique brass, gunmetal, black or matte black, in harmony with the slider and the eyelets.
- Rubber pullers – in the colour of the fabric or in contrast, to Pantone.
- Cord pullers – the cord matching the fabric, the end matching the logo.
A “quiet” combination also works well: a puller in the colour of the zip, with a debossed logo that is visible up close.
A logo puller on the jacket
For many brands, the puller on the main zip is the only visible logo on the outside. That is why it is worth investing in your own design. You can start from a standard shape in the zip pullers category and add your logo, or create an entirely new shape. Within a collection, it is practical to have two size versions – a large one for the main zip and a small one for the pockets.
Washing and durability
Jackets are washed less often than T-shirts, but the puller on the main zip is used every day and endures friction, knocks and cold. With metal pullers, choose a finish that does not quickly show wear on the edges – antique brass, gunmetal and matte black are more forgiving than polished nickel colour. Rubber pullers should not be ironed or dried on a radiator. Close all zips before washing: this way the pullers do not catch on other garments and the zip teeth do not pull threads from the fabric.
Common mistakes when choosing
- The same large puller on all zips – the pockets bulge.
- A heavy metal puller on a thin non-locking coil zip – the zip opens by itself.
- A hard end right under the chin on a winter jacket.
- A puller finish different from the slider’s.
- A puller that cannot be gripped with a glove on a cold-weather jacket.
Jacket zip pullers from Polkom
Polkom manufactures and supplies jacket zip pullers – metal, rubber and cord, standard and with a logo to your design – together with zips, eyelets and other metal accessories. We make a sample so that you can check the puller on the actual jacket. Send us the style and your logo via the contact page.
