Manufacturer · Fashion & Home Accessories
Zip pullers for bags are chosen so that they match the metal accessories – rings, buckles, rivets – and are strong enough for daily pulling. For women’s handbags and wallets, metal pullers with a logo are used, while for backpacks and sports holdalls rubber or cord pullers are preferred, as they do not rattle and are easy to grip. Size relative to the zip and the method of attachment are also important.
On clothing, the puller often stays in the background, but on a bag it is front and centre. It sits next to the logo, sometimes instead of it, and the buyer touches it every time the bag is opened. That is why, for bags, choosing a puller is more a design decision than a purely technical one.
Zip pullers for bags: women’s styles
On women’s handbags, the puller is part of the product’s jewellery. The most common are:
- Metal pullers with an embossed or engraved logo – rectangular, teardrop-shaped or in the shape of the brand’s symbol.
- Pullers with a leather insert – a metal body with leather or a leather strip in the colour of the bag.
- Leather pullers – a strip of leather, folded and fixed with a metal element, sometimes with a debossed logo.
The finish must be the same as on the other metal accessories. If the rings and buckle are light gold, a nickel-coloured puller will look accidental. Weight is also important: the puller should not drag the zip down or knock against the leather when walking.
Zip pullers for backpacks
Backpacks have more zips – main compartment, front pocket, laptop compartment, side pockets. Here pullers are chosen mainly for function:
- Rubber pullers – soft, quiet and comfortable to grip. They allow a bright multicoloured logo.
- Cord pullers – the lightest, easy to replace and look good on hiking and urban styles.
- Metal pullers – suitable for premium urban backpacks, usually in a dark or matte finish.
On school backpacks, the puller must be easy for a child’s hand to grip, have no sharp edges and be firmly attached.
Double sliders and pullers
Many bags and backpacks have two sliders on one zip that meet in the middle. This places several requirements on the pullers:
- the two pullers must have the same shape and look good side by side;
- they should be able to be locked together with a small padlock if the product is for travel;
- they must not tangle – especially cord styles;
- with metal pullers, it is important that they do not knock against each other and get scratched.
Some brands solve this with a puller that has a hole specifically for a padlock, or with two mirror-image pullers that together form the brand’s symbol.
Pullers for wallets and small items
Wallets, toiletry bags and cases use small zips – most often No. 3 or No. 5. The puller must be proportionate: small, thin and light. A large puller on a wallet gets in the way in the pocket and makes the item bulge. Flat metal pullers with an engraved logo or short leather strips work well here.
Size relative to the zip
| Product | Typical zip | Puller |
|---|---|---|
| Wallet, toiletry bag | No. 3 | Small, flat, light |
| Women’s handbag | No. 3 – No. 5 | Medium, metal, in the colour of the metal accessories |
| Urban backpack | No. 5 – No. 8 | Medium to large, rubber, cord or metal |
| Travel bag, holdall, suitcase | No. 8 – No. 10 | Large, sturdy, easy to grip |
The table is a guide. For a specific style, always test with a sample.
Attachment and strength
On bags, the puller is pulled hard and often – sometimes with the full weight of a loaded bag. That is why attachment is critical:
- Ring – must be made of sufficiently thick wire and close tightly. A thin ring opens and the puller gets lost. Suitable rings are chosen according to the slider’s eye.
- Hook – often built into metal pullers and closed with pliers during assembly.
- Loop – for cord and leather pullers. Strong and easy to replace.
The slider itself must also be strong, especially on heavy holdalls. Choose zips with a suitable size and sliders with a movable eye so that you can fit your own puller.
Logo zip pullers for bags
On bags, the puller often carries the brand more clearly than the label, which is hidden inside. That is why many bag manufacturers order logo pullers as their first branded metal detail. You can choose a standard shape from the zip pullers category and place your logo on it, or design an entirely custom shape.
Care and wear
Pullers on bags wear faster than those on clothing, because they rub against keys, phones and other objects. With metal styles, dark and antique finishes hide scratches better, while polished gloss surfaces show every mark. For bags carried every day, it makes sense to choose a finish that ages beautifully rather than one that looks flawless only in the shop. Rubber pullers are cleaned with a damp cloth, and leather ones with leather care products, taking care that they do not get onto the metal parts.
Common mistakes
- Different finishes on the puller, the rings and the buckle.
- A heavy puller on a thin zip on a women’s handbag.
- A puller that is too large on a wallet.
- Thin rings on holdalls and backpacks that open.
- Light rubber pullers on bags of light leather, which leave marks when rubbing.
Bag zip pullers from Polkom
Polkom manufactures zip pullers, rings, zips and other metal accessories for manufacturers of bags, backpacks and leather goods. We make logo pullers to your design in a suitable finish, with a sample before the production run. Send us the bag style and your logo via the contact page.
