Meet the American who invented the zipper, one of the world's most useful devices: Whitcomb Judson
Fox News
Whitcomb Judson of Chicago invented the clasp-locker in 1893, now known today as the zipper. It revolutionized fashion and is now one of the most common devices in the world.
We call it the zipper. "Everybody wanted to be Edison or Bell. Judson clearly caught that fever." — Historian Robert Friedel "The invention … may be applied, as for example, to mail bags, belts, and the closing of seams uniting flexible bodies." — Whitcomb Judson Judson's uninspiring clasp-locker proved a sensation as the zipper. "Zipper was genius: ‘memorable, evocative, and simple.’" branding expert Fritz Grutner. "I imagine the first zippers functioned OK, but not great. It’s often the third or fourth iteration of something that really connects with consumers." Kerry J. Byrne is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
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