Shortening Zippers

Zippers come in a variety of lengths, but sometimes you might find yourself with a zipper that’s too long for your project. Whether you’re working on a garment or a home decor item, a zipper that’s the right length is essential for a clean and professional finish.

How to Know If You Need to Shorten a Zipper

To determine if you need to shorten a zipper, measure the length of the zipper opening on your pattern or garment. Compare this measurement to the length of the zipper you have. If the zipper is longer, you'll need to shorten it.

Common Zipper Lengths

Zippers are typically sold in standard lengths, such as 7 inches, 10 inches, and 14 inches. However, you may need a custom length for your project.

Types of Zipper Teeth

Zippers come with different types of teeth, including coil zippers and metal zippers. While you can shorten a zipper from the top by removing the zipper teeth, we’ll cover that technique in a separate tutorial. For this tutorial, we’ll focus on shortening the bottom of the zipper.

Why You Can’t Just Cut Off the Zipper

Simply cutting off the excess zipper tape and leaving the raw edges exposed isn’t a good idea, especially for garments that aren’t lined. The raw edges of the zipper tape can be itchy and uncomfortable against the skin. Additionally, a long, dangling zipper pull can be unsightly and can get caught on other fabrics.

Finishing Your Zipper: A Variety of Zipper Cap Options

To properly finish a shortened zipper, you can create a variety of zipper caps. In our video tutorial, we’ll show you how to make zipper caps using both supplementary fabric and the zipper tape itself. By following these techniques, you can create a clean and professional finish for your zipper.

Watch our video tutorial to learn how to shorten a zipper and create different zipper cap styles.