Zippers are one of the most common things to break on our items, be they jackets, shoes, bags, or sporting equipment. Zipper repair is one of our bread and butter services – we do it every day! Zipper replacements at Awl Together Leather are guaranteed for strength and beauty – hitting the same top stitching holes as when manufactured! We also offer zipper upgrades such as changing the size, color and strength of your zipper.
Sometimes a zipper repair does not need a full zipper replacement! With time, zipper heads can loosen and loose their tension. If the teeth of your zipper is in good condition – no missing prongs or bent coils – and you are seeing a split in the middle of your zipper, it’s likely that only your zipper head needs to be replaced! At Awl Together Leather, we’d be able to undo the stitching around the access point of the zipper, replace the head, and restitch the item to look like new! A zipper head replacement is often cheaper and faster than a full new zipper.
Most zipper brands have heads that work with generic parts – including YKK. However, Raggacconi, RiRi, and OPTI have all specialised their zippers to only work with themselves. As RiRi and OPTI zippers do not manufacture spare parts, their zipper heads cannot be purchased to be replaced, unfortunately mandating the replacement of the full zipper.
Need only the zipper pull replaced? We have options for that too including instant clip-on new pulls or remaking the pull from leather!
Pro Tip: Look at the underside of the zipper head for the size and type!
We specialise in replacing zippers on heavy-weight textiles including leather jackets, waxed cotton, denim, and fur! No matter the style of your jacket – the ‘slanted’ moto classic, ‘straight’ café-racer, or any of the pockets and sleeves, we can replace it!
At Awl Together Leather, your premium brands are going to get the care they deserve. Manufacturers like Schott, Aero, Lewis, Simmons Bilt, the Real McKoy, Himel Bros, AllSaints, Todd Snyder, St Laurent – or even Japanese Y2K – make every stich count and so do we. We guarantee hitting their original front holes for a seamless replacement.
When it comes to your racing leathers and safety gear, your zippers really matter. We use racing-track mandated thread (BD69), with a double stitch line to ensure your safety. We regularly see Dianese, Alpine Star, Langlitz, Vanson and Belstaff gear through our doors for zipper repairs post slide-outs. Full-length suits zipper repairs? No problem?
2-Piece suits often have a connecting zipper between the jacket and pants – both the 270 style or just the back section zipper. We can replace or install new zipper parts on both jackets and pants to pair mis-matched items into a new suit.
We hate seeing a great bag go to waste because the zipper blew! We can replace the zipper on your daily handbag, a long-haul hiking backpack, you beloved vintage Coach leather bag, and more! For bag zippers, we offer two styles of zipper replacements:
All purse and bag zippers are charged based off their length and repair method, with the first 4” at a set rate to cover installation time, and any extra length charged per inch.
We are Canada’s certified LongChamp repair outlet, trusted for our quality stitching and zipper expertise!
Soft cases – often for musical instruments such as guitars, keyboards, or drum set can be a pain to repair due to their long length and awkward seams. Awl Together Leather is one of the only shops in Vancouver offering zipper repairs on large items and cases! We happily work on large and awkward items – we’ve even repaired the zippers on sleeping bags, and leather punching bags!
We only use the simple zipper replacement (aka the visible tape) method for large cases or objects. This allows us to replace the zipper in a cost-effective manor by preventing us from having to unnecessarily redo complicated interior seams. In it, we cut off the original zipper, place a new zipper underneath the seam, and stitch it using all the same top zipper holes.
All case or long/complicated zippers are charged based off their length and repair method, with the first 4” at a set rate to cover installation time, and any extra length charged per inch.
Boot and shoe zipper repair is often not as easy as it seams – lots of boots are known for double or triple lines of small, tight stitching. If you make new holes while installing the zipper, you are potentially tearing the leather and it often looks messy and unprofessional. At Awl Together Leather, we match boot zippers for a mirrored replacement, while ensuring your zipper guard makes it back into the final product – all with perfect top stitching.
Boot zippers are charged by their height, with the first 4” at a set rate to cover installation time, and any extra height charged per inch.
Did you know? The placement of boot zippers makes a difference! As zipper experts, we know that boot zippers on the top and back heels of your shoes are more likely to break due to the bending and tension causes by walking. The best place for a boot zipper is on the inside, medial part of the shaft.
It sucks to get a new pair of boots, and to not be able to get them on- and oftentimes, creating a zipper access is more effective than stretching would be. Even if your boots fit and you just want easier on/off accessibility, we can create zippers on basically any footwear!
There are two main methods in creating a new zipper – a full bottom-top medial shaft zipper for full zipper action. Or – a 6-8” zipper window – by your ankle to allow space for your foot to slot through (commonly seen on knee-high boots).
Zipper technically really hasn’t changed too much since the invention of zippers in the early 1900s, but some brands are more reputable than others. Learn about zipper types, uses and anatomy below. There are three main types of zippers, some of which we like better than others!
1. Starting with the worst – A molded plastic zipper, commonly called the Vilson zipper.
These zippers are prone to failure. The plastic teeth break, chip or melt and quite simply are not up for tasks requiring strength or resilience. They are often sold for being light, and should be reserved for lightweight garments – not leather or racing suits.
2. A Nylon Coil Zipper
These zippers are more commonly seen on large items like backpacks, guitar cases or sleeping bags. They bend slightly nicer than metal-teeth zippers and are easier to find in fully black. The most common size of a nylon coil zipper is a #5, but #8 are around as well.
3. Metal Tooth Zippers
Metal zippers are the most common zippers to be used on leather jackets, shoes, bags and heavy-weight items. They are resilient and flashy. We stock #5 and #10 metal teeth zippers in back and brown tapes with nickel, brass, or antique heads. We have a limited supply of black teeth – black tape metal zippers. Usually, we match the size of the old zipper when doing replacements, but can change the size for space, strength, or aesthetics!
Double-Headed Zippers – These zippers have two zipper sliders and two zipper pins, allowing the zipper to be opened from the top or bottom. A useful feature if you have wide hips or an extra long z=jacket that you need to open while bending over a motorcycle or bicycle.
Awl Together Leather keeps a wide stock of zippers – no need to bring your own. If you need a specific or specialised zipper for a project, we are able to source it for you!
The zipper tape refers to the cotton-polyester portion of the zipper that is sewn into the item. The sealed patches on the bottom of zippers are there for extra strength.
The zipper slider or head refers to the sliding piece that cinches and opens the teeth together. This part is sometimes replaceable, depending on the brand! Raggacconi, RiRi, and OPTI zippers all only work their own parts, which can be difficult to source.
The zipper pull refers to the tag location on the zipper head that you hold. The part is sometimes replaceable!
The zipper teeth (or coil) refers to the metal or plastic track that the zipper slider runs along.
Zipper top stops are located at the top of the zipper and prevent the zipper from leaving the track. These are replaceable.
A zipper bottom stop is located on closed zippers (pockets, bags, sleeves) and locks the zipper together from splitting. This is replaceable.
A zipper box or pin are the insertable bottom parts in an open zipper (main jacket zippers) and fit into one another. These are not replaceable – if they break, the entire zipper must be replaced.