Zipper Failure in the Clothing Industry in Ghana

Abstract

The zipper is by far the most widespread fastener, and is found almost everywhere, installed on clothing, luggage, leather goods, and various other objects. However, a casual observation of zippers used in the clothing industry in Ghana shows that zippers on the market easily fail during use. The aim of the study was to examine zipper failure in the clothing industry in Ghana. The objectives are to assess the effect of zipper type on zipper failure; identify the nature of zipper failure in the clothing industry and to determine the usual cause of zipper failure in the clothing industry. The research design used was cross-sectional survey and the simple random sampling technique was used to sample 325 tailors, dressmakers and fashion students from the Cape Coast Metropolis for their views on zipper failure in the clothing industry in Ghanaian. The main findings of the study were: the type of zipper that usually failed was regular zippers. The nature of zipper failure in garments frequently occurred through teeth separation. Finally the study indicated that the commonest cause of zipper failure was garment fit. The study therefore recommends that dressmakers should upgrade their skills on appropriate garment fit and correct zipper selection to reduce zipper failure.