Google have unleashed what’s probably one of their more creative homepages’ to-date by paying tribute to Gideon Sundback the inventor of the zipper.

The homepage portrays a giant Zipper that runs right through the middle of the Google homepage and when unzipped marks the birthday of the Swedish-American who revolutionized the clothing industry by developing the fastening device found on so many garments today. It took over 20 years to develop the zipper from when the idea was first borne and then perfected.

It was in 1914 when Sundback came up with the first metal version based on interlocking teeth that was dubbed the “Hookless No.2”. The way this fastener worked it had a tooth that it punched to have a dimple on the bottom part with a nib or conical projection on the top.

Ironically the term “Zipper” was created in 1923 by B.F. Goodrich and was used on their new range of boots as well as tobacco pouch zippers, and only twenty years later was the zip official adopted by the fashion industry!

Gideon Sundback was born in Smaland, Sweden on April 24, 1880, Gideon moved to Germany to complete his studies and later immigrated to the US to work for Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was hired a year later by the Universal Fastener Company in Hoboken, New Jersey where he focused on truly advancing the development of the zipper and by 1909 became their head designer.

Here Is The Original Patent Filed By Sundback

When Sundback initially proposed the use of the zipper it was only as a replacement for hook-and-eye fasteners used on women’s boots but it was quickly adopted to many garments from flies on trousers and dresses and pretty much anywhere else you see a zipper in the fashion industry.

Gideon Sundback died in 1954 of a heart condition and was laid to rest in Greendale cemetery in Meadville, PA. in 2006 Sundback was honored by inclusion in the National Inventors Hall of Fame for his work on the development of the zipper.

The Google Doodle team have definitely produced something memorable today with the world buzzing about a clothing widget that we all take for granted..

Here they are in action.

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Simon Wright

Articles by Simon Wright

Gideon Sundback Gets Unzipped By Google