# The zipper and war

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-zipper-and-war/21168>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 2, 2000, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-zipper-and-war/21168 "2000-06-02T00:00:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![insider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@insider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insider)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-zipper-and-war/21168/1 "2000-06-02T00:00:44Z")

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I was just curious. Can anyone provide information about who invented the zipper and what was the first war that combatants had zippers on their uniforms? Thanks.

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-zipper-and-war/21168/2 "2000-06-02T00:06:20Z")

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For shoes, the “hookless fastener” was patented 8/29/1893 by Whitcomb L. Judson.  
For all types of clothing, a “hookless fastener” was patented on April 29, 1913 by Gideon Sundback.

Can’t answer the other part of the question