​What Is An Invisible Zipper Application In Dressmaking

An invisible zipper application is simple yet quite unique resulting in a garment closure that blends completely into the seam. In simple terms, the zipper is basically invisible on the seam's face side. The only visible compartment is the zipper's slider tab which is designed to be narrow and dainty so that it blends gently into the seamline.

​Conventionally, the zipper color should match the garment's color as closely as possible. This allows the zipper tab to further disappear against the seam housing it. 

An invisible zipper closure can only be constructed using a specialized invisible zipper. The plastic coils are folded inward and hidden on the wrong side of the zipper such that only the tab and abutting tape edges are visible from the zipper's right side. Each zipper coil portion is folded inward creating a crease between the coils and the tape. This crease is then used as a stitching guide in the application process. 

In the construction process, the stitch is applied from the wrong side of the zipper, in the crease created by the folded zipper coils.

​To apply the machine stitch directly in this crease, the coils are lifted up during the machine stitching process. You can use a regular zipper foot (shown above) to stitch right next to the raised plastic coils, or a specialized invisible zipper foot that feeds the coils through a narrow slot. The invisible zipper foot is designed to keep the coils evenly raised during the stitching process.