Like the light switch and the steering wheel, zippers are one of those things that we interact with so much they just seem like perpetual fixtures of everyday life. The story of the humble zipper, however, is one of continuous failure unending iteration to bring us the cheap and easy thing we enjoy today. Designer, vintage dealer, and zipper enthusiast John Gluckow takes us through the history of the zipper from a chain link hook and eye fastener to high end riri zips.

You can find John on Instagram, both at Strongarm Clothing & Supply and at John Gluckow Ancient & Modern. Check out the article on heddels.com to see examples from John's extensive zipper collection. If you want to learn more about zippers, check out the book Zipper Gear by Aota Mituhiro.

This episode is brought to you by the Heddels Shop, listeners get 10% off with the code BLOWOUT. Be sure to check out our new Surf n Turf wallets.