Had an old hoodie with a busted zipper, tried sewing in a new one vs just using fabric glue

So my favorite hoodie from a thrift store bit the dust when the zipper completely separated. I was about to drop $15 on a replacement zipper and spend an hour sewing, but then I grabbed some $3 fabric glue from the hardware aisle. Glued the new zipper tape right onto the fabric, let it sit for 6 hours, and it's held up through three washes already. Way cheaper and took maybe 10 minutes total. Anybody else have luck with fabric glue for quick fixes that actually last?

2 comments

2 Comments

terry_barnes1d agoTop Commenter

I had a hoodie with a busted zipper a few years ago and tried that fabric glue trick. It held for maybe a month before the glue started peeling off in chunks, especially after a few cycles in the dryer. I get that sewing takes longer, but a new zipper and thread cost me about $8 total and that fix is still going strong two years later. The glue just doesn't bond to the fabric the same way stitching does, at least not on my heavy cotton hoodie. You might get lucky if you never wash it hot or dry it, but I'd rather spend the hour and not have to worry about it failing mid-winter. My advice is to pick up a cheap zipper and a needle next time, it's stubborn but it lasts.

perry.karen21h ago

Oh yeah, I had the exact same problem with a jacket a couple years back! I tried that heavy duty fabric glue from the craft store and it just crumbled after a few washes. Finally broke down and learned to sew a zipper using a YouTube video, took me forever but it's still holding up like new. Sometimes the old school way really is the way to go.