Introduction: How to Replace a Zipper for Your Favorite Parka

By Saint Salvage
About: Saint Salvage of NJ is about being ecofriendly by giving thrifted and vintage items new life. I upcycle them, style them and sell them at my store: http://www.storenvy.com/SaintSalvage. I also DIY, and use Ins…

Here's how to replace a broken zipper for your favorite warm and cozy parka. 

This is my husband's jacket's, and he really likes it, But, he broke the zipper. See the missing teeth?

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

I went to my local JoAnn Fabrics, and I bought a Coats & Clark Parka Zipper that it is 32" long. It has heavy duty plastic teeth, and cost about $3.50.

I also used a seam ripper and black heavy duty thread and a heavy duty hand sewing needle.

Step 2: Remove the Old Zipper and Replace It With a New Zipper

Take that seam ripper and carefully slide it up along the zipper. This will leave each front seam side open to attach the zipper. 

Pin the zipper in between the layers to ensure that everything lines up. Give the zipper a test zip to make sure it's straight with no puckering along the seam.

Hand sew twice on each side of the zipper, to ensure the seams are just as strong as the zipper.

Step 3: Remove All the Straight Pins and Clip the Seams, Then Wear

After you sew each zipper side into the jacket, remove all the straight pins. Clip the seams to ensure no loose strings will get stuck in the zipper. That jacket is now ready to be worn again. 

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