Plastic Zipper inside $600 Bag, Why?

tonij2000

Luvs Leather
O.G.
Mar 21, 2007
15,018
239
I hate plastic zippers in the inside pocket and I'm trying to understand why designers use them. How much more would it cost them to use metal?

Would a metal zipper damage a thin lining or something?

Anyone in the know? Please enlighten me. TIA!
 
I hate plastic zippers in the inside pocket and I'm trying to understand why designers use them. How much more would it cost them to use metal?

Would a metal zipper damage a thin lining or something?

Anyone in the know? Please enlighten me. TIA!

I think you hit it Toni. Metal zippers can rip a silky lining to shreds if it gets caught. Plastic lies flatter and is less dangerous that way. Shoot, I hate chipping nail polish on inside metal zippers. Plastic zippers are fine with me, I like the look of metal zippers inside when they continue a design theme, (LP) but they are noisy in a theater. As long as the zipper pull is easy to grasp, either is OK.
 
The concern of a metal zipper ripping the fabric lining can be eliminated by trimming the zipper in leather. In my opinion, the best quality bags will have leather around the zipper to minimize potential damage and wear from pulling back and forth on a zipper anyway. They're just being cheap if you ask me. Plastic zippers and zippers not trimmed with leather are a deal breaker for me. You would not believe the number of otherwise gorgeous bags I have passed up over this.
 
I completely agree with you toni. In my opinion the plastic zipper cheapens the look of the bag. I know that nobody other than me will be seeing it, but sometimes the lining can be a dealbreaker on a bag that I like. I bought a Rebecca Minkoff that was around that price point and I don't care for the plastic zipper.
 
I am learning the ropes as I am just starting my own line. The manufacturer asked me if I wanted plastic or metal zippers on the inside pocket and explained that plastic is less expensive.
I am also using a linen-ish lining to go with the handmade aspect of the bags, and I kept coming back to a fabric that looked right, and the manufacturer said that the fabric I liked was used for the outside of bags and he kept steering me to one that just didn't look as sturdy as I thought it should be.

I asked him if I could use the sturdier fabric and he said yes, but it will add @ $5 to the cost of the bag! I said...$5! So WHAT! How can I quibble over $5 on a bag that will sell for $500-$800?
I am having my bags made in the States...so for the larger brands that are made overseas, you can see how those plastic zippers and cheaper linings can end up in expensive bags!
 
I just realized this is an older thread, but glad I found it! I thought I was the only one! I'm so glad to see that those nasty plastic zippers bother other people as well!
 
Ho, ho! This is my biggest pet peeves about expensive bags. It puts them right in the same class as some $69.00 bags when plastic zippers are used. C'mon....give me a break! Put a darned metal zipper in there and rise above the masses!
 
yes really. No more Chanel for me. It's really not worth it. I know most designers are overpriced but you get some good quality in return.

Really?! I'm so surprised, in a bad way... I was considering getting a chanel classic as a job promotion present to myself (when that happens :lol:)

Now you have me paranoid and checking all my bags!
 
Really?! I'm so surprised, in a bad way... I was considering getting a chanel classic as a job promotion present to myself (when that happens :lol:)

Now you have me paranoid and checking all my bags!

i think the flaps are the best quality of all. I have one and it's really classic so i would say go for it (they do have one plastic zipper inside but the lining is leather) i am really disappointed by the cerf tote, it cost mores than $2000 dollars and one zipper really doesn't work smooth, the lining is cheap and so is the hardware