How to Sew a Magnetic Zipper: A Step-by-Step MagZip® Guide

Here is how to sew a magnetic zipper: cut the MagZip® to length from the top, fit top stops, then sew it in exactly like any separating zipper. The only difference is at the bottom. Instead of a pin and box, two magnetic halves snap together and line themselves up, so the person wearing the garment can close it with one hand.

If you have sewn in a separating zipper before, you already have the skills. This guide covers sizes, cutting, a step-by-step sew-in, and the mistakes that cost people the most time.

What a magnetic separating zipper is

A normal separating zipper has a pin on one side and a box on the other. To close it you seat the pin in the box, hold both halves level, and pull the slider up. Two hands, eyes on the job.

MagZip replaces the pin and box with a pair of magnetic halves. Bring them near each other and they snap together and square up. Then you pull the slider. One hand. No looking. MagZip launched with Under Armour and has been on major brands since, including Tommy Hilfiger and Lululemon.

How MagZip differs from magnet-button closures

Some jackets use a row of magnets hidden in the placket. Those are not zippers. They do not seal, they can pop open when you bend, and you cannot sew them into a pattern that calls for a zipper.

MagZip is a real coil zipper. Standard tape, standard coil, standard slider. Everything above the base is the zipper you already know. The magnets sit only at the bottom, where the pin and box used to be. It sews in like any separating zipper because it is one.

Pick the right size

• Round #5. The general-purpose choice. Hoodies, fleece, kids' coats, light jackets, bags. Sold uncut in 36 in, and 60 in in black.
• Square #5. Same coil with a flatter, squared-off magnetic base. Some sewists prefer it on structured fronts.
• Square #8. Heavier coil for heavy outerwear, canvas, and anything that gets yanked.
• Water-resistant #5 and #8. Coated tape for shells and rain gear.
• Top Stopped Round #5. Pre-cut with the top stops already fitted. The quickest route for a first project.

Not sure yet? A MagZip Sample Pack comes with 5 or 10 zippers, so you can handle them before you commit. Our size guide goes deeper on round versus square.

Cut it to length the right way

MagZip is cut from the top, never the bottom. The magnetic base is the finished end. A 36 in zipper becomes a 24 in zipper by cutting 12 in off the top and fitting new top stops.

1. Measure the finished zipper opening on your pattern.
2. Buy the next length up.
3. Cut both halves from the top to your finished length plus about half an inch.
4. Fit a top stop on each half.

Why the top stops matter. With the top cut off, nothing stops the slider from running off the end of the coil. A top stop is a small metal clamp that sits just above the last tooth. Squeeze it on with flat pliers. A Top Stop kit for #5 has six stops, enough for three zippers. #8 zippers take their own #8 stops.

How to sew a magnetic zipper, step by step

This assumes a jacket front with a facing or lining. Adjust for your pattern.

1. Prepare. Cut to length and fit the top stops first. Run the slider up to the stop and back to check it.
2. Finish the edges. Serge or zigzag the front edges so they do not fray under the zipper.
3. Mark the base position. With the front edges together, mark where the top of the magnetic base will sit, usually at the hem or just above it. Both sides get the same mark.
4. Separate the zipper. Pull the two halves apart. Each half goes on one side of the front.
5. Pin the first half. Right side of zipper to right side of fabric, coil facing in. Line the top of the base up with your mark and pin along the tape.
6. Sew the first half. Use a zipper foot. Stitch close to the coil, but not so close the slider binds. Keep the seam allowance even all the way down.
7. Close and pin the second half. Snap the magnetic base together so the zipper aligns itself. Pin the second half to the other front edge while it is closed. This step keeps the two sides level.
8. Sew the second half. Open the zipper and stitch as before.
9. Attach the facing or lining. Sandwich the tape between the outer fabric and the facing, stitch, turn and press.
10. Topstitch and test. Stitch about a quarter inch from the coil on each side. Then test the close with one hand, eyes shut. If it snaps and runs, you are done.

Want pictures for each step? See our illustrated How to Sew In a MagZip page.

Mistakes to avoid

• Wrong slider. Sliders are size-specific. A #5 slider will not run on #8 coil. Replacement sliders are sold separately.
• Skipping the top stops. The slider comes off. Fitting stops to a sewn-in zipper is doable but fiddly. Do it first.
• Uneven seam allowance at the base. If one side is set a quarter inch deeper, the halves meet at an angle and the slider fights you. Use the closed-zipper trick in step 7.
• Cutting from the bottom. The base is the finished end. Cut from the top.
• Stitching too close to the coil. Leave room for the slider. Test before you topstitch.

Good first projects

• Kids' coats. A child who cannot seat a pin can close a MagZip. Want to feel it first? The MagZip Kids Hoodie is the ready-made version.
• A fleece for a parent. Stiff fingers and a pin-and-box zipper are a poor match. A simple fleece with a #5 MagZip is a weekend project and a good gift.
• Repairs. Replacing a broken separating zipper in a coat you already love is the most common project of all. The coat comes back easier to use than before.
• Dog coats and cosplay. Anything that needs to close fast while you are doing something else.

Rather not sew? The ZipperBuddy MagZip adds magnetic zipping to a jacket you already own, no sewing machine needed.

FAQ

Can I sew a magnetic zipper on a home sewing machine?
Yes. MagZip uses standard zipper tape and coil. A regular zipper foot is all you need.

Can I shorten a MagZip?
Yes. Cut from the top, never the bottom, then fit top stops so the slider cannot run off.

Which size should I use for a hoodie or fleece?
Round #5. Move up to Square #8 for heavy coats and canvas.

Get the zippers

Round and square, #5 and #8, water-resistant, uncut or pre-cut with stops. Add a Top Stop kit with any uncut length.

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