Zipper Switch with Conductive Thread

Here’s a fun way to make your clothes more interactive– you can turn a zipper into a switch for activating lights, sounds, and more using stainless steel conductive thread.

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The switch works like a momentary pushbutton. As the zipper pull travels along the teeth, two pads of conductive thread are bridged, momentarily creating an electrical connection.

This connection can be sensed by a microcontroller like FLORA or GEMMA with an activated internal pullup resistor, or be used in place of a push button in circuits like the TV-B-Gone or audio FX boards. Continue reading for the full tutorial.

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