shoelace

Shoelace is a length of cord or braided material used to secure footwear by threading through eyelets or lace loops and tying a knot. Laces come in flat and round profiles and are manufactured from materials such as cotton, polyester, nylon, or leather. Cotton and polyester laces are common for everyday shoes, while nylon blends offer higher strength and resistance to wear. Laces vary in diameter from about 2 to 8 millimeters and in length from roughly 9 inches for children’s shoes to more than 60 inches for some boots, with the exact length chosen to match the number and spacing of eyelets and the preferred tying style.

Eyelets and aglets: The ends of laces are protected by tips called aglets, which aid threading and reduce fraying. Laces may pass through eyelets, hooks, or grommets in the shoe’s upper.

History: Lacing systems date back centuries, but machine-made shoelaces became common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the rise of mass-produced footwear and athletic shoes. The aglet’s development helped standardize lacing.

Tying and maintenance: The most common method is the standard shoelace knot or bow, though many alternative patterns exist, including loop-and-swoop methods and locking laces. Laces should be kept clean and replaced when frayed. Some footwear uses elastic or no-tie laces for convenience.