The laces used in sneakers and shoes end with a plastic or metal tip. That small part of the shoe has a name and fulfills several very important functions. It is called an aglet and it arises by combining the word iron with the suffix -ete, used to form diminutives.
The aglets are designed to hold the fibers of the laces together and prevent them from fraying, making them last longer and more resistant to wear and tear. In addition, they can be easily changed if they become damaged or broken.
These finials also serve to make it easier to thread the laces through the holes in the sneakers and shoes, called eyelets. On the other hand, they facilitate the tying of these accessories that hold the footwear on the feet and have an aesthetic function, since they contribute to making it look more beautiful.
Laces are objects that have been used for thousands of years. Roman soldiers used straps made of leather to tie their sandals. Previously, the Greeks also used leather laces for their shoes. The inhabitants of Mesopotamia tied pieces of skin to their feet and ankles with small ropes.
The first patent for shoelaces as we know them today dates back to 1790. A British man named Harvey Kennedy, who was dedicated to creating footwear, revolutionized the market by placing an aglet at the end of his laces so that the threads would not they will be released His idea succeeded and he became a millionaire.
The first aglets were metallic and were created with tin. There were also other more luxurious ones, made with precious metals such as gold and silver, worn by people from the wealthy classes at the time. Already in the 20th century, plastic aglets and more affordable materials began to become popular.
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