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What Is an Aglet? The Tip of Your Shoelace Explained
It is the smallest part of your shoe and you only notice it once it breaks: the hard end of your shoelace. That end is called an aglet. Without an aglet a lace frays and becomes almost impossible to get through the eyelet. What is an aglet, what is it made of, how do you repair a broken one and how do colored or metal aglets give your shoes a detail of their own? This blog explains it all.
In short
- An aglet is the hard little sleeve at the end of a shoelace. In Dutch it is called a nestel.
- It prevents fraying and makes it possible to push the lace through the eyelet.
- Most aglets are made of plastic. Metal aglets are sturdier and stand out more.
- You repair a broken aglet with heat-shrink tubing, glue or a separate metal aglet.
- If the lace itself is also frayed or worn thin, new laces are the better solution.
What is an aglet?
An aglet is the firm little sleeve that sits around the end of a shoelace. It holds the fibres together and makes the end narrow and hard enough to pass through an eyelet. Every lace has two, so a pair of laces has four.
The Dutch word is nestel. The English word aglet comes from the Old French aiguillette, which means “little needle”. That is exactly what an aglet does: it works like a needle that you use to thread the lace through the eyelets. Aglets have been around for centuries. In the past they finished off the lacing cords on clothing and were often made of metal.
What is an aglet made of?
There are two types you will come across most.
| Type | How do you recognise it? | Good at | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic aglet | Thin, smooth sleeve pressed around the end of the lace | Light, narrow and fits through almost any eyelet | Can split or come loose after long use |
| Metal aglet | Shiny sleeve, slightly thicker and heavier | Sturdy and a visible detail on your shoe | Does not fit through very small eyelets |
On most laces the aglet is transparent or the same color as the lace. It does not have to be. With custom laces the aglet is deliberately a different color from the lace, for example a white lace with a red end. That adds a small color accent that echoes your shoe. Leather laces come with metal aglets as standard.
Broken aglet: how do you repair it?
An aglet that has split or come loose can be fixed in three ways. Which one you choose depends on how long the repair needs to last.
| Method | What you need | How long does it last? |
|---|---|---|
| Sticky tape | A strip of clear sticky tape, wrapped tightly around the end | Not long. An emergency fix for when you are out and about |
| Heat-shrink tubing | A piece of heat-shrink tubing and a hairdryer | A long time. Closest to a real aglet |
| Separate metal aglet | A metal aglet and, if needed, a drop of superglue | A long time and it looks neat |
Repairing with heat-shrink tubing
- Cut the frayed part of the lace off straight.
- Twist the fibres tightly together and slide a piece of heat-shrink tubing of about 1.5 cm over them.
- Heat the tubing with a hairdryer until it sits tightly around the lace.
- Let it cool before you lace the shoe again.
Fitting a separate metal aglet
The luxury metal aglets slide over the end of your lace. Check that the aglet grips firmly. If it is too loose or your lace is very smooth, fix it in place with a small drop of superglue. Press it on and let it dry for a moment. They come in silver, gold and rosé, among others, and fit most flat and round laces.
When should you replace the whole lace?
Repairing an aglet makes sense if the lace itself is still in good shape. If the lace is frayed in several places, worn thin at the eyelets or discolored, a new aglet leaves you with an old lace. New laces are then the neater solution. Washing or replacing shoelaces tells you what to look out for and the guide how to replace shoelaces shows how to choose the right replacement.
If you shortened a lace because it was too long, you will need a new aglet as well. More fixes for laces that are too long are in laces too long.
Does every aglet fit through every eyelet?
No. The aglet decides whether a lace fits your shoe. It is also the quickest test if you want to switch to a different type of lace: if the aglet goes through the smallest eyelet without forcing, the lace fits. Dress shoes often have small eyelets that only a thin aglet will pass through. For those, choose waxed round laces of 3 mm. Which width suits which shoe is covered in the shoelace width guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the end of a shoelace called?
It is called an aglet. In Dutch it is a nestel. You will also hear shoelace tip or shoelace end.
Can I make an aglet with a lighter?
With laces that contain a lot of polyester you can carefully melt the end so the fibres fuse together. That does not work with cotton: cotton burns and does not melt. Heat-shrink tubing or a separate aglet is safer and neater.
Why does an aglet come loose?
Through wear. Every time you tie and lace, the aglet bends a little. Machine washing and standing on it speed that up.
Do metal aglets add weight to your shoe?
Hardly. You will not feel the difference while walking. You will see it, though: a metal aglet stands out more than a plastic one.
You will find laces with an aglet in a different color under custom laces. Prefer a completely new pair? Browse all laces by type.
