The small plastic or metal tip that keeps a shoelace from fraying and helps it pass through an eyelet.
An aglet forms a firm sheath around the end of a shoelace, cord or drawstring. Plastic and metal are common materials. By enclosing the loose fibres, it limits unravelling and gives the end a narrow shape that can pass through an eyelet. This makes the lace easier to thread and handle during fastening. The aglet is a component of the lace, so it should be distinguished from the eyelet built into the shoe. One protects and guides the lace end, while the other provides the opening it passes through.
In job listings
Few listings name the aglet. It belongs to the working vocabulary of footwear design and product development, where a lace is specified down to its tip. In a shoe department, it is the part a client notices when a lace frays and needs replacing. Search local jobs for “footwear”.
