Stringers without fastener tape have continuous fastener elements and have element fixing members wherein the fastener elements are sewn together by a sewing thread. The element fixing members are inserted between upper and lower leg sections of the fastener elements. The sewing thread comes in contact with and straddles the upper and lower leg sections of each fastener element and pierces the element fixing members between the fastener elements. As a result of such stringers without fastener tape, the fastener elements can be held and the weight and cost of an article with a slide fastener can be reduced.

A zip includes: a pair of stringer tapes, each of which supports a row of teeth; the teeth on the two tapes being mutually opposing and capable of interdigitation thereby to fasten one stringer tape to another; a slider, adapted to move along and whose motion is guided by the rows of teeth, the slider being adapted to cause interdigitation of the teeth as a result of motion along the teeth in a first direction, and to disconnect the teeth by motion along the teeth in a second direction; wherein the first and second stringer tapes are formed of a matrix of threads interspersed with a waterproof material.