10+ Reasons Why Everyday Things Look the Way They Do

There is a profession called industrial design. It first appeared in approximately the 18th century. The people who belong to this profession are responsible for the look of the things we use. This means that they take the functions of a certain object or device into account and develop their outer design.

At Bright Side, we decided to find out why some ordinary things look the way they do.

Why do tights have 2 seams in the back?

There are 2 seams in the back of toddler tights. Many people think that these seams are there so that we know where the front is, and where the back is. However, the real reason is different: the cotton the tights are made from is not very stretchy.

In the past, before stretchy materials were invented, all tights had cotton in them. Therefore, to make sure it was easy to put the tights on, they didn’t get torn during wear, and that they fit well, the back panel was invented.

Why isn’t the bottom of plastic bottles flat?

The bottoms of most plastic bottles are not only uneven, they are uneven in a different way. A carbonated drink bottle, for example, has 5 bumps, while a milk bottle can have an indented bottom. Why is that so?

In the first example, this is done in order to minimize the risk of damage to the bottle during transportation. Gases create additional pressure inside the bottle and can change its shape and even make a hole in the bottom. Therefore, the bottom takes on this weird shape in order to provide greater strength.

As for the bottles for non-carbonated drinks, they are just more stable if the bottom is not flat. This bottom also makes them more durable because you never know what can happen during transportation. For example, the liquids inside can freeze, expand, or even knock out the bottom completely.

What is this thing inside the handle of a brush?

Some brushes have a strange thing at the end of the handle. Some people think it’s just a decorative element. But in fact, if you pull it out, you’ll see that it’s a sectioning pick for strands and for parting. It is also used to clean hair from the brush.

What are those rings for on a headphone plug?

Have you ever noticed those strange rings on a headphone plug? Do you know what they are for? These rings don’t pass current and divide the plug into pins. So, for example, one ring carries the signal to headphones, another one is responsible for the microphone, and a third one is responsible for noise reduction.

Why is there a loop on sneakers?

A loop in the back of sneakers makes it easier to put them on if there is no shoehorn at hand. To do this, just insert your foot into the shoe and pull on the loop. This way, the rear part of the shoe won’t get smashed, and your foot will be able to slip inside the shoe without much effort.

Besides, sneakers can be dirty, and you don’t want to grab them with clean hands. So, the loops can also come in handy. This loop can also be used for washing. When tied, a pair of sneakers will stay together during washing.

What is the groove at the spine of a book for?

Some books have a groove along the spine, and it even has a special name — French Groove. It’s designed to make a hardcover book more convenient to open. Most books without a groove are paperbacks.

Why do some knives have indentations in the blade?

In general, most knives have a solid metal blade. But some kitchen knives have indentations or even holes. What are they for?

Knives with holes are usually used for cutting cheese. Due to its viscous consistency (like soft varieties), cheese often sticks to the blade during cutting. The holes play the role of air pockets and prevent sticking. The indentations on some knives serve a similar purpose — they prevent food from sticking to the blade during slicing and chopping.

Why are books rectangular?

Although nowadays you can find a book shaped as a circle or even an animal, most books are rectangular.

The reason is that this shape makes it easier for us to perceive text. According to some studies, a person perceives 45–75 characters per line well when reading. Lines that are too long overload our brain, and lines that are too short wear us out due to the frequent transitions between them. By the way, this is why newspapers and magazines have columns in their layouts.

Why does a fork have 4 tines?

There are many different types of forks: a dessert fork, a salad fork, a fish fork... However, we use a conventional fork with 4 tines most often. Why is that so?

A study found that the optimal number of tines is 4 which makes it easier to pick up food and bring it to your mouth. If there are 2 or 3 tines, a fork is good for piercing pieces of food, but not for collecting them. If there were more tines, this fork won’t fit well in the mouth.

What is the little lock slide switch on a MicroSD adapter card for?

This little switch on an adapter card serves a simple purpose — to protect the data on the card, and sometimes even on your computer. If you move this switch to the “locked” position, no device into which the adapter card is plugged can overwrite it, thereby protecting your data from being changed, removed, or infected with a virus.

What is a dust jacket really for?

After buying a book, some of us carefully remove the dust jacket first (of course, if there is one) — so as not to tear or spoil it, because nowadays this outer cover sometimes looks like a work of art. We all know that it is much easier to print something on paper (which means you can make the appearance of a book more attractive) than on a hardcover.

But the first dust jackets were used to protect books during transportation, and therefore were immediately thrown away, just like any other packaging.

Have you ever wondered why a certain object you use every day looks the way it does? What is it? Tell us in the comments below.