Grommet

A grommet is a reinforced eyelet or ring, typically made of metal, rubber, or plastic, inserted into a hole in a material, often fabric, leather, or sheet metal. Its primary function is to protect the material from abrasion or wear caused by the passage of a rope, wire, or other object through the hole, or to prevent the hole from tearing. Grommets are commonly used in a wide range of applications, from clothing and footwear to industrial equipment and outdoor gear. They provide a durable, finished edge to the hole while facilitating smooth movement of the inserted element.

Grommet meaning with examples

• The shoelace grommets on my boots were starting to fray, so I reinforced them with new metal ones. This prevented further wear and tear on the boot's leather.
• We installed grommets on the tarp to create secure anchor points for tying it down, making it much more robust to wind and weather.
• The electrical wires were running through a grommet in the metal chassis of the machine, protecting them from chafing.
• I used a grommet tool to set eyelets in the canvas, creating reinforced holes for the laces on my new project.
• The banner needed grommets to hang up and to prevent it from ripping.