Low Profile Insect-Proof Closure for an Encasement

A low-profile insect-proof closure for an encasement of insect-impervious fabric, the closure comprising:

• a zipper for closing an opening in the encasement, the zipper being stitched to the encasement and having a zipper head, and a zipper track on a fabric zipper belt, the zipper having a terminal end where the zipper track is approximately fully closed by the zipper head;
• a fabric backing panel stitched to the encasement behind the zipper within a closure zone surrounding the terminal end;
• and
• a finger-shaped insert made of compressible elastomer attached to the fabric backing panel and arranged within the closure zone but spaced away from the terminal end, such that the zipper head can be zipped to a position beyond the insert, wherein the insert acts to physically block the zipper head to keep the zipper head in closed position at the terminal end when the encasement is positioned on an article;
• the insert having a width no greater than the width of the zipper belt and a thickness less than about 10 millimeters.