Aglet

The Shoe Lace Aglet

The aglet is the little plastic or metal part on the end of the shoe lace. An aglet or aiglet is a small sheath, often made of plastic or metal, used on each end of a shoelace, a cord, or a drawstring. An aglet keeps the fibers of the lace or cord from unraveling; its firmness and narrow profile make it easier to hold and easier to feed through eyelets, lugs, or other lacing guides.
The inventor of the aglet is Harvey Kennedy in 1790.