Why does every zipper have YKK on it? (1 Viewer)

[Scott Van Dyke]

I could swear there was a thread asking this same question, but I couldn't find it.

Anyway, does it have something to do with a patent? Wouldn't this patent have run-out already?
Is there a zipper-puller-monopoly?

So many questions, so little time on this earth...

 

[Danny Tse]

Because YKK, a Japanese company, is the largest supplier of zippers.

http://www.ykkamerica.com/

 

[MikeM]

Yup. When I was living in Toyama, Japan, (YKK's home base,) people in those parts were very proud of their zippers.

 

[Bry_DD]

Maybe cuz they're the company who made them..

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

Toyama may be YKK's home base but YKK is a huge international corporation. Their biggest factory, in fact the world's largest zipper factory, is in the third world country of Maconga where labor is cheap. (Inside joke for those who know where Maconga really is and for those unfortunate enough to live there.)

YKK also makes a lot of the zippers that don't have YKK on them, for example Levi's.

 

[ThomasC]

Their biggest factory, in fact the world's largest zipper factory, is in the third world country of Maconga where labor is cheap.

:frowning:

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

In high school I used to always joke about buying stock in YKK being a brilliant investment because if the stock went down it would zip right back up.

 

[MarkHastings]

if the stock went down it would zip right back up.

Just like your stock in "Eagle Brand Condensed Milk" would soar

 

[Matt Stryker]

Their biggest factory, in fact the world's largest zipper factory, is in the third world country of Maconga where labor is cheap.

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

I guess you don't keep up with current events in Maconga, Matt. The Whoopie folded last year.

 

[Andrew_Sch]

My zipper says IDEAL.

 

[Khoa Tran]

you liE! on the jacket im wearing the zipper says banana republic, so it's not EVERY zipper!

 

[MarkHastings]

My button-fly jeans don't say YKK

 

[Max Leung]

My Levi's zipper says YKK on it.

 

[ColinM]

Eddie Bauer = YKK.....

 

[karmasutra]

[COLOR= black]Finally I found a forum about this YKK zipper, and I'm disappointed. I saw sometimes on middle expensive branded garment like Matinique, Massimo Dutti, River Woods and more that they use YKK zipper but then I saw also this zipper YKK on cheaper garment like H&M and on 1 euro market clothing. How this is possible on expensive branded garment they use the same materials as the h&m.[/COLOR]

 

[JoeCool6972]

[COLOR= black]Finally I found a forum about this YKK zipper, and I'm disappointed. I saw sometimes on middle expensive branded garment like Matinique, Massimo Dutti, River Woods and more that they use YKK zipper but then I saw also this zipper YKK on cheaper garment like H&M and on 1 euro market clothing. How this is possible on expensive branded garment they use the same materials as the h&m.[/COLOR]

Because those expensive overpriced clothes are no different than "cheap" clothes, made in a sweatshop in a third world country out of same cheap materials.

 

[ChristopherDAC]

YKK makes very good zippers. Those three letters are your guaranty of performance in zipperdom.

The economics of mass production, as applied to those little pulls & teeth, are such that there isn't a "high-end" substitute. YKK zippers don't jam, or separate, or any of those other things off-brand ones do (I had the no-brand pull on a suitcase zipper just disintegrate once). It's just one of those things. I don't buy products with non-YKK zippers if I can help it.

 

[emptybox]

Originally Posted by karmasutra

[COLOR= black]Finally I found a forum about this YKK zipper, and I'm disappointed. I saw sometimes on middle expensive branded garment like Matinique, Massimo Dutti, River Woods and more that they use YKK zipper but then I saw also this zipper YKK on cheaper garment like H&M and on 1 euro market clothing. How this is possible on expensive branded garment they use the same materials as the h&m.[/COLOR]

Simple, expensive brands are overpriced/are priced by their name...

but if it makes you feel any better ykk have wide variety of zippers...

from ordinary to gold-platted...

so just think that they used more expensive zippers than those in 1 euro shops.