# What does YKK mean on zippers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 8, 2008, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769 "2008-02-08T04:38:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/1 "2008-02-08T04:38:00Z")
Um, it’s the company that makes them? Same reason there’s “Ford” on my car and “Compaq” on my computer? Fighting ignorance is one thing because it is curable, but Cecil should not be led astray to fight gross stupidity. One thing, though: > [@Cecil](#): > > (Hey, everybody needs zippers.) The Amish manage to get by, though even they are becoming big fans of [solar power.](http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/05/amish_are_ultim.html) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/2 "2008-02-08T04:40:48Z")
[Linky.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_209.html) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/3 "2008-02-08T05:07:19Z")
OK, I’ve now checked every zipper I have easy access to. The one on my fly says “IDEAL”, the various ones on my coat and on an office-mate’s backpack don’t have any name on them at all, and the one on another office-mate’s tennis racket case says “Head”. Apparently, YKK could work a little more on their market penetration. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/4 "2008-02-08T05:27:06Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] Apparently, YKK could work a little more on their market penetration. [/QUOTE] The one on my fly (jeans, Geoffrey Beene) says YKK, as does the next one I looked at (slacks, Merona - I think that’s Mervyn’s store brand). Then I got bored. So based on this rigorous sampling (n=2), I estimate that YKK has achieved total penetration in this household. (You just wanted to use the word “penetration,” didn’t you?) ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/5 "2008-02-08T05:30:15Z")
Most of my zippers say YKK; one says “You shall die a painful and dishonorable death.” Stupid North Korean imports… ---
**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/6 "2008-02-08T14:16:24Z")
_Looks down_ YKK on the pair I’m wearing. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Jackson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Tom\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/7 "2008-02-08T14:56:06Z")
Once upon a time I saw a zipper clearly marked “KKK”. Apparently YKK has a competitor with limited market research skills. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/8 "2008-02-08T15:09:36Z")
Goodness, my suit pants (on [this suit](http://www.next.co.uk/shopping/men/tailoring/3/5)) have a YKK zipper. I never noticed this before. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/9 "2008-02-08T17:05:02Z")
“YKK” means that your zipper has been inspected by the Council of Rabbis and is certified kosher. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/10 "2008-02-08T17:22:55Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] The one on my fly says “IDEAL” [/QUOTE] Heh. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/11 "2008-02-08T17:32:10Z")
The zipper on the jeans I’m waring reads “TALON”. I’m not as comfortable as I was a minute ago. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/12 "2008-02-08T17:33:51Z")
OK, different pants today. They’re YKK this time. Whew! ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/13 "2008-02-08T17:56:23Z")
The one on my coat says “YBS.” What’s that? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/14 "2008-02-08T19:59:56Z")
[QUOTE=garygnu] The one on my coat says “YBS.” What’s that? [/QUOTE] Apparently a Korean-Chinese spinoff from YKK. > [@](#): > > In 1993, Qingdao YBS Zipper Co Ltd was founded by Korea Zipper Co Ltd, which had been engaged in the zipper industry since 1966. Closely cooperating with Japanese YKK, we devote ourselves to supplying the world sewing industry > with high-quality zippers. Our product range covers polyester, plastic and metal zippers and fasteners with great varieties. Backed by 25 years of production experience from YKK, we have made bold innovations and introduced our own > trademark **YBS (For Your Best Service**) in 1989. (bolding mine) (From [http://exp.ccpit.org/Chinaexports\_asp/Commany\_detail\_E.asp?ID=3579](http://exp.ccpit.org/Chinaexports_asp/Commany_detail_E.asp?ID=3579)) ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/15 "2008-02-08T22:13:25Z")
I’m happy to report that my khakis have a Talon zipper. Why would that make me happy, you might ask? Because I went to school in Meadville, PA, where Talon used to be located (they eventually ended up in California, but at least they’re still American). I’ve never figured out how YKK managed to get so much of the market away from Talon. I guess they’re cheaper or something. It isn’t like Talon was putting out a crappy product, a la Detroit. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/16 "2008-02-09T01:27:20Z")
[QUOTE=kelly5078] I’m happy to report that my khakis have a Talon zipper. Why would that make me happy, you might ask? Because I went to school in Meadville, PA, where Talon used to be located (they eventually ended up in California, but at least they’re still American). I’ve never figured out how YKK managed to get so much of the market away from Talon. I guess they’re cheaper or something. It isn’t like Talon was putting out a crappy product, a la Detroit. [/QUOTE] Talon is the descendant of the original company that invented the durn things in the first place. (“Zipper” was originally B. F. Goodrich’s trademarked name for boots equipped with what was then called a “slide fastener”.) Talon picked their zippy new name out of a book of five-letter code words. But “talon” actually does suggest Judson’s original invention, which used claws and loops (see [INSPIRATION LINE Trivia and Facts: The Zipper](http://www.inspirationline.com/Brainteaser/zipper.htm)), rather than the cup-and-dome design introduced in “Slide fastener #2”, and largely unchanged in metal zippers to this day. They also developed the “Zephyr” plastic-coil zipper. I imagine the loss of business to YKK is a direct result of the fact that almost the entire garment industry has left America. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/17 "2008-02-11T01:09:55Z")
[QUOTE=kidchameleon] > [@Chronos](#): > > The one on my fly says “IDEAL” Heh. [/QUOTE] On my zipper tab, it says, “Welcome to Jamaica, have a nice day.” ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/18 "2008-02-11T01:19:51Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] On my zipper tab, it says, “Welcome to Jamaica, have a nice day.” [/QUOTE] That’s the second biggest zipper I ever saw! ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ykk-mean-on-zippers/436769/19 "2008-02-11T17:25:06Z")
[QUOTE=kelly5078] I’ve never figured out how YKK managed to get so much of the market away from Talon. I guess they’re cheaper or something. It isn’t like Talon was putting out a crappy product, a la Detroit. [/QUOTE] Figure out a way to make it by the billions with as little human intervention as possible, and you’ve figured out a way to make it cheaply. YKK spits out in excess of 1,200 miles of zippers per day at their plant in Macon, GA. Another “ingredient” in their success is complete vertical integration. YKK makes everything in that zipper - they make the brass, they make the nylon, they even make the machines that make the zippers.