If You See YKK on Your Zipper, Here’s What It Means

Whether you’re examining your zipper to fix it, you’re curious, or you’re inspecting the garment it’s on, you may have noticed that many of the zippers around you have lettering stamped on them. One of the most common stamps is YKK, but what does it mean to see that on your zipper? We looked into its history to find out for you.

Once you know the answer, you’ll be set for whatever crossword puzzles or trivia quizzes include it, and you can guide your team to victory. If you aren’t puzzle inclined, you can keep this knowledge in your back pocket for the next time you have some kind of zipper emergency.

What Does YKK Stand For?

YKK is a zipper manufacturing company. It was founded in Japan in 1934 by Tadao Yoshida. It was originally called Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha, which “translates roughly into English as ‘Yoshida Company Limited.'” Over time, however, it eventually got abbreviated to YKK. The company stamped those letters “onto the zippers’ pull tabs, and thus YKK became known as the Company’s trademark.”

According to the YKK’s website, people ask what the letters mean quite a bit. In fact, it’s the first question answered on their FAQ page.

What Does the YKK Stamp Mean on My Zipper?

Many clothing companies prefer to have their branding prominently displayed across their garments. So, it’s a fair guess that that’s what the YKK means. But the YKK stamp on your zipper has nothing to do with the clothing brand at all. In short, if your zipper reads ‘YKK,’ that means it’s made by the Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha Company. They aren’t the only zipper manufacturer out there. However, they are one of the bigger ones. So it’s not at all uncommon to come across a YKK zipper in your everyday life.

Where Else Might I  See YKK Stamped?

YKK has grown since 1934, and while it is primarily a fastener manufacturer, it does not limit its products to just zippers. In addition to zippers, YKK also produces “other fastening products-like snaps & buttons, textiles and plastics, hook & loop self-closing tape fastening systems, webbings, and metal and plastic notions and buckles.” And as if that doesn’t cover enough, “YKK also produces aluminium building products-like window and entrance systems for low, medium, and high rise applications.” Chances are you’ve come across their products quite a bit in your day-to-day life.

Source

FAQs, YKK Europe Limited.

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