#5 Coil YKK® Zipper by the Yard (Sold per Yard) (2024)

FAQs

What does YKK stand for on zippers? ›

'YKK' stands for: Yoshida Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha. The YKK Group is a Japanese group of manufacturing companies. As the world's largest zipper manufacturer, YKK Group is most famous for making zippers. YKK is the global leader in zippers. They produce over 7 billion of zippers and sell these worldwide.

Sailrite® stocks zippers in the following sizes: Size #4.5: Used for small home décor projects such as cushions, pillows and purses. Size #5: Used for medium-sized projects such as cushions and upholstery, duffle/tote bags, backpacks and jackets.

Standard Coil Zippers

They are quite common in the marketplace and are very flexible in both a flat plane and around curves. Coil zippers are the softest among the three available types; therefore, they are often the choice for women's ready-to-wear items, such as skirts, pants, and dresses.

What would later become YKK operated initially as San-es Shokai and was founded by Tadao Yoshida in Higashi Nihonbashi, Tokyo in January 1934.

YKK's EXCELLA^® zipper is its highest quality metal zipper with fully polished elements. This beautiful, shiny zipper gives clothes and baggage a luxurious appearance. This zipper is available in a variety of surface colors including silver, gold, and antique finish.

With self-lubrication, YKK zippers move even more smoothly the more you use them. The surface of the zipper is beautifully plated and won't easily fade. The fabric of the zippers is also selectively picked to match the clothing style.

Coil zippers are strong and durable, making them ideal for heavy-duty applications. Metal coil zippers are the most expensive, but they are also the most durable. Plastic coil zippers are less expensive and still quite durable.

As one of the largest zipper manufacturers in the world, YKK is almost one of the most common zipper brands in bags. The company was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Japan.

So a #3 zipper has a 3mm wide chain, and a #5 zipper has a 5mm wide chain. The #3 will be more flexible than the #5, but not as strong. Now we can break down the name of a zipper and know what it means. Let's see an example: “YKK 18″ Chrome Gray #3 Closed End Zipper”.

A typical 14-inch “invisible” YKK nylon zipper (the kind that disappears behind fabric when you zip up the back of a dress) costs about 32 cents. For an apparel maker designing a garment that will cost $40-$65 to manufacture, and will retail for three times that much or more, it's simply not worth it to skimp.

What luxury brands use YKK zippers? ›

YKK is mostly used for luxury brands such as LV, GUCCI, DIORMCM, etc.

On the back of each slider, there should be a couple letters and numbers. For example, if your zipper says YKK 5CN, you have a YKK brand zipper in size 5 coil.

Louis Vuitton Zippers

Modern Louis Vuitton bags, especially with colored zippers, may have a YKK branded zipper. Depending on the style and year of the bag, the finish of each zipper will be semi-matte or shiny.

Real Gucci products come with hardware that's sturdy and heavy. The YKK zippers, solid metal bottom, and other elements will be superbly placed and stamped with the proper logos and fonts.

If you look down at the back of the zipper on your clothing, chances are you will see three small letters “YKK.” Unbeknownst to most, YKK stands for the Japanese zipper manufacturer Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha, which roughly translates to Yoshida Company Limited.