The World Health Organization (WHO) defines being disabled as not just a limit to a person’s body, but the environment they find themselves in. Thus, this lack of environment adaption is classified as a human rights issue.1* The unfortunate truth of the matter is, the world is largely designed with…
Between 2003 and 2018, the number of times a person would wear the same piece of clothing multiple times has gone down by 36%.1* This is, in part, due to the dramatic increase in the fast fashion industry. Despite its negative environmental impact, many times it ends up being one…
Have you ever looked at shirt or jacket and noticed that the zipper or the buttons are on the opposite side? Perhaps you’ve bought a new shirt or jacket and have been disoriented by the positioning of these fasteners. An estimated 70 to 95 percent of people in the world…
Since YKK manufactures roughly 3 million kilometers worth of zippers every year, some assume we invented this integral apparel product. However, the invention of the zipper predates our company’s founding. This begs the question: Who invented the zipper? Let’s find out! 1851: Elias Howe Jr. and the Unutilized Patent In…
Despite being quite small, fasteners are integral to the performance of wearables. Since fasteners are the most frequently touched component of these types of products, it is crucial that wearables manufacturers do not make mistakes that can diminish performance or worse, render the garment completely unusable. While there are several…
Have you determined that your product needs an invisible zipper but you don’t know which is best? Allow us to introduce you to YKK’s lineup of CONCEAL® zippers, which come in a variety of element/teeth sizes, over 700 colors, and include Dye-to-Match (DTM) capabilities. Our lightest invisible zipper, the #2mm,…
Our women designers series is an on-going project to highlight innovative designers across the world. In this installment, we’re highlighting Ana Kraft, founder and CEO of Xena Workwear for Women, a company that creates fashionable safety shoes and functional apparel for women in STEM and the Trades. We asked her…
The Collective Fashion Show is a first-of-its-kind show that features celebrity fashion designers from different reality TV fashion shows. The show is bringing these designers together to reconnect and engage with their fans in new ways. The designers are creating collections to showcase in live streamed fashion shows and events….
Our women designers series is an on-going project to highlight innovative designers across the world. In this installment, we’re highlighting Atlanta-based designer Corinea “Coco” Austin, founder of Fiibers Fabric, a marketplace for sustainable and upcycled fabrics. We asked her to share with us the importance of diversity and inclusion in…
Our women designers series is an on-going project to highlight innovative designers across the world that incorporate YKK® products into their unique creations. In this installment, we introduce you to 21-year-old fashion design student Lina Gómez from Bello, Antioquia – Colombia. Lina is a student at the Colegiatura Colombiana Institute…
