Here’s an important question: How do manufacturers cut costs and stay ahead of their competitors when developing new products? The answer is by evaluating Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) when new products are being conceived of and developed. TCO is the sum total of costs incurred throughout a product’s lifecycle,…
SUMMARY This article explores the best way to sew extruded plastic hook fasteners in order to prevent tears. Considerations include sewing thread and stitch length as well needle size. POWERHOOK® FASTENER SELECTION POWERHOOK® fasteners are molded hooks produced with extrusion technology. They vary in material polymer and performance, and can…
This is a question that more customers are asking as they seek to find ways to reduce the environmental footprint of their products. While the term “sustainable” would seem to be straightforward and easy to understand, it can be tricky as it has different meanings for different people. At YKK,…
Summary Car seats are made up of 3 major components: a frame for support, foam for comfort, and a trim cover for appearance. The actual building of the seat follows in the same order. The frame is made of fabricated metal components and assembled. Then, the appropriately designed foam is…
A common question YKK gets is “What is the plastic Velcro called?” VELCRO® is a trademark owned by Velcro Companies. VELCRO® tape is called “hook and loop” generically. The industry term for plastic hook is “extruded hook.” Extruded hook is a molded hook produced with hot melt extrusion technology, which…
On a regular coil zipper, spiral plastic elements are exposed and visible once sewn into the garment or application. By contrast, CONCEAL® coil zippers are designed to be used with the coil elements hidden.
Summary Zippers can be used to affix, close, and stabilize sports apparel and equipment to enhance athlete performance. The top five considerations when selecting a zipper for use in sportswear or sports equipment are function, application, materials, aesthetics, and cost. When you think of sporting goods, what types of sports…
Impact of Hook & Loop Directionality on Product Performance A common misconception is that ANY hook and ANY loop configuration will work for a particular product or device. The fact of the matter is that deciding what hook and loop configuration to best fit into a product is much more…
