ZIPPERS

ZIPPERS 101

What is a Zipper?
Invention

Invented in 1891 by an engineer named

Whitcomb L. Judson, the “Slide Fastener” or
“Clasp Locker” consisted of hooks and eyes
to close a bag or boots. The fastener was
crude and did have the tendency to open.

United States Patent Office

Whitcomb L. Judson

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

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The Modern Zipper

In 1913, Swedish-born engineer Gideon Sundback

developed a zipper using metal teeth instead of hooks
and eyes. His patented invention in 1917 was the
forerunner of the modern brass toothed zipper. The
name “Zipper” was first used by B. F. Goodrich to
describe a rubber boot which used Sundback’s fastener.

1917 patent of the "separable fastener" (zipper) by Gideon Sundbäck.

Gideon Sundback

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

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Zipper Mechanism

The process of opening and closing a zipper is in essence a

gearing mechanism. The zipper's teeth are the cogs of the
gear. The slider aligns the teeth in a fashion to close the
zipper, allowing each tooth to mesh with the next tooth.
When opening a zipper, the interior of the slider has a
diamond shape, which is what is forced between the teeth,
causing the “gear” to open.

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Structure of a Zipper
A zipper consisting of two rows of elements on strips of tape and a slider that draws the elements together.

Closed Bottom Zipper Separating Zipper

TOP STOP

SLIDER
INSERT PIN BOX PIN

ELEMENTS
RETAINING BOX

TAPE

Slider CROWN

PULLER

BOTTOM STOP BODY

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Function of a Zipper
Determine the function in closing a zipper

Open-end Two-way Zipper with Zipper with double sliders

Closed-end (C)
[Separator] (O) Separator (M) double sliders (C) (CX)

Arranged in head-to-head Arranged in bottom-to-bottom

relation relation

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Opening Direction of a Zipper (Pin insert)

All other parts of the world

USA – Standard Left insert (OL)
Standard right insert (OR)

The hand that the pin is held in when wearing the garment
determines whether the insert is left or right.

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Measuring a Zipper
How to Measure a Zipper
Classification
Dimensions of bottom tape
Dimensions (A) Dimensions of top tape extension (B)
extension(C)

From the top end of the

Closed end From the top stop to the tip of From the top stop to the tip of
slider to the tip of the bottom
zipper notches of the cut end notches of the cut end
stop
B A C

Zipper with double sliders From the tip of one bottom From the upper bottom stop to From the tip of the bottom stop to
(arranged in head-to-head stop to the tip of the other the tip of notches of the cut end the tip of notches of the cut end
relation) bottom stop
B A C

Zipper with double sliders From the top end of one From the top stop to the tip Same as the top tape extension
(arranged in bottom-to- slider to the top end of the of notches of the cut end end portion
bottom relation) other slider
B A C

Open-end From the top end of the

From the top stop to the cut end
zipper slider to the tip of the box
B A

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Measuring a Zipper
How to Measure a Zipper
Classification
Dimensions of bottom tape
Dimensions (A) Dimensions of top tape extension (B)
extension(C)

From the top end of the

Two-way separator From
slider to the bottom end of From the top stop to the cut end
the top
the supplementary tape
B A

From the top stop to the tip From the top stop to
Top open zipper the cut end
of the box
B A

Rather than from the top

end, measurement should
Reversible slider From the top stop to the cut end
be made from the shoulder
inlet portion of the slider
B A

When the top stop does not Measurement should be From the top stop to the tip of
enter the slider made from the top stop notches of the cut end
B A C

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ZIPPERS 101

Zippers
Types of Zipper Elements

®
Metal Zipper Coil Zipper VISLON Zipper
(Injection molded)

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Types of Zipper Chain <METAL>
1. Regular Metal Zipper SIZE 3M, 4M, 5R, 7M, 8M, 10M
Elements Colors

Aluminum Golden Brass Antique Brass Antique Silver Black Oxidized Silver
Matl: Aluminum Matl: Brass Matl: Brass Matl: Brass Matl: Brass Matl: Nickel
[A*] [G*] [GKB*] [GTH*] [GK*] [MN*]

2. Jeans Y-Type Zipper SIZE 3Y (45Y), 4Y, 5Y

Elements Colors

Golden Brass Antique Gold Antique Silver Black Dull Silver Nickel Silver
Matl: Brass Matl: Brass Matl: Brass Matl: Brass Matl: Brass Matl: Nickel
[G*] [GKB*] [GTH*] [GK*] [GRDS*] [N*]
*Only for #3 (#45)

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Types of Zipper Chain <METAL>
3. EXCELLA® SIZE 2SG, 3SGY, 3SGW, 5SGY, 5SGW, 8SG, 8SGW

YKK’s highest quality metal zipper. Single type [Y*]: Double type [W*]:
Each elements is polished and plated Only 1 slider can be used 2 sliders can be used like
and then put on the tape. on the chain. in the two-way open zipper.

Elements Colors All made of Brass

Golden Brass Nickel Antique Brass Antique Silver Black Nickel Antique Copper
[OG*] [P*] [I*] [H3*] [V3*] [X*]

* At the beginning of September 2012, the code was

changed from 'H6' & 'V6" to ‘H3’ & 'V3'
Luxury Gold Matte White Bronze Silver Shiny Black
[Q*] [C9*] [C5*] [X7*]

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Types of Zipper Chain <METAL>

4. EXCELLA ® Light SIZE 3SAW, 5SAW, 8SAW

EXCELLA® Light zipper elements made from aluminum. The zipper is lightweight while maintaining strength and is available with a color variation.

Elements Colors

Antique Silver Black Nickel Antique Brass Antique Copper Golden Brass
Aluminum [EL-SIL2*] [EL-BLK3*] [EL-GOL4*] [EL-COP3*] [EL-GOL8*]

Red Orange Purple Green Blue MIX

[EL-RED2*] [EL-ORE3*] [EL-VIO3*] [EL-GRN3*] [EL-BLU6*] [EL-COM2*]

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Types of Zipper Chain <METAL>
5. EVERBRIGHT® SIZE 3MGP, 4MGP, 5RGP, 7MGP, 8MGP, 10MGP

Gloss-polished zippers are smooth to the touch, glossy, and corrosion-resistant.

Elements Colors

Golden Brass Nickel Silver Anti-Nickel Silver

[G*] [N*]

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Zipper Manufacturing Process <Metal Zippers>

Making Metal Element

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Types of Zipper Chain <COIL>

1. Coil Zipper Front-Side Use 2. Coil Zipper Reverse Use

SIZE 2CF, 3CF, 45CF, 5CIF, 8CF, 10CF SIZE 3CF, 5CIF

3. CONCEAL® (Concealed zipper) 4. Racquet Coil Zipper for Luggage*

SIZE 2CH, 3CH, 5CH SIZE 5RC, 8RC, 10RC

* Reverse available

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Zipper Manufacturing Process <Coil Zippers>

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Standard Coil Zippers vs Color Combination
Standard Coil Zipper Color Combination of Coil Zipper
Pattern1 Pattern2

Making Chain Element Tape Element Tape

Colored element Dyeing Tape Chain Dyeing Dyeing Tape

Transparent,Natural color,
Dyeing Chain Black, White
Separating tape and
element from color dyed
chain to get the element

Making Chain Making Chain

Regular coil chain is dyed in chain with Sewing the colored tape and colored element Sewing the colored tape and colored element
tape and element sewn together. together to make the chain. together to make the chain.

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Standard Coil Zippers vs Concealed Zippers

Standard Coil CONCEAL®

Only a slider tab indicates that a slider body is
entirely on the inside of a garment.

The section of element The section of element

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Standard Coil Zippers vs Racquet Coil Zippers

Standard Coil Zipper Racquet Coil Zipper

Available size： ＃5, 8, 10

Conventional coil

The Racquet coil zipper features a unique oval shape that ensures durability. YKK takes the advanced design to the next level by strategically
placing the sewing thread (which attaches the zipper to the tape) in an indentation on the oval -- thus protecting it from exposure and from
being easily torn.
Countries where the patent is valid: (as of Sept. 2012)
Japan, USA, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia

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Types of Zipper Chain <VISLON®>
VISLON® Plastic elements injected onto tape.

Size

3VS 4VS 5VS 8VS 10VF 15VF

Metallic Colors

[VSMB*] [VSMG*] [VSMJ*] [VSMP*] [VSMR*] [VSMV*]

Antique Gold Gold Matt Black Golden Brass Antique Silver Silver
#G765 #701 #G770 #G702 #G744 #703

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VISLON® Variations
1. VISLON® Flat 2. METALUXE®

Plastic elements injected onto tape. * more colors available Element that looks like a metal zipper but is made of plastic.

SIZE 3VZ, 5VZ SIZE 5VY, 8VY

3. VISLON® with transparent elements 4. LUMIFINE®

Transparent element. Glow in the dark element.

SIZE 3VSNT, 4VSNT, 5VSNT, 8VSNT SIZE 3VSK, 5VSK

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Zipper Manufacturing Process <VISLON®>

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ZIPPERS 101

Sliders
Types of Sliders

[DA8*] [DFW*] [DU*]

Automatic lock Non-lock Reversible Automatic
Won’t open unless No locking mechanism. Auto lock. For reversible use.
you pull the zipper pull. For pockets, bags, etc.

[DS*] [GS6*]
Semi-Automatic lock Semi-Automatic lock
Unlocks when the zipper Semi-auto for Jeans.
pull is raised 90 Made of brass.
degrees.

[CA8*] [CF*] [ZA*] [ZF*] [DFNT*]

Automatic lock Non-lock Automatic lock Non-lock Non-lock
Won’t open unless No locking mechanism. Auto lock. For reversible use. Non-lock. You can clip on your Non-lock. You can attach your
you pull the zipper pull. For pockets, bags, etc. own puller. own puller by closing the crown.

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Slider Finishes
Standard finishes that can be done in more than 2 factories in the world.

[H3*] [H1*] [HC5*] [C6*] [C5*] [Ｖ3*]

Antique Silver Dark Antique Dark Silver Matte Silver Silver Black Silver
Silver

[V7*] [X6*] [RL*] [X*] [I*] [IF*]

Matte Black Silver Black Oxides Bright Copper Antique Copper Antique Brass Light Antique
Brass

[IM*] [FQ*] [KQ*] [GS*] [O*] [OJ*]

Super Light Matte Rose Gold Rose Gold Matte Yellow Gold Gold Jeans Gold
Antique Brass

[E*] [EF*] [EM V*] (#703) [EM R*] (#744) [EM J*] (#770) [EM B*] (#765) [EM G*] (#701)
Enamel Painted Matte Enamel Metalic Enamel Metalic Enamel Metalic Enamel Metalic Enamel Metalic Enamel

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YKK Sliders Catalog
Cover Page3-5

- Contains YKK’s basic large sale sliders.

- Sections divided by chain type such as Metal, Coil and VISLON®.
- The first section (page 3-5) explains the basics of sliders and
shows the basic slider finishes.

Contents
At the top of each page there is a photo
of the type of zipper that can be used with the sliders.

Slider photos
in actual size.

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YKK Sliders Catalog
Slider photo in actual size Page4

Slider code
“D” = Die-cast (zinc alloy)
“A” = Automatic Lock
“8” = Development number
(YKK internal use)

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Zipper Nomenclature
A standard description is usually provided to customers:
Size 3 standard coil, painted automatic lock slider, closed-end zipper

Chain type
C* = coil
M*/R*=metal
Zipper Slider finish
V* = VISLON gauge

CFC-36 DA E P12 KENSIN N-ANTI P-TOP

Zipper function Special features

C = closed-end
OL = open-end left insert Slider code KENSIN:Means that the zipper passes needle detection. NC-A.
OR = open-end right insert
Tape
ML= two-way left insert
N-ANTI:Means that the zipper meets the requirement for 94/27/EC for nickel.
MR = two-way right insert
P-TOP:Plastic top stop.

• Please provide the above information to YKK.

• No need to memorize all YKK codes.
When necessary, please ask a YKK representative to write down the code for you.

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ZIPPERS 101

How to Choose a Zipper

How to Choose a Zipper
1. Please decide which zipper function and slider you need.

Center Front Bottoms

Normally, an open-end or two-way
open end zipper with an auto or semi-
auto lock slider is used, so that the
zipper won’t open up on its own.
Pockets/sleeves
Normally, a closed-end zipper with a
non-lock slider is used so that you can
open it easily.
A closed-end zipper for fly. The slider
should be an auto or semi-auto lock.
The recommended zipper differs by the
thickness of the fabric and the type of
pants. The YZiP® zipper is recommended
for jeans that have been washed harshly.

2. Please decide the gauge.

The available gauge differs by item, so please consult a YKK representative.

3. Please decide the detail.

Color, element finish, special features…etc., and the length of the zipper.

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Bottoms
Jeans
 From zippers to buttons, YKK provides a variety of jeans wear trims. YZiP®
 Our popular YZiP® zippers are designed specifically for denim apparel.
Since jeans will go through tough washing, YZiP® zippers are designed to
be strong enough to resist corrosion when compared to standard metal
zippers.
 YZiP® zippers are available in different sizes and various finishes with
standard and customized logo pulls.

Pants, shorts
Regular Coil FLATKNIT®

Size

Size 3CF, 5CN Size 25FK

Available in reverse

3YG 4YG 5YG

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Casual / Ready-to-Wear
“Clean” look

CONCEAL® EXCELLA®

Color combination

Neon element METALLION® Transparent element Color combination

Metallic plated element with colored thread
Tape variation

Herringbone Melange Stripe Neon color Print

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 Sports / Outdoor
AquaGuard® NATULON ®
Size 3 & 5. Recycled polyester tape zipper
PFC free water repellent finish
This item has been upgraded to improve sliding, operability, and environmental friendliness.

The AquaGuard® zipper is laminated with polyurethane [T8*] Shiny [T9*] Matte [T10*] Matte
film to surface of the tape, and the zipper is treated to Transparent film Colored film Transparent film

provide water repellent.

VISLON® AquaGuard®
Size 3, 5, 8. VISLON® zipper version.
Three types of tapes are available:
Shiny, Matte(colored film), and Matte(transparent film).

There are two types of zipper chains：coils and VISLON®.

[T8*] [T9*] [T10*]

Shiny Transparent film Matte Colored film Matte Transparent film

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Backpacks
For backpack applications, YKK has products that accommodate various functions.
We offer lightweight, water repellent and abrasion resistant items. The durability of
these products makes them excellent for outdoor use. YKK has a wide range of
color variations for each product to ensure that you can enjoy your favorite and
original combination.

Racquet Coil Zipper Ultra light-weight

Adjuster Other buckles
Stronger against abrasion compared to regular coil. buckle

[LB-MVD*] [LB-MVS*] [LM-MV*]

[5RC*] [8RC*] [10RC*]

[LB-WG*] [LB-LV*]

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Marine

AQUASEAL® PROSEAL®
Water proof VISLON® zippers for applications SIZE 5,10 Water-tight air-tight for applications SIZE 4,8,12
such as wader, wet suit, etc. such as immersion suits and dry suits.

Double Seal

Single Seal (closed end)

[4TZ*] [8TZ*]

Single Seal (open end)

[12TZ*]

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Nickel Regulation

Regulation
Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) Annex XVII

Products subject to regulation

Watches, Watch Straps, Zippers, Buttons, Rivets, Buckles,
Belts and other products that come into direct contact with skin

Nickel Content Limit

0.5 ug/cm2/week (EN 1811)

YKK products indicated as “N-ANTI” meet the above restriction Request YKK N-Anti Zippers!

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THANK YOU.

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*This is the item code.