Chapter 1
The birth of a fastening empire
Chapter 2
The secrets of vertical integration
Chapter 3
The hidden physics of the zipper
Chapter 4
A tiny giant in a globalized world
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret empire of the zipper
Ch 1 · The birth of a fastening empire
sonia Early zippers were notoriously unreliable, frequently jamming and ruining clothes before YKK revolutionized their production.
sonia YKK operates on a unique corporate philosophy that prioritizes mutual benefit and high-quality service over quick profits.
BETA
sonia Build every zipper part from scratch to learn how YKK dominates the global market.
Fun Fact
Zipper origins: The word 'zipper' was coined by the B.F. Goodrich company in 1923 because of the zipping sound their new rubber boots made.
Glossary
zipper (noun)
A fastening device consisting of two parallel tracks of teeth that are interlocked or separated by a sliding tab. Founded in 1934 by Tadao Yoshida, YKK grew to produce roughly half of these fasteners globally.
A fastening device consisting of two parallel tracks of teeth that are interlocked or separated by a sliding tab. Founded in 1934 by Tadao Yoshida, YKK grew to produce roughly half of these fasteners globally.
Quiz
To which Japanese prefecture did YKK relocate its factories after its Tokyo plant was destroyed in 1945?