YKK
YKK is a privately held Japanese fastening products manufacturer producing roughly half the world's zippers, serving apparel, automotive, hygiene, medical, and industrial customers across 72 countries through 106 affiliated entities and vertically integrated production.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1934
- HeadquartersMarietta, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What YKK does
YKK is the world's largest manufacturer of fastening products, producing approximately half of all zippers globally and controlling roughly 40% of the global apparel zipper market. Founded in 1934 in Japan by Tadao Yoshida and remaining under family ownership, the company operates 106 affiliated companies across 72 countries/regions and is vertically integrated, manufacturing not only finished fastening products but also the production machinery and many of the raw materials used in their fabrication. The product portfolio spans zippers (Coil, Metal, VISLON molded, plus specialty lines such as AiryString tapeless, AquaGuard water-repellent, CONCEAL invisible, NATULON recycled, METALUXE, EXCELLA, and TouchLink NFC-enabled), hook & loop fasteners (POWERHOOK), snap and button products, plastic buckles and notions, and TAPECRAFT webbing for industrial and PPE applications.
YKK serves eight primary vertical markets: apparel and accessories (Levi's, Adidas, Shein among named customers), transportation/automotive (seat trim fasteners including QUICKFIT, EZ-CLIP, ERGO-J, and ISOFIX components), hygiene (diaper hook fasteners), personal protective equipment (FR zippers and fall protection webbing), medical devices, furniture, tactical gear (Berry Amendment compliant), and sports/outdoors. The company also operates YKK AP, a separate building products business covering aluminum windows and entrance systems, which was significantly expanded via the 2025 acquisition of an 80% stake in Panasonic's housing unit.
The business model is B2B hardware sales through direct field sales representatives, regional offices, and Field Technology Centers that provide engineering and application support. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with multi-year enterprise contracts. Sales motions include a digital showroom (YKK Trim Creator configurator), online customer portal (myykkusa.com), and country-specific career and contact sites across the Americas. The company has no public ticker, no funding rounds, and is structurally a private holding — making standard revenue disclosure unavailable despite very large global operating scale.
YKK firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- YKK
- Legal name
- YKK Corporation
- Website
- https://ykkamericas.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1934
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- YKK is a privately held Japanese fastening products manufacturer producing roughly half the world's zippers, serving apparel, automotive, hygiene, medical, and industrial customers across 72 countries through 106 affiliated entities and vertically integrated production.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
YKK industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Fasteners
- NAICS
- Fastener, Button, Needle, and Pin Manufacturing (339993)
- SIC
- Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fasteners & Closures (Zippers/Snaps/Hooks & Eyes/Hook-and-Loop) (IMAOALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Textiles, Fabrics, Trims & Components Suppliers (CRAAAAAL)
Keywords
Where YKK is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Marietta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
YKK business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Fastening Products Sales: YKK generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of fastening products including zippers, hook & loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, plastic buckles, webbings, and related notions. The company operates with vertical integration, producing both the finished products and the machinery to manufacture them.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | B2B enterprise sales through direct contact with YKK representatives |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
YKK product offering
Product offeringCore offering
YKK manufactures fastening products including zippers (coil, metal, VISLON molded, and specialty variants), hook and loop fasteners, snap and button products, plastic buckles and notions, and webbing tapes. The company operates a vertically integrated production model, also manufacturing the machinery used to produce its fasteners, and supplies engineered fastening solutions to apparel, automotive, hygiene, medical, PPE, tactical, furniture, and outdoor industries.
Product overview
YKK is a global fastening solutions company offering a comprehensive portfolio of products organized into five core categories: Zippers (including Coil, Metal, VISLON®, and specialized lines like AquaGuard®, CONCEAL®, NATULON®, AiryString®, and TouchLink®), Hook & Loop (POWERHOOK®, injection hooks, knit, and woven varieties), Snap & Button Products, Plastic Buckles & Notions, and TAPECRAFT® Webbing. The product portfolio also includes specialized sub-brands like GreenRise® (plant-derived) and EXCELLA® (premium). YKK serves diverse industry segments including Apparel/Accessories, Transportation (automotive seating with QUICKFIT®, EZ-CLIP®, ERGO-J®), Personal Protective Equipment (firefighter, FR workwear, fall protection), Hygiene (diaper hooks), Sports/Outdoors, Tactical Gear, Medical devices, and Furniture. The company operates with a solutions-first approach, combining products with machinery, engineering expertise, and integrated production to serve customers in 70+ countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AiryString: Sustainable tapeless zipper that eliminates traditional fabric tape, making it lighter and more flexible
- VISLON
- CONCEAL
- NATULON
- AQUASEAL
- AquaGuard
- QUICKFIT
- TAPECRAFT
- EXCELLA
- METALUXE
- QuickFree
- POWERHOOK
- DynaPel
- Cycle of Goodness
Products and services
- Coil Zipper Standard Standard coil zipper with a flexible spiral chain for apparel and accessory applications.
- Metal Zipper Standard Metal-toothed zipper for jeans, jackets, leather goods, and durable applications.
- VISLON Zipper Standard Molded plastic element zipper lighter than metal, available with color-matched elements and tape.
- AiryString Tapeless Zipper Tapeless zipper eliminating traditional fabric tape, lighter and more flexible for modern lightweight and stretch fabrics with reduced production emissions.
- AquaGuard Coil Zipper Water-repellent coil zipper with polyurethane coating preventing water penetration while preserving zipper function.
- AQUASEAL Waterproof Zipper Waterproof and airtight zipper engineered for applications requiring complete water or air seal protection.
- CONCEAL Invisible Zipper Invisible zipper providing a low-profile closure for apparel and automotive seats without disturbing garment or seat design.
- DynaPel PFAS-Compliant Water-Repellent Technology PFAS-compliant water repellency technology that eliminates polyurethane film or coating, making the zipper processable in recycling systems.
- NATULON Sustainable Zipper Series Sustainable zipper series made from recycled materials including ocean-sourced PET and recycled polyester to reduce environmental impact.
- TouchLink NFC Zipper NFC-enabled zipper slider providing digital connectivity for connected garments and circular economy tracking.
- POWERHOOK Extrusion Hook High-performance plastic extrusion hook fastener for hook-and-loop applications including hygiene products.
- QUICKFIT Automotive Hook-to-Loop Fastener Hook to loop fastener molded into foam trenches to attach trim covers in automotive seat production.
- EZ-CLIP Fastening Clip Tie-down clip and suspender system for attaching seat trim covers to foam during automotive seat assembly.
- ERGO-J Sheet Fastener J-Retainer sheet fastener designed to reduce operator strain during automotive seat close-out applications.
- SureFit Hook for Hygiene Applications Low-profile hook fastener for baby diapers and adult incontinence products offering high strength, comfort, and performance on nonwoven materials.
- Snap and Button Products Snap fasteners and buttons for apparel, automotive, government, industrial, and marine applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- 56.2% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions compared to FY2018 baseline
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use YKK
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
YKK technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature10 records
YKK partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.
- United States Footwear Manufacturers Association (USFMA)coreYKK Americas was welcomed into the military boot market through an acquisition, with support from the USFMA. This partnership aims to enhance domestic footwear production and national military readiness.
- Panasonic Holdings CorporationcorePanasonic sold an 80% stake in its housing unit to YKK in a strategic partnership that resulted in a one-off gain of 60 billion yen for Panasonic. This represents a significant expansion of YKK's presence in the building products/housing sector.
- Kansai Medical UniversitystrategicYKK and Kansai Medical University Educational Corporation began joint research in the field of oral health care, representing a diversification into healthcare applications.
- Columbia College ChicagominorYKK partnered with Columbia College Chicago's Design Solutions course for a 15-week adaptive fashion project, supporting emerging designers and promoting inclusive fashion design.
- Kate CusackminorYKK partnered with jewelry artist Kate Cusack for the 'Infinite Notion/s' art project, creating a zipper-based art installation at Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel.
- Switlik Survival ProductscoreYKK supplies fasteners for Switlik's life vests, life rafts, anti-exposure suits, and inflatable safety products used by military, marine, and public safety markets.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
YKK competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
YKK social profiles
Digital presenceYKK compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
YKK financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
YKK leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
YKK subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries11 records
YKK funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
YKK M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about YKK
What does YKK do?
YKK manufactures fastening products including zippers (coil, metal, VISLON molded, and specialty variants), hook and loop fasteners, snap and button products, plastic buckles and notions, and webbing tapes. The company operates a vertically integrated production model, also manufacturing the machinery used to produce its fasteners, and supplies engineered fastening solutions to apparel, automotive, hygiene, medical, PPE, tactical, furniture, and outdoor industries.
Is YKK a public or private company?
YKK is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was YKK founded?
YKK was founded in 1934. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is YKK based?
YKK is headquartered in Marietta, United States, in the North America region.
How does YKK make money?
One revenue line is on record: fastening Products Sales.
Does YKK have an API?
No public API is recorded for YKK.
What industry is YKK in?
YKK's product category is Industrial Fasteners. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAOALAA, Fasteners & Closures (Zippers/Snaps/Hooks & Eyes/Hook-and-Loop), with a secondary code of CRAAAAAL, Textiles, Fabrics, Trims & Components Suppliers. Its NAICS code is 339993 and its SIC code is 3420.