Let me be the YKK on yo' zipper!
The title of this post is taken from the rap group Outkast's 2001 hit single, "So Fresh, So Clean". Everytime I see a YKK zipper, I can't help but to sing the lyric aloud. Which leads me to talk about my new favorite preference in zippers. It was a longtime coming, but I finally have to say good-bye to Coats & Clark zippers. I've held onto them for so long based on convenience. See, I live really, REALLY close to Hancock Fabrics, Jo-Ann's AND Hobby Lobby. I've always been able to easily make a mad dash to one of these locations for a quick zipper run and also with the savings possibility of coupons! Coupons will cause you to make bad choices just to say that you saved money. When in the long run, you're not!
I've had several invisible C&C invisible zippers break on me in the last year. Too many to count. I even blogged about an experience that almost put me in a bind. I did consider it was me. But I've been successfully installing concealed zips for many, many years. So when I doubted my own ability, I went in search of re-learning from scratch how to do it all over again. Still, the zippers failed me once again and then again. So, I'm done. I'm not going to promise that in the throes of sewing passion that if I need a zipper, I won't give in and use a C&C. But it's definitely no longer my go to brand.
So as of today, YKK is my zipper brand. They're considered the best zipper brand in the world. And it's the brand that most designers use. Just grab a random RTW garment of yours and look at the zipper. It will almost always be stamped "YKK".
Now that I've ventured out into the world of custom sewing, there is no way that I would put a C&C zipper in a garment for a customer. I just don't trust their reliability, Nor would I ever want to compromise the integrity of something someone has paid me to make with a sticky zipper, breaking teeth, a lockup or one that will more than likely split open on someone's special occasion. I've had that happen, I know what it feels like and I wouldn't want anyone to experience that -- especially when I made it.
A zipper doesn't make a garment, but it can damn sure break one!
Here are my sources for YKK zippers:
Wawak
Zipperstop
Zipit
What zippers are you using and highly recommend? And what are your favorite sources or vendors? Please share!
I've had several invisible C&C invisible zippers break on me in the last year. Too many to count. I even blogged about an experience that almost put me in a bind. I did consider it was me. But I've been successfully installing concealed zips for many, many years. So when I doubted my own ability, I went in search of re-learning from scratch how to do it all over again. Still, the zippers failed me once again and then again. So, I'm done. I'm not going to promise that in the throes of sewing passion that if I need a zipper, I won't give in and use a C&C. But it's definitely no longer my go to brand.
So as of today, YKK is my zipper brand. They're considered the best zipper brand in the world. And it's the brand that most designers use. Just grab a random RTW garment of yours and look at the zipper. It will almost always be stamped "YKK".
Now that I've ventured out into the world of custom sewing, there is no way that I would put a C&C zipper in a garment for a customer. I just don't trust their reliability, Nor would I ever want to compromise the integrity of something someone has paid me to make with a sticky zipper, breaking teeth, a lockup or one that will more than likely split open on someone's special occasion. I've had that happen, I know what it feels like and I wouldn't want anyone to experience that -- especially when I made it.
A zipper doesn't make a garment, but it can damn sure break one!
Here are my sources for YKK zippers:
Wawak
Zipperstop
Zipit
What zippers are you using and highly recommend? And what are your favorite sources or vendors? Please share!
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