The $12.27 Zipper (‘93 Production Update)
Here’s a useful trick- if you’re looking at a garment with a zipper, check the mark on it. If it’s YKK or maybe Riri or Talon, you’re probably good. If the zip isn’t branded, or has any other name on it, you can be pretty sure the cheapo zipper ain’t the only corner being cut. A good zipper doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t still sewn from cheap poly fabric in a third-world sweatshop, but can be a good and quick quality check if you don’t have the time or inclination to get entirely into the weeds.
Companies cut corners on zippers because they’re expensive. The one we had spec’d for the ‘93 Jacket was around $6. Nice one YKK, heavy-duty enameled steel pull, totally legit. But you know what’s nicer- when you have a two way zip. More options and more comfort. You don’t see them everywhere because they basically double the price of the zip. If you took the cost of our ‘93 Jacket center-front zipper through a standard garment markup you’re tacking $36.81 onto the retail price of the garment. We’re generally, mostly, pretty much entirely committed to direct-to customer sales right now, so that puts us at $24.54 of zipper on the jacket price.
What we’re telling you, with our overly-expensive zippers, is that we don’t cut corners. We use the best materials, sewn right here in NYC, to make you the best garments in the (known/observable) universe.
Pre-booking some of our production means that even when we run into the inevitable hiccups and unexpected price bumps along the way, we have a little financial wiggle room that comes from that pre-book dough. In the end, it’s the easiest and simplest way for us to continue to give you more.
Pre-books are still open for our ‘93 Jacket and ‘93 Pant, (both now available in size small by popular demand!)
Styles/colors/sizes are moving fast, book now to guarantee availability this season.
Ship date is a month away.
thank you,
owner/operators,
Pete & Steven
YKK Vislon Zipper. Made in USA by geniuses from Japan.
Some of the other lovely YKK’s we employ.