The global zipper war is heating up

Get the Full StoryHow a Japanese company came to dominate a century-old American invention and how a bold Chinese upstart could unzip its dominance.

Combine two rows of fine teeth that lock together, a slider and a tab, and all of a sudden you have a quick way of securely closing a bag, jacket or pair of pants a zipper. These handy, everyday devices were invented in the United States more than a century ago but are now global. They are manufactured in many places, sewn or glued in place pretty much everywhere and used absolutely everywhere. But however humble and ubiquitous the zipper may seem, it currently carries a Japanese passport with a lot of Chinese visas. To learn more, let s zip through a historical overview, a few pieces of international-trade theory and a look at the ongoing market battle.Read Full Story

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