YKK Develops Concept EXCELLA® Zipper Using Nonwoven Tape Made from Recycled Textiles

Photo Credit: YKK

YKK Corporation has developed a concept version of its premium EXCELLA® zipper featuring zipper tape made from nonwoven fabric partially derived from used clothing and other textile waste. The concept product was created through a collaboration with fashion designer Yuima Nakazato and Seiko Epson Corporation and was showcased in the YUIMA NAKAZATO Couture Collection “INFERNO”, presented in Paris on July 8.

The development marks the first time nonwoven fabric sheets produced using Epson’s Dry Fiber Technology (DFT) have been applied as zipper tape. The technology converts used textiles into regenerated nonwoven material without using large volumes of water, creating a potential new application for post-consumer textile waste.

Because conventional zipper manufacturing methods were not suitable for the new material, YKK carried out a series of technical evaluations to adapt the design. The company optimized the method for attaching zipper elements to the nonwoven tape, selected a slider compatible with the material's rigidity, and refined the overall structure to improve product usability.

The project addresses the growing challenge of managing textile waste generated by the fashion industry’s high production and consumption levels. Fashion designer Yuima Nakazato has been exploring ways to utilize discarded clothing exported to countries including Kenya, and the collaboration seeks to demonstrate how waste textiles can be transformed into functional apparel components.

The concept also supports YKK’s broader circular economy strategy. The company has been expanding its portfolio of recycled-material products, including its NATULON® Fiber Sourced™ zipper, which incorporates recycled polyester produced from textile waste and discarded garments in its zipper tape.

By participating in the project, YKK aims to explore new pathways for upcycling textile waste into value-added components while supporting the development of more circular supply chains for the apparel industry.

Although the zipper remains a concept product, the collaboration demonstrates the potential for recycled textile fibers to be incorporated into high-performance garment components through advances in material processing and product design.

Source: YKK

SUNSHINE Spotlight: YKK’s latest concept highlights how textile waste can be repurposed into functional apparel components, supporting broader efforts to advance material circularity across the fashion supply chain.