YKK’s concept EXCELLA zipper extends the circularity approach behind its NATULON Fiber Sourced line into its premium tier, using it first in a luxury application rather than a mainstream one.
YKK Corporation has developed a concept version of its premium EXCELLA zipper series that uses nonwoven fabric sheets made from fiberized used clothing and other textile materials. YKK said it is the first time the company has used this type of material as zipper tape.
The concept was developed with fashion designer Yuima Nakazato and Seiko Epson Corporation, based on a proposal from Nakazato. It appeared in looks from the latest YUIMA NAKAZATO Couture Collection, “INFERNO,” shown last week at Paris Haute Couture Week SS27.
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The project links two efforts focused on textile waste.
Nakazato has been exploring ways to reuse secondhand clothing that flows into countries including Kenya. Separately, YKK has been expanding its circular material strategy, including the NATULON Fiber Sourced line, which uses recycled polyester derived from textile waste for zipper tape applications. EXCELLA sits at the premium end of YKK’s range and is commonly used by luxury and high-end fashion brands.
For YKK, the project also gives a typically hidden component supplier more visibility. On a couture runway, the zipper can function as a visible material and sustainability signal, not just a fastening system.
Overcoming technical hurdles
On the technical side, the nonwoven fabric was regenerated using Epson’s Dry Fiber Technology (DFT), a proprietary process that turns varied materials into fiber and adjusts their properties. Because standard zipper tape methods did not work with this material, YKK’s development team ran extended studies to reach a workable element attachment standard. YKK said it will apply what it learned to future EXCELLA development for luxury customers.
