Epson has expanded the applications of non-woven fabric sheets regenerated from used clothing and mill ends using its proprietary Dry Fibre Technology (DFT).
In collaboration with YKK Corporation, the company developed a new material for zipper tapes, further broadening their potential applications, featured in the INFERNO collection by Yuima Nakazato during Paris Haute Couture Week.
Epson entered into a partnership with Yuima Nakazato in 2022 and has supported the creation of the fashion house's collections utilising Epson's digital textile printing technology and DFT.
Together they have been working toward the realisation of high-quality, sustainable fashion that meets diverse individual needs while reducing environmental impact.
DFT was originally commercialised for paper recycling, but beginning in January 2023, Epson started using it to convert used garments and mill ends into fibres that could be used to produce new non-woven fabric sheets.
Yuima Nakazato has continuously presented creations incorporating these non-woven fabric sheets in its collections. Through ongoing efforts to optimise fibre length and sheet thickness, and to validate pigment ink printing with Epson's digital textile printing technology, Epson achieved both durability and aesthetic quality.
In 2025, these efforts culminated in Yuima Nakazato's commercialisation of sneakers incorporating non-woven fabric sheets.
In this latest initiative, Epson took on the challenge of applying non-woven fabric sheets to zipper tapes for the first time, aiming to explore their potential for broader applications. As the sheets differ structurally from conventional woven zipper tapes, existing manufacturing methods cannot be applied directly.
Building on insights gained through previous development efforts, Epson and YKK worked together to evaluate and optimise the strength, flexibility and thickness required for zipper applications.
By optimising the structural design and processing conditions to suit the characteristics of the non-woven fabric sheets, the partners ensured smooth zipper operability. They successfully realised the concept as part of EXCELLA, YKK's highest-grade metal zipper line.
Epson will continue to create new value with partners through technological innovation and engineering, based on its efficient, compact, and precise technologies and philosophy, accelerating efforts toward broader societal implementation to help drive transformation across society and industry.
