YKK Wins ISPO Textrends Awards for Circular Design Innovations
YKK earns top recognition for 3D Composite Puller and sustainable NATULON Plus® zipper.
YKK has secured major wins at the ISPO Textrends Awards, receiving Best Product for its 3D Composite Puller and a Top 5 placement for the NATULON Plus® Fiber Sourced™ zipper featuring recycled PET components—highlighting the company’s leadership in circular, next-generation fastening solutions.
YKK Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichi Matsushima; hereafter referred to as YKK) is proud to announce that the ISPO Textrends judging panel has awarded the company’s 3D Composite Puller the title of Best Product in the Accessories category. Additionally, YKK’s NATULON Plus® Fiber Sourced™ zipper featuring Recycled PET Open Parts has been selected as one of the Top 5 products in the same category. Held twice annually alongside the ISPO trade show, the competition highlights the most advanced innovations in performance textiles, components, and apparel.
Overview of Award-Winning Products
■ Best Product: 3D Composite Puller
3D Composite Puller
The 3D Composite Puller merges YKK’s deep expertise in zipper engineering with Variloom’s on-demand 3D-printing and molding technology. Made using Variloom’s recyclable bio-based TPU and its additive manufacturing system, the product eliminates the need for traditional molding tools and removes constraints linked to high minimum order quantities (MOQs). This solution allows for extensive customization in shape, texture, attachment style, color, and branding—capabilities that are difficult to achieve through standard injection molding—offering designers and brands new creative and functional freedoms.
■ Top 5 Award: NATULON Plus® Fiber Sourced™ with Recycled PET Open Parts
NATULON Plus® Fiber Sourced™ with Recycled PET Open Parts
The NATULON Plus® Fiber Sourced™ zipper uses recycled PET derived from discarded garments and textile remnants, incorporated into both the tape and the zipper elements. Built with circularity as the core principle, the zipper features a mono-material structure, with all chain components—including the Open Parts—produced from fiber-based recycled PET.
To ensure durability and dependable long-term performance, the slider is made from recycled zinc. This material choice reflects the fundamental values of circularity—strength, longevity, and recyclability—and allows for easier separation from garments during preprocessing for future reuse.
By repurposing PET from textile waste, NATULON Plus® Fiber Sourced™ with Recycled PET Open Parts reduces environmental impact while contributing to the growing textile-to-textile recycling ecosystem. With less than 1% of global clothing currently recycled into new apparel, this product represents YKK’s ongoing commitment to advancing textile-to-textile recycling and fostering a circular society.
Product Details: NATULON® Fiber Sourced™ | YKK DIGITAL SHOWROOM
NATULON Plus® with Recycled PET Open Parts | YKK DIGITAL SHOWROOM
Both products were showcased as concept innovations for the ISPO Textrends Award and remain under development, with commercialization timelines yet to be determined.