YKK Wins Red Dot Award 2026 for 3D Composite Puller

YKK Corporation has been honored with the prestigious Red Dot Award in the Product Design category for its innovative 3D Composite Puller. The award is presented by Red Dot GmbH & Co. KG, one of the world’s leading authorities in design excellence.

Established in 1955, the Red Dot Award is globally recognized, with entries evaluated by an international panel of around 40 design experts across Product Design, Brands & Communication Design, and Design Concept.

Award-Winning Innovation: 3D Composite Puller

The 3D Composite Puller merges YKK’s zipper engineering expertise with Variloom’s advanced on-demand 3D printing and molding technology. By using recyclable bio-based TPU materials, the solution removes the need for conventional molds and reduces dependency on large minimum order quantities.

This approach enables extensive customization in terms of shape, texture, attachment type, color, and branding elements—capabilities that are difficult to achieve through traditional injection molding processes. The result is a highly flexible design solution that expands creative and functional possibilities for brands and designers.

Official Statement

“This award is regarded as recognition of YKK’s ongoing efforts to create new value, which have now been highly evaluated from a design perspective. YKK will continue to combine technology with creative thinking to bring new possibilities to people’s lives, while contributing to the sustainable development of the textile industry.”
— Yasuhiro Sato, Vice President, Product Strategy Division, Global Sales Headquarters, YKK Corporation