Japanese giant YKK will showcase its waterless-dyed ECO-DYE® zipper technology in collaboration with Fukui University at Expo 2025 Osaka. Visitors will experience sustainable design and dyeing processes first-hand.
YKK Corporation has announced its collaboration with Fukui University’s Fukumira Design Factory for its exhibit at Expo 2025 Osaka, taking place in Japan’s Kansai region. The exhibition, open from August 14 to 19, is supported by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology under the theme “Science: Connecting You to the Future.”
YKK will supply environmentally friendly ECO-DYE® zippers for the interactive exhibit. These zippers are dyed using supercritical carbon dioxide instead of water, significantly reducing environmental impact compared to traditional dyeing methods.
Visitors will explore how clothing patterns can be bleached and re-dyed using supercritical fluid technology, demonstrated at the “Connect with the World” section by the Fukumira Design Factory. YKK’s ECO-DYE® zippers, processed using the same waterless dyeing method, will be featured as part of the hands-on experience.
YKK presents this innovation as part of its “Cycle of Goodness®” philosophy, emphasizing social responsibility and shared prosperity through innovation. This collaboration highlights the convergence of sustainable material science and design education, serving as a compelling example of academic-industrial cooperation focused on sustainability and experiential learning.
The initiative is not only a technological showcase but also a platform for shaping environmentally conscious designers and production methods of the future.
