NOTAPE

The jury was positively surprised, calling the NOTAPE an astonishing evolution of a product that has been on the market for so long – a product that nobody was expecting ever to change. NOTAPE has succeeded in rethinking the zip fastener. For around 100 years, zippers have consisted of two side parts to which small teeth are attached. Made from textile material, the side sections are sewn onto the fabric of the garment, and the zipper is opened and closed with a slider. The technique works well, but it has its pitfalls. The stiffness of the backing material often causes unsightly bulges or wrinkles on the fabric of garments such as light jackets. The NOTAPE nylon zipper solves this problem by completely dispensing with textile side panels. It only incorporates the essentials: the teeth, the slider and puller, the pin and box, and the top and bottom stoppers. The NOTAPE zipper is also applied directly to the fabric, so there is no risk of the garment warping at the seams. It can be used in garments with flowing shapes or with materials that drape beautifully, especially the lightweight fabrics used for leisure, summer and sportswear. And dispensing with the usual zip tapes has another positive effect: it significantly reduces weight. This aspect immediately captured the jury’s attention, and they were full of praise for the product’s weight-reduction advantages, as well as for its eco-friendly, recyclable design. The first zippers were developed and patented as early as the middle of the 19th century, but it was not until the 1930s that they were used on a larger scale in everyday clothing. Today, we cannot imagine life without this functional product. The new applications that NOTAPE makes possible could also potentially revolutionise the future of the garment design industry.