Behold: The Zipper’s First Upgrade in Over a Century

It's called AiryString, and helps garments move more naturally, lie flatter against the body, and feel less mechanical.

Spot the difference | AiryString

For more than a century, the zipper has stayed more or less the same: two interlocking rows of teeth, a sliding pull, and the fabric tape that holds it together. It’s one of those inventions that conquered the world by blending into it. Billions are used every day, yet few people ever stop to think about how they work.

With almost no change since 1910, YKK - the Japanese company that makes roughly half the world’s zippers - has decided it’s time to rethink the mechanism that holds much of modern clothing together. Their new AiryString zipper looks ordinary at first glance. Then you realize what’s missing: there’s no tape.

That absence transforms everything. Without the woven fabric that normally flanks the teeth, the AiryString is lighter, sleeker, and far more flexible. It’s a small but important redesign that feels almost futuristic in its simplicity, a fastening system that sinks into a garment instead of sitting on top of it. Wired reports that the effect is apparently tactile. Garments move more naturally, lie flatter against the body, and feel less mechanical.

Early adopters are already experimenting. Descente Japan, known for technical sportswear, was among the first to prototype AiryString in 2022. The North Face has selected the system for use in its new Summit Series Advanced Mountain Kit. Smaller brands like Earthletica, an eco-conscious swim and performance label, have also tested it, describing the zipper as “soft, flexible, and almost silent.”