Epson, a leader in the technology industry, has joined forces with the visionary Japanese fashion designer YUIMA NAKAZATO and his eponymous brand to create a breathtaking and sustainable display for the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2023. Epson’s digital textile printing technology was utilized to reproduce the designer’s exceptional and imaginative vision, resulting in a stunning showcase.
Photos – courtesy of Yuima Nakazato ©
Furthermore, the collaboration also showcased a new, sustainable textile production process that could transform the industry’s future. Epson’s dry fibre technology was adapted to produce printable non-woven fabric from used garments, requiring virtually no water and already in use commercially to recycle office paper. The collaboration aims to raise awareness about the water and material waste associated with excessive production.
The YUIMA NAKAZATO collection was crafted using fabric derived from used garments sourced from Africa. Over 50 meters of new re-fiberized non-woven fabric was produced using Epson’s dry fibre process. Epson believes that their dry fibre technology, combined with pigment ink digital printing, can offer a more sustainable future for the fashion industry while allowing designers to express their creativity freely.
The YUIMA NAKAZATO brand is committed to contributing to a circular economy by reducing the amount of unwanted and disposed-of clothing piling up in Kenya. During his visit to Kenya, Nakazato encountered tribespeople living in the desert, enduring severe water shortages caused by climate change. Against reddish-brown desert sand, the tribespeople wrap their bodies in many colourful fabrics, utilizing oranges, greens, and purples and wear beaded necklaces and earrings. The title INHERIT was inspired by Nakazato’s experiences in Kenya, where he realized that people still strive for decoration even when living in perilous environments. The collection represents his determination to continue searching for ways to make the world a better place.
