YKK showed this dress made of zippers in NY last September during New York Fashion Week, Summer 2009 collections. It was a natural choice for YKK, the world’s largest zipper manufacturer. Seen at the tents in Bryant Park, the zipper dress is more than just a curiosity. It is wearable and highly covetable the model stated. The dress was made by 29-year old designer Autumn Lin. Done in two shades of white and gray, it is very comfortable to wear, according to the model. ‘It’s a bit heavier than your normal cocktail dress, but not too heavy to impair movement,’ she stated.

The initials YKK stood for Yoshida Kōgyō Kabushiki-kaisha was founded in 1934 by Tadao Yoshida. YKK developed recently a line of environmentally friendly zippers, following the company’s philosophy “The Cycle of Goodness”. Made from recycled PET plastic called the Natulon, and a biodegradable zipper called the ReEarth, YKK claims to be the first zipper company to go green. Zippers may not be a the greatest threat to the planet, but as YKK says on its website: "Little Parts. Big Difference." Every little bit adds up. Hopefully, eco-friendly clothing designers will catch on and help spark demand for eco-zippers!