[Wacoal Co., Ltd.] Uniquely developed new technology “Melooop” to create three-dimensional objects by melt blowing
Wacoal Co., Ltd. Press release: January 29, 2025 Uniquely developed “Melooop”, a new technology for creating three-dimensional objects using melt blowing ~Collaboration items with “doublet” announced at 2025 Autumn/Winter Paris Fashion Week~ Wacoal Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kyoto City, Representative Director, President and Executive Officer: Keisuke Kawanishi, hereinafter referred to as Wacoal), a subsidiary of Wacoal Holdings Co., Ltd., has developed a new technology called Meloop (Melooop), which manufactures three-dimensional objects using the melt blowing method (*1). We have independently developed “Meloop” and put it into practical use as a production technology for the cup part of bras from 2020. This new technology is easy to recycle because it can be made from a
monomaterial (single material), and because it molds three-dimensional objects by spraying fibers onto a mold, it has the advantage of reducing the amount of discarded material, leading to environmentally friendly manufacturing. can be expected to be used. Starting in 2024, Wacoal will participate in the Future Fashion Human Resources Development Program sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in order to explore the possibility of using this technology in areas other than innerwear. We are working on creating fashion items using “Melooop” and using the program as an opportunity, we announced three collaborative items with the fashion brand “doublet” at the 2025 Fall/Winter Paris Fashion Week. Going forward, Wacoal will continue to work on technological development with an eye toward the use of Meloop in areas other than the fashion field. *1: The raw material resin is melted with heat, extruded from a spinning nozzle, and stretched with high-speed hot air to create ultra-fine fibers. At the same time, the fibers are thermally fused together, without using adhesives. The technique for making nonwoven fabrics is the melt blowing method. Meloop, a new technology developed by Wacoal, is a technique for creating three-dimensional objects using the
melt-blowing method (*1), which is one of the methods for making non-woven fabrics. It was successfully developed independently in 2020, and Wacoal Manufacturing Japan has put it into practical use as a production technology for the cup part of bras. A spraying device and three robot arms are installed in a space of approximately 6 square meters, and by precisely controlling the trajectory of the robot relative to the spraying device, the shape, thickness, and elongation can be adjusted. . When molding fabric with “Melooop,” unnecessary cut parts are reborn as raw materials, making it possible to eliminate waste materials.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9664/664/9664-664-65c8fe358ae0e103178e838cbf90af47-3667×2047.jpg In 2024, we were selected for the “Future Fashion Human Resources Development Program,” a subsidy project sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and we worked on producing fashion items to explore the possibility of using “Melooop” for purposes other than innerwear. This program led to the start of a collaboration with the fashion brand “doublet.” Recognized for its ability to express shapes and textures that could not be achieved using existing methods such as cut-and-sew and knitting, the company created pouches and bags that were part of the 2025 Autumn/Winter Paris Men’s Collection (January 26, 2025 local time). The announcement was made at 16:30 (Sun). ■Development background of “Melooop” There are two main ways to produce bra cups: cut and sew (cutting and sewing the fabric) and molding (pressing and shaping with a heated mold). There was a problem with molds, which depend on the skill of the person, and that there was a lot of material to be discarded. Therefore, we started investigating a third method that could reduce material waste without relying on the operator’s skills. In 2018, we started developing technology to create three-dimensional objects using the melt blow method. It was common to make flat objects such as non-woven fabrics using the melt-blowing method, but since the fibers are stretched and blown onto a mold using high-speed hot air, they do not adhere well to the mold, making it technically difficult to create three-dimensional objects. It has been. Through repeated trial and error, we were able to establish the appropriate conditions by selecting the resin used as the raw material, changing conditions such as the volume and temperature of hot air, and the thickness of the fibers. In addition, by controlling the movement of the robot and changing the distance from the spray nozzle, spray location, and time, we succeeded in adjusting the shape, hardness, thickness, and elongation of bra cups. We were able to put this into practical use as a production
technology. ■Features of 3D melt blowing technology “Melooop” 1. Easily recycled as it is a monomaterial (single material) such as polyurethane and polylactic acid 2. Since three-dimensional objects are formed by spraying fibers, less material is discarded 3. Coloring can be done by adding dyes or pigments to the raw materials, so no dyeing process is necessary 4. Since it is sprayed onto a mold made with a 3D printer, no mold is required, making it suitable for small-lot production ■ The sequence of steps when making a bra cup with “Melooop” 1) Resin pellets as raw material *Coloring can be done by adding dyes and pigments at this stage
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9664/664/9664-664-c4f4c1381207b45da28835a2bbb31f45-3840×2160.jpg 2) The heated resin is made into ultra-fine fibers and sprayed onto a mold.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9664/664/9664-664-00b27b4319e7d66a0a75e78e41386c0c-3840×2160.jpg 3) Three-dimensional molding is achieved by changing the distance from the spray nozzle, spraying location, and time depending on the movement of the robot.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9664/664/9664-664-e47c06818b36785bfab1bfdb6dcf76ee-3060×2106.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9664/664/9664-664-53c8ab6da3728c0407d9b61bc6b8a16d-3541×2150.jpg 4) The robot cuts out unnecessary parts and the cup is completed Image
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9664/664/9664-664-d8e750e524bad7596efa342e1700a18e-3840×2160.jpg 5) Discarded materials (unnecessary parts that have been cut) can be turned into pellets by melting them with heat using a special device and can be recycled.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9664/664/9664-664-7c7348212c18e71d941fe96bee5f22bd-3840×2160.jpg ■About the naming of “Melooop” “Melooop” is a technology name created by combining “Meltblown” and “Loop.” Melt blowing, which involves melting and molding raw materials, embodies the idea of melting existing concepts and creating new value, and the loop embodies the idea of creating a resource recycling society, which we are aiming for. https://miraino.fashion/ The “Future Fashion Human Resources Development Program” is a subsidy project sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry with the aim of developing the next generation of fashion creators and supporting commercialization. A public call for applications was held in May 2024, and five selected businesses were selected through a rigorous examination by a third-party committee and will work to create businesses that will update the sustainable supply chain in the fashion industry. , the final results presentation was held in Kyoto on Friday, January 17, 2025. Three Wacoal employees from across departments participated and worked on creating fashion items to explore the potential of using Meloop for purposes other than innerwear.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9664/664/9664-664-d1fb61347ed0aa319e876367aa0150b8-884×1294.jpg Tops and skirts made with “Melooop” ▼Click here for Wacoal’s report https://note.com/miraino_fashion/m/m8866a2689356 <About collaboration with “doublet”> As part of the “Future Fashion Talent Development Program,” we collaborated with the fashion brand “doublet,” whose concept is “uncomfortable everyday wear,” to produce three items: a pouch and a bag. Announced at the 2025 Fall/Winter Paris Men’s Collection (January 26, 2025 (Sunday) 16:30 local time).
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9664/664/9664-664-ccb7919ad7856e13e41f02a11b90753e-3900×3900.jpg ■ “doublet” brand profile Established the brand doublet in 2012 and announced it at an exhibition in the 2013 spring/summer season. From clothing to accessories, the concept is to transform familiar items into “unnatural everyday wear” by replacing part of a basic, standard item with a sudden new idea, like changing words. Expand total items ■Designer profile Masayuki Ino MASAYUKI INO Born in Gunma Prefecture in 1979. After graduating from Tokyo Mode Gakuen, he gained experience as a corporate designer, and then worked on the planning and production of shoes and accessories at MIHARAYASUHIRO. After that, he launched “doublet” and debuted at the 2013 S/S exhibition. In 2013, he was selected as the best in the professional category of the 2013 Tokyo New Designer Fashion Awards. In 2017, she was selected for the “Tokyo Fashion Award 2017” and will hold an exhibition in Paris and her first runway show at the 2017 Fall/Winter Tokyo Fashion Week. In 2018, he became the first Asian to win the Grand Prix at LVMHprize. 2020 Paris Collection debut “FW2020”. In 2022, we will develop an art collaboration with “DANIEL ARSHAM” and a collaboration with “MARK JACOBS”.

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