Articles
A Fusion of Traditional Origami and Cutting-Edge Technology: A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE Takes on the 'TYPE-X Inkjet 4D Print Project'
Since its debut in 1998, 'A-POC' has captivated the world with its revolutionary concept of creating garments from a single piece of cloth. Building on this legacy, 'A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE' is now pushing the boundaries further by incorporating 'Inkjet 4D Print,' a cutting-edge technology born from a university research lab. This endeavor has culminated in the release of a new earring product from the 'TYPE-X Inkjet 4D Print project.'
'How do we create a 3D product from a 2D form?' To answer this fundamental question, a team of design engineers, researchers, and startups dedicated to bringing new technologies to society came together. Let's go behind the scenes of this cross-disciplinary collaboration that spent years elevating 'research' into an 'everyday product.'
PROFILE
Koya Narumi
Associate Professor at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University. He specializes in Human-Computer Interaction, particularly in research areas like digital fabrication and shape-changing interfaces that use unique materials and structures. His major accolades include the University of Tokyo President's Award in 2020, the 7th Hagura Award in 2023, the Funai Research Award in 2024, and the Microsoft Research Award for Informatics in 2025.
PROFILE
Yoshiyuki Miyamae, Masato Mochizuki
A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE Engineering Team
A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE is a brand that broadens the communication between the creator and the wearer to weave a new future. Launched in 1998, A-POC revolutionized the clothing creation process by proposing a new, participatory approach to design.
The A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE engineering team, led by Yoshiyuki Miyamae, is taking the ever-evolving A-POC concept to new, dynamic heights. The ideas that unfold from a single piece of cloth are as diverse as the connections they forge with the wearer. Through fresh encounters with different fields and industries, the brand brings a variety of new 'ABLE' possibilities to life.
PROFILE
Masaaki Sugimoto
Co-founder and advisor at Elephantech Inc., and representative of Hornfels G.K. His work spans the intersection of technology and culture, from launching the 'Lab-Cafe' community space (2008) to co-founding 'Todai To Texas' (2013), a program that sends University of Tokyo startups to SXSW. As a co-founder of Elephantech Inc. (2014), he is dedicated to promoting decarbonizing electronic substrate technology that utilizes inkjet printing.
PROFILE
Kai Suto
CEO of Nature Architects Inc. In 2018, he developed 'Crane,' a product design support tool that utilizes origami technology. He spearheaded a joint project with A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE for the TYPE-V Nature Architects Project, announced in 2023. He is a recipient of the 2024 Software Japan Award.
PROFILE
Kanata Warisaya
A member of the Tomohiro Tachi Laboratory at the Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo. He earned his master's degree in 2023 and began his doctoral studies in 2024. His specialty is architectural geometry and computational mechanics, with a particular focus on designing and fabricating form and motion based on origami and tessellations. He has worked as an assistant engineer at Nature Architects Inc. since 2022 and received the University of Tokyo President's Award in 2021.
'A-POC': Redefining the Conventions of Garment Making with Technology
Can you tell us how 'A-POC' began in 1998 and the concept behind it?
MiyamaeSince beginning his work in 1970, Issey Miyake has explored the relationship between 'a single piece of cloth' and the body. A-POC, born from this philosophy in 1998, utilized computer technology to introduce 'integrated molding.' It established a revolutionary method that upended the conventions of clothing creation: garments are pre-formed within a single piece of woven cloth, ready to be completed simply by cutting them out.
In 2021, this philosophy evolved into the brand 'A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE' (hereafter A-POC ABLE). The brand is dedicated to actively incorporating technologies and concepts from other disciplines to grow and evolve together.
Our latest co-creation with the team of Professor Narumi, Suto, Sugimoto, and Warisaya is a perfect example of this collaborative spirit.
What kinds of projects have you collaborated on together before this?
MiyamaeOur creative process begins with the concept of 'a single piece of cloth,' inspiring us to rethink our entire workflow from the ground up. We believe in freely traversing and connecting diverse fields. Evolving our 'pleats'—the core of Issey Miyake's craft—also demands completely new ideas and technologies that break from tradition.
By collaborating with external experts from different fields and industries, we’ve gained fresh perspectives and integrated a wide range of ideas. Technology has allowed us to dramatically advance processes that would otherwise be incredibly time-consuming by hand, and we harnessed these achievements for the 'TYPE-X Inkjet 4D Print project'.
A Challenge to Overturn the Concept of Garment Making: A Direct Leap from 2D to 3D
Could you tell us how the 'TYPE-X Inkjet 4D Print project' came to be?
NarumiIt all started in 2017 when I visited the Issey Miyake studio as a member of a research group from the University of Tokyo. I proposed the idea of an 'origami structure that bends with heat' and asked if we could collaborate on something.
Later, around 2022, we became convinced of the potential for 'self-folding' technology. That’s when Nature Architects, the developers of the design software 'Crane,' and Elephantech, who had been working with us on simple prototypes from the early stages, joined the team.
As development progressed, Fujifilm came on board, and by incorporating their 'high-luminance metallic inkjet technology,' the entire team pulled together to bring the project to completion.
SudoI was already well-acquainted with Sugimoto and Dr. Narumi. During our visit in 2022, we joined the project to contribute by using our company’s software, 'Crane,' to impart structure, function, and shape to the 'Inkjet 4D Print' process. By the end of that year, the concept had taken shape, so we started working as a team to figure out the implementation details—specifically, how much we needed to refine the durability and design to create a commercially viable product.
SugimotoOur starting point was a simple question: could we eliminate the sewing process from garment making? We aimed to tackle challenges in the fashion world using eco-friendly inkjet technology.
Normally, transitioning from a 2D piece of fabric to a 3D garment requires sewing. But if we could use inkjet printing to make a flat surface three-dimensional, we could revolutionize the entire process. When our experiments in 'folding and bending' succeeded, we needed a partner to entrust this technology to. That’s when we approached Dr. Narumi, whose deep passion for fashion made him the perfect fit.
The Technology Behind Inkjet 4D Print and the Principle of the 'Fold'
Can you explain the basic specifications and mechanism of Inkjet 4D Print?
NarumiThe foundation is a flat 'heat-shrink film.' We print special patterns on both its front and back sides. The pattern is designed to leave tiny, ink-free gaps exactly where we want the 'fold lines' to be.
When the sheet is heated, the inked areas resist shrinking, while the un-inked gaps contract. This force differential causes the sheet to fold along the gaps. By meticulously designing these gaps on both sides, we create a mechanism that allows the 'origami' to fold exactly as planned.
The temperature settings are designed by calculating the target angle and the shrinkage rate at a given temperature, so theoretically, it can be adapted to any temperature. For this project, we primarily used a standard of around 75°C for its ease of handling.
Intricate folding is achieved through the meticulous pattern design of the heat-shrink film.© ISSEY MIYAKE INC. Photo: Manami Takahashi
A Meeting of Minds: Traditional Pleating Meets 'Self-Folding' Technology
'Pleats' are a signature technique for Issey Miyake. How did you feel about this encounter with a new technology?
MiyamaeIssey Miyake’s pleating techniques are diverse, including traditional 'product pleating' and 'Steam Stretch,' which uses jacquard weaving technology. While we've historically focused on developing pleated materials from textiles, this new approach using 'film' was a completely fresh and exciting challenge for me. However, the underlying structure was very similar to concepts we already explore in our clothing, and that sense of design affinity was the deciding factor in pursuing this collaboration.
NarumiMy research goal is to achieve 'the world's most detailed automatic origami folding.' My benchmark for a rival wasn't another research institution, but A-POC ABLE’s 'Steam Stretch' technique. Researchers all over the world are tackling this challenge, but the most stable and intricate structures are being realized by the technology of a brand that actively puts advanced research into practice. My initial goal was simply to catch up to that level.
MiyamaeI urged Dr. Narumi to set a clear goal: 'Let's not stop at a prototype; let's launch this as a commercial product for society.' Making something durable enough for everyday life was a major hurdle, but the experience of overcoming it with this team is an invaluable asset. This time, we've taken a solid first step with the 'earrings.' Looking ahead, we want to push for even greater durability and explore applications in a wide range of products, like bags and lighting fixtures.
The final earring design, perfected through a long process of trial and error© ISSEY MIYAKE INC. Photo: Koji Azuma
From Prototype to Product: The Journey to Perfecting the 'Earring' Design and Durability
What was the discussion process that led you to create earrings?
MochizukiWe initially presented a bangle in Paris, but we were also prototyping numerous rings. We believed that with this 'self-folding' technology, smaller sizes would accentuate its unique properties.
However, rings endure significant wear and tear in daily life. Durability tests revealed that they weren't yet practical for commercial use. As much as we wanted to pursue intricate designs, we decided to prioritize practicality and focus on earrings, which are subject to far less stress.
MiyamaeIn the early stages of development, Warisaya created several incredibly detailed ring prototypes. In fact, the shape of the final product is relatively simple compared to what's technologically possible. We had initially considered many more complex forms.
WarisayaInitially, we started with a cylindrical shape, like a ring, and used the design software 'Crane' to explore a wide variety of origami patterns. By fine-tuning the size and level of detail, we designed over ten patterns that would automatically fold on a cylindrical base. The shape of the current earrings actually came from a 'Hey, this one looks great!' moment of inspiration during that ring prototyping phase.
The earrings were selected from a range of prototypes, including rings, bangles, and caps© ISSEY MIYAKE INC. Photo: Manami Takahashi
So, the final form emerged from this iterative prototyping process.
WarisayaOne clever design feature is that the cross-section becomes a 'triangle' when folded. This prevents the cross-section from deforming, securing each side and allowing the structure to hold its folded shape stably.
Even when a 3D simulation shows a perfect fold, the actual printed object can have slight surface distortions. To minimize the appearance of these subtle imperfections and create a more beautiful finish, we ultimately chose the current design, which intentionally incorporates a slight 'curve' in its surfaces.
The Real Value of University-Industry Collaboration and the Future of 'Creativity x Technology'
The 'Type-X Inkjet 4D Print project' was unveiled in Paris in 2024© ISSEY MIYAKE INC. Photo: Olivier Baco
What did this experience of creating earrings using 'Inkjet 4D Print' teach you about the importance of university-industry collaborations?
NarumiAs a researcher, when I write a paper, my main evaluation criteria are the novelty of the method and how closely the final object matches the design. But when I brought what was a 'perfect sample on paper' to the team at Issey Miyake, it was subjected to the rigors of everyday life—a far cry from the controlled lab environment. Problems like the ink peeling and the structure breaking down quickly became apparent. It was a stark reminder that to become a commercial product, it needed durability as something people would actually 'touch' and use. That's why we ended up spending the most time on material selection and improvement.
MiyamaeOur role is to take the incredible ideas and potential born from research and elevate them into 'products that seamlessly blend into daily life.' We were able to bring this product to life because we felt a powerful affinity between the 'A Piece of Cloth' concept we've pursued for years and the technology developed by Dr. Narumi's team.
SugimotoOn the technology side, we tend to prioritize cost and deadlines, but the value of the 'creative sensibility' that delights customers can't be measured by technology alone. The process of taking an 'interesting seed' from the lab and refining it into a commercial product, guided by the clear standards set by Miyamae, was an incredibly valuable experience.
SudoThe biggest challenge was developing the design software and the material technology in parallel. Striking the right balance between software capable of complex designs and a material durable enough to support them was tough. But by putting our heads together and searching for the best possible solution, we successfully created the current earring pattern.
What other fascinating products might the future hold?!© ISSEY MIYAKE INC. Photo: Manami Takahashi
We're sure there's more to come. Could you share your vision for the future?
NarumiFirst and foremost, I want to consistently expand our lineup of products, like the accessories we've created this time, that bring joy to our customers. The simulation phase is already revealing a vast world of design possibilities. We plan to continue exploring new materials compatible with the structure, and I'm excited to push our development even further with this team.
MiyamaeUnlike the fast-paced fashion cycle, this project has been a multi-year journey of meticulous trial and verification. I truly hope this initiative helps pioneer a new approach to craftsmanship—one that creates lasting value beyond seasonal trends. Looking ahead, we're focused on improving durability, developing new materials, and exploring applications for products beyond earrings. We'll start by introducing our work to society on a small scale, and I’m looking forward to the future innovations that will emerge from the synergy between Japanese researchers and creatives.
SudoSuccessful industry-academia collaboration is a two-way street: it requires a strong commitment from the academic side to turn research into a real product, and a deep understanding from the industry side to patiently navigate the development timeline together. I’m convinced that our success was possible because we brought together this specific team—a group of individuals always willing to find common ground. We will continue to dedicate ourselves to advancing this technology even further.
How was the article?
Share
Related Articles
