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A “Sound-Emitting Fabric” Echoed Through the Osaka-Kansai Expo: A Record of the Development of the Knit Fabric Speaker, '紋響'
From July 14 (Mon) to 20 (Sun), 2025, an installation was exhibited in the Kyoto Zone of the Kansai Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo.
Its name: "紋響" (Monkyo). This work, featuring a “knit fabric speaker” jointly developed by ZOZO NEXT and Poiesis Labs, was a groundbreaking installation that offered visitors an immersive experience through three-dimensional soundscapes generated by the fabric itself.
Now that the exhibition has concluded, attention is turning to the future of this “sound-emitting knit.” What kind of future do developers Satoshi Nakamaru and Kayato Sasaki envision for the knit fabric speaker?
PROFILE
Satoshi Nakamaru
Satoshi Nakamaru joined ZOZO Technologies, Inc. (now ZOZO NEXT, Inc.) in 2019. He serves as a Director in the MATRIX HQ IoT/Textile Dept., which handles new technology development and commercialization. He holds a Ph.D. in Policy and Media. His specialty is the development of soft, functional materials and devices, along with interaction and UX design that utilizes them. He is engaged in the R&D and commercialization of smart textiles. His awards include the ACM DIS 2019 Best Paper and an Honorary Mention at the Ars Electronica Festival's STARTS Prize.
PROFILE
Kayato Sasaki
After gaining experience directing experiential installations, interactive content, and web production, primarily for advertising promotions at a production company, Kayato Sasaki joined ZOZO NEXT, Inc. in 2022. In the MATRIX HQ IoT/Textile Dept., which handles R&D and commercialization of smart textiles, he is involved in developing new textiles and assisting with project management.
How was the knit fabric speaker used in "紋響" (Monkyo) created?
NakamaruThe knit fabric speaker was created as part of a joint project between ZOZO NEXT and Poiesis Labs, LLC.
While exploring the expressive possibilities of textiles, we had an idea: could a piece of fabric evolve from a 'static object' into something that creates a 'dynamic experience'? If we could fuse it with acoustic functions, the textile itself could become a medium that appeals directly to the senses.
What kind of work does your development partner, Poiesis Labs, do?
NakamaruBased in Kyoto, Poiesis Labs is a company with strengths in textile engineering and experience design, which was highly compatible with ZOZO NEXT's advanced materials and device development technology. Our collaboration established a framework for designing everything from the material to the user experience (UX) in a cohesive way.
The Secret of the Film Inside the Fabric, as Thin as a Sheet of Paper
To begin with, how does the fabric produce sound?
SasakiIt's because we've embedded a special film that vibrates and emits sound when a voltage is applied.
This film is a material called an organic piezoelectric film. When electricity is applied, the entire thin membrane distorts slightly, causing it to vibrate and push the air, which in turn generates sound.
The organic piezoelectric film is a special film that distorts slightly when voltage is applied, formed into a thin sheet with a thickness of tens to hundreds of µm (micrometers). That's about the thickness of a single sheet of paper.
NakamaruIt's incredibly thin and soft, so it can be cut and tailored into the perfect shape. It's easy to incorporate into various materials, making it possible to give speaker functionality even to fabrics.
Does the sound change depending on the type of fabric?
SasakiWe integrated this film into various fabrics. Among them, the sound produced by knitted materials—or knits—was particularly impressive.
We discovered that by embedding it in knit fabric, the unique three-dimensionality and texture of the knit influenced the sound's diffusion and directionality, changing how the sound resonated throughout the space. This was a characteristic that differed from flat woven fabrics.
NakamaruWe commissioned the production of the base knit fabric to Shima Seiki Mfg., Ltd. in Wakayama Prefecture, a company with expertise in computerized flat knitting machine technology.
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Exhibiting an Installation at the Osaka-Kansai Expo
What led you to exhibit at the Osaka-Kansai Expo?
NakamaruOur development partner, Poiesis Labs, invited us to exhibit. With its concept as an 'experimental ground for a future society,' the Expo was the perfect stage to introduce the knit fabric speaker to the world.
Exhibiting an Installation at the Osaka-Kansai Expo
What inspired you to exhibit at the Osaka-Kansai Expo?
NakamaruWe were invited to exhibit by our development partner, Poiesis Labs. With its concept of being a laboratory for future society, the Expo was the perfect stage for us to introduce our knit fabric speakers.
And that installation is the piece called “Monkyo.”
SasakiThat's right. The title is a portmanteau we created, combining the Japanese words “monyo” (patterns) and “onkyo” (acoustics).
When you step into “Monkyo,” you are enveloped by sound spreading like ripples from knit fabric speakers featuring traditional Japanese patterns. The space is adorned with fabric walls of these traditional patterns and fabric objects with a water-flow motif. Sound drips down like a stream into a basin of water—it's an extraordinary, immersive experience.
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Why did you choose to use traditional Japanese patterns?
NakamaruSince Poiesis Labs is a Kyoto-based company, our exhibition space was located in the Kansai Pavilion's Kyoto Zone. Our choice of traditional Japanese patterns is also tied to the culture of this region. We also designed the exhibition space based on the worldview of “Zen,” aiming for a place where visitors could feel both silence and resonance, and enter into a dialogue with themselves and their surroundings.
SasakiBeing enveloped in sound emanating from the fabric lets you escape the hustle and bustle and quietly engage with your inner self and the outside world—an experience that has much in common with “Zen.”
Could you tell us about the key features of the layout?
SasakiThe installation is composed of two “ma,” or rooms.
The “Kyomon no Ma” (Room of Kyoto Patterns) is a space where you can experience a variety of acoustics through multiple textiles. The walls are adorned with knits featuring traditional Japanese patterns like “shippo” (seven treasures), “izutsuwari-bishi” (well-frame diamond), and “asanoha” (hemp leaf).
This is a knit material that gives a 3D expression to delicate Japanese patterns, created by knitting stretchy yarn with a special computerized flat knitting machine from Shima Seiki Seisakusho. A piezoelectric film is attached to the back of the knit, allowing it to function as a speaker while remaining a soft textile. The direction of the vibration changes with the shape of the pattern, so each piece produces its own unique acoustic properties.
Meanwhile, the “Suimon no Ma” (Room of Water Ripples) is a space where a flowing stream is expressed using translucent knit fabric speakers.
As you pass through a punch-lace knit adorned with a “seigaiha” (blue ocean waves) pattern, a translucent textile with a water-flow motif appears. Instead of water, sound drips down, creating ripples on the surface of the actual water in the basin.
This textile has a transparent piezoelectric film integrated within the see-through knit, which allowed us to let light pass through while superimposing sound onto the space.
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The sound is the core of this work. Can you elaborate on its design?
SasakiWe designed a precise sound environment for each room using a proprietary program that continuously generates sound, which is then independently controlled across individual channels.
In the “Kyomon no Ma,” eight channels of textiles, each with different acoustic properties, were controlled by the program. Each one played an independent sound, creating a resonance that filled the entire space.
In the “Suimon no Ma,” we individually controlled 24 channels of film speakers to express the sound and sensation of dripping water. By synchronizing this with the ripples spreading on the water's surface, we created an immersive experience where sight and sound merge.
The Key Developers Discuss the Future of Knit Fabric Speakers
How was “Monkyo” received by visitors?
NakamaruMany people told us they were amazed by the experience of sound coming from fabric. Since sound was coming from fabric all over, the children also seemed surprised and had a lot of fun.
So, what are the future applications for these knit fabric speakers?
NakamaruThe most obvious applications would be in art installations or spaces like hotels and offices. However, I believe they can be widely used in fields beyond art and fashion.
For example, by integrating them into curtains, furniture covers, or wall materials, you can create immersive soundscapes. We can also expect them to have noise-canceling functions to block out ambient noise. Since they are thin, lightweight, and blend easily into a space, they can be seamlessly integrated with interior design.
SasakiIt is also possible to utilize the walls of hospitals and hotels as sound-directing installations. By integrating it into station guidance systems, it could provide guidance that doesn't rely on sight, making it beneficial in the field of social welfare. Furthermore, since twisting or moving the fabric changes its acoustic properties, it expands its potential as an instrument or device that allows people to interact with sound more intuitively.
We understand that research is ongoing and the technology is still being updated. What are your goals for the future?
SasakiTo increase its versatility, we are working to further miniaturize the control unit. At the same time, we are tackling improvements in the film's durability and sound quality, cost reduction, and more efficient power supply.
NakamaruWe are confident that this is a technology that can be adapted to a wide range of uses depending on the idea—from art installations to products, shops, and services. If you're interested, we would love to hear from you.
The Knit Fabric Speaker is a venture into the uncharted territory of sound-emitting textiles. This project, which captures the "resonance" between technology and culture, has the potential to grant new means of expression to clothing, spaces, and even our daily lives. This resonance is set to spread from the Osaka-Kansai Expo into the future, transforming the very nature of textiles.
Text by Ryota Osujo
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