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Kuraray Fastening Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka; President: Takeshi Ueyama, hereinafter "Kuraray Fastening"), which celebrated 50 years of MAGIC TAPE hook and loop fastener sales in October 2010, today announced the addition of three types of functional products to its new ECOMAGIC (see Note) tape lineup, which is produced by eco-friendly methods.
An overview of the new products, sales of which commence in January 2011, is provided below.
1. Characteristics of the New Products
Magnified photo of mixed hook and loop type
Mixed hook and loop type
- Hooks and loops are mixed on the same side of the tape. Since this negates the need to use separate hook and loop surfaces in the manner of conventional hook and loop tape, there is no need to worry about making mistakes when manufacturing sewn products.
- Designing the hook parts to be lower than the loops makes it difficult for the hooks to come into direct contact with the skin. There is the added special feature that this makes it difficult for the hooks to become tangled up with other materials. Furthermore, new ECOMAGIC is made from polyester and displays superior heat and water resistance when compared with existing products, which are predominantly of nylon manufacture.
- By utilizing these special features, Kuraray Fastening will develop business in such materials fields as underwear, sportswear and uniforms as well as outdoor and industrial materials.
Double-sided type for banding
Double-sided type for banding
- Designing the tape so that hook and loop sides are back to back on one tape makes it possible for them to be bound together simply by rolling up the tape.
- Kuraray Fastening plans to develop business in such fields as electronic devices, including cables, and automobile interior trim. Since no polyurethane resin is used in new ECOMAGIC, the product complies with the flame-resistance standards necessary in the automotive field without the need for flame resistance processing.
Left: Water-repellant type
Right: Existing type
Specially processed water-repellant type
- Using no coating (polyurethane resin) to reinforce the back of the tape in the production process for new ECOMAGIC has simplified the special process used to make it water repellant.
- Since the water-repellant type makes it possible to resolve the phenomenon whereby hooks with frozen water droplets are prevented from engaging the loops, Kuraray Fastening will develop business in fields to which the product is best suited, such as winter sports. Since the product displays superior antifouling properties, its utilization is also expected in such medical areas as hemostasis bands and surgical gowns.
2. Specifications and Standards
Mixed hook and loop type
| (1) Widths | 20, 25, 30, 38, 50 and 100mm |
|---|---|
| (2) Length | 25m per roll |
| (3) Material | 100% polyester |
Double-sided type for banding
| (1) Widths | 10, 20, 25 and 40mm |
|---|---|
| (2) Length | 25m per roll |
| (3) Material | 100% polyester |
Processed water-repellant type
- Designed for use in post-processing
- Can be used together with hook and loop as well as mixed hook and loop types developed through new ECOMAGIC
3. Sales Targets
| First year | ¥300 million |
|---|---|
| Three years later | ¥800 million |
Kuraray Fastening Co., Ltd
| 1. Headquarters | Umeda Hankyu Building Office Tower, 8-1, Kakudacho, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-8611, Japan |
|---|---|
| 2. President | Takeshi Ueyama |
| 3. Capital | ¥100 million |
| 4. Employees | 130 (as at March 31, 2010) |
| 5. Business activities | Development, manufacturing and sale of MAGIC TAPE woven hook and loop fastener, MAGILOCK extrusion molded hook fastener, and related products (Note: At 60% MAGIC TAPE holds the top share of the Japanese market for woven hook and loop fasteners) |
- (Note) new ECOMAGIC
Polyurethane resins that required organic solvents had been used as reinforced coatings on the back side of conventional woven hook and loop fasteners in order to prevent diminished features and durability. In 2004, Kuraray Fastening established an eco-friendly hook and loop fastener production method with a solvent-free back coating, which it sells under the new ECOMAGIC product name.
- * MAGIC TAPE, MAGILOCK and ECOMAGIC are all registered trademarks of Kuraray Co., Ltd.’s hook and loop fasteners.
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