YKK has announced that WaveOn is joining its network of software partners supporting YKK’s Touchlink® fasteners enabled with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.
WaveOn
California based WaveOn is a software service provider that connects brands and consumers via products. Utilizing NFC technology, WaveOn helps brands turn physical products into rich interactive customer experiences.
The Touchlink fastener
By joining YKK’s software partner network for Touchlink fasteners, WaveOn looks to combine its award-winning software with the Touchlink fastener hardware to help brands create unique consumer engagements. Requiring no app or search engine, consumers can access customized experiences with a wave of their smartphone to the Touchlink zipper puller.
WaveOn plans to promote YKK’s Touchlink fastener hardware solution to brand customers as a digital access point that can be designed into their products. By using YKK® zippers with Touchlink zipper pullers, brands can easily add digital connectivity to their products without having to alter their designs.
“The WaveOn platform ultimately connects consumers to digital and Web3 experiences through their physical products. YKK’s expertise helps us bring that platform to life in a wide variety of products and simplifies the embedding process for our brand partners.”
A growing network
YKK’s growing network of Touchlink fastener software partners is increasing the number of firms that brands can choose from to help them develop and deploy new consumer experiences and offerings.
Specializing in digital consumer product interaction these software partners have developed a wide range of experiences and services ranging from providing product and warranty information to one-on-one consumer engagement to enabling product resale and rental programs.
“We see TouchLink fasteners not only as a portal for brands to provide their customers a unique brand experience unmatched by other technologies, but as an important component for enabling new circular business models.”
Another advantage of YKK’s TouchLink fastener is its permanence and durability. The NFC chip is molded into the zipper puller, which completely encases it, making it highly resistant to moisture and breakage.
“A zipper puller is very unlikely to be removed by consumers like a care tag or label. Embedding the NFC chip in the puller gives it durable protection from washing or breakage.”
Apparel products featuring the Touchlink fastener will be available to consumers starting Fall 2022.
