ZOZO NEXT

What ZOZO NEXT does

ZOZO NEXT, Inc. is a Japanese fashion-technology R&D company established on October 1, 2021 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of ZOZO, Inc. (formerly Start Today Co., Ltd.), headquartered in Chiba with a secondary office in central Tokyo. The company operates as the dedicated R&D and new-business-creation arm of the ZOZO Group, employing 43 people as of March 31, 2026 across materials science, 3D/AI engineering, interaction design, and traditional Japanese textile craftsmanship. Its mission centers on developing smart textiles, digital fashion, virtual fitting, body-measurement technology, and fashion-tech media, with the explicit goal of commercializing research outcomes into ZOZO Group products or licensed offerings.

The company's technology stack combines 1,200-year-old Nishijin-ori (西陣織) weaving techniques with advanced functional materials — piezoelectric films, OLED, retroreflective threads, PDLC liquid crystals, leuco dyes, and structural-color films — through long-running joint research with the University of Tokyo (Kakehi Laboratory) and Hosoo Co., Ltd. (founded 1688). The resulting Ambient Weaving platform and Woven Prototypes series (WP001-WP007) encompass speaker fabrics, angle-dependent color-change textiles, polarization-color fabrics, 3D-shape-transformable weaves, moiré-iridescent materials, and dot-matrix OLED textile displays. On the digital side, Project Drip uses 3D and AI (in collaboration with Pinscreen) to generate low-cost virtual human models; REVINAL applies the same stack to commercialize digital fashion items distributed through DRESSX and (formerly) ZEPETO; and VirtualFitting technology (deployed in the ALTRM app with SoftBank/MN Interfashion and the STUMBLY brand with TSI Holdings) renders avatars via CLO-SET to support online try-on. Fashion Tech News, the company's owned media platform operating since 2018, publishes approximately 700 articles across 8 categories and added a GPT-4-translated English edition in October 2023.

ZOZO NEXT's business model is a hybrid of internal R&D allocation from parent ZOZO, Inc. (managed-services revenue), digital-fashion marketplace sales via REVINAL on DRESSX (marketplace commission), limited enterprise virtual-fitting partnerships, and advertising/content distribution on Fashion Tech News (syndicated to Yahoo! News, LINE NEWS, FASHIONSNAP, and antenna). The company has not raised external funding and holds ¥280M in stated capital. Recognition includes the STARTS Prize 2022 Honorary Mention (EU Commission / Ars Electronica) for Ambient Weaving and SIGIR 2026 paper acceptance for ZOZO RESEARCH, with international exhibition presence spanning SXSW 2022, Ars Electronica 2022, and the upcoming 3daysofdesign Copenhagen 2026 debut of the Yobiiro traditional-craft product line.

Name

ZOZO NEXT

Legal name

ZOZO NEXT, Inc.

Website

https://zozonext.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZOZO NEXT is the R&D and new-business-creation subsidiary of ZOZO, Inc., developing smart textiles, digital fashion, virtual fitting, and body-measurement technology that fuse traditional Japanese Nishijin-ori craftsmanship with 3D/AI and advanced materials. It serves fashion brands, retailers, and academic partners while commercializing outputs through ZOZO Group platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fashion Technology

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Wearable-Integrated & Smart Performance Apparel (CRAAAEAL)

Keywords

• Smart textile development
• Digital fashion creation
• Virtual fitting technology
• Fashion technology R&D
• XR fashion experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Chiba

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. R&D Services for ZOZO Group: As a ZOZO Group company, ZOZO NEXT conducts R&D and creates new businesses for the ZOZO Group, including ZOZO Research (research institute quantifying fashion scientifically) and MATRIX (new business creation across six impact areas). Revenue is generated through internal R&D investment and new business development within the group structure.
2. Digital Fashion (REVINAL): Digital fashion brand REVINAL sells virtual fashion items through third-party platforms DRESSX and ZEPETO. Items feature rich texture, unique designs, and high-quality virtual materials. ZEPETO distribution has ended but DRESSX sales continue.
3. Media / Content (fashion tech news): Owned media platform fashion tech news publishes approximately 700 fashion tech articles across 8 categories (RESEARCH, CULTURE, PHILOSOPHY, BUSINESS, SERIES, FEATURES, PROJECTS, BEAUTY). English version launched October 19, 2023 using GPT-4 translation. Articles distributed via Yahoo! News, LINE NEWS, FASHIONSNAP.COM, and antenna.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ZOZO NEXT is a fashion technology R&D company that develops smart textiles, digital fashion brands, virtual fitting solutions, and XR/AI-driven fashion experiences. It combines traditional Japanese textile craftsmanship such as Nishijin-ori (西陣織) with cutting-edge materials and digital technologies to create products including the REVINAL digital fashion brand, the Drip virtual model unit, Ambient Weaving smart textiles, VirtualFitting try-on technology, and the Fashion Tech News media platform. Its work serves the ZOZO Group ecosystem while pursuing open innovation through academic and brand partnerships.

Product overview

ZOZO NEXT operates as a fashion tech R&D company with multiple distinct products and projects. The core offerings include: (1) REVINAL - a digital fashion brand launched in 2023 that sells virtual fashion items created with 3D and AI technologies on DRESSX and ZEPETO platforms; (2) Drip - a virtual model unit and virtual fashion project using XR, 3D, and AI to generate virtual human models and digital fashion experiences; (3) Ambient Weaving - a smart textile research initiative (since 2020) combining traditional Japanese Nishijin weaving with cutting-edge technology for responsive textiles that respond to environmental factors; (4) Woven Prototypes - a prototype series (WP001-WP007) developing innovative textile technologies including sound-producing fabrics, color-changing materials, OLED displays, and shape-transforming weaves; (5) VirtualFitting - virtual try-on technology for e-commerce applications using avatar-based fitting; (6) Fashion Tech News - an owned media platform covering fashion x technology news since 2018, with an English edition launched in 2023 using GPT-4 AI translation; (7) Yobiiro - a project (launched 2026) fusing traditional Japanese craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology to create lifestyle products. The company also conducts research through ZOZO RESEARCH institute and operates various exhibition and event projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• REVINAL: Digital fashion brand launched by ZOZO NEXT, offering virtual fashion items through DRESSX and ZEPETO platforms. The brand name derives from REAL, VIRTUAL, LIMINAL, and REVIVAL, aiming to create a new future where everyone can freely enjoy fashion.
• Drip
• FASHION TECH NEWS

Products and services

• REVINAL Digital fashion brand producing virtual fashion items with rich texture expression, unique non-conventional designs, and high-quality virtual materials leveraging 3D and AI. Available for purchase on DRESSX and ZEPETO platforms; digital fashion production emits 97% less CO2 than physical clothing.
• Drip Virtual model unit consisting of AI-generated virtual human models used to produce digital fashion content, virtual try-on visuals, and brand collaborations. Collaborations include HATRA (2021 AW collection) and Bunka Fashion Graduate University.
• Ambient Weaving Smart textile research initiative developing textiles that express or incorporate environmental information. Includes temperature-responsive fabrics, chromatographic color-changing fabrics, UV-hardening flow-capturing fabrics, OLED-emitting textiles, and variable-transmittance liquid crystal textiles. Combines traditional Nishijin weaving techniques with cutting-edge materials and interaction technologies. Won STARTS Prize 2022 Honorary Mention.
• Woven Prototypes Series of prototype textile works (WP001-WP007) extending the Ambient Weaving concept. Includes sound-producing fabrics using piezoelectric films (WP001 Sounds), retroreflective interference foil fabrics (WP002 Optical Unveil), polarizer-based polarization color fabrics (WP003 Layers), 3D-transformable carbon-bar fabrics (WP004 Pillars), structural color film moiré fabrics (WP006 Iridescence), and OLED dot-matrix display textiles (WP007 Pixels).
• VirtualFitting 3D virtual try-on technology enabling online fitting experiences for fashion e-commerce. Generates avatars replicating user body types and renders virtual clothes using CLO-SET technology for realistic texture and drape. Includes VirtualFitting α (ALTRM app with SoftBank/MN Interfashion) and VirtualFitting β (STUMBLY with TSI Holdings).
• Fashion Tech News Owned media platform covering fashion and technology news since 2018, publishing approximately 700 articles across 8 categories (RESEARCH, CULTURE, PHILOSOPHY, BUSINESS, SERIES, FEATURES, PROJECTS, BEAUTY). English edition launched October 2023 using GPT-4 translation with human proofreading. Distributed via Yahoo! News, LINE NEWS, FASHIONSNAP.COM, and antenna.
• Yobiiro (呼色) Project fusing traditional Japanese craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology to create lifestyle products including hitotose (temperature-responsive ceramic flower vase), URUSHICA (microwave-safe lacquerware vessels), Stellar Edge (3D washi paper construction), and PIXEL WEAVE - HAKATA ORI - (woven textiles with retroreflective and phosphorescent effects). International debut at 3daysofdesign Copenhagen 2026.
• Project Link - Fashionable IoT Research platform enabling smartwear design without specialized expertise. Allows placement of IoT nodes at any position on clothing, app-based behavior design, machine or manual wiring, and easy attachment/detachment for use and recycling. Joint research with Keio University Graduate School of Media Design (Future Craft Lab).
• ZOZO RESEARCH Research institute dedicated to quantifying fashion scientifically; conducts R&D in measurement technology, AI, and fashion science. Collaborates with external partners on various fashion tech research projects; paper accepted at SIGIR 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• Digital fashion production emits 97% less CO2 compared to physical clothing production
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability12 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Keio University SFC研究所 (SFC Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Joint research started April 2026 on textile design technology using mathematical theory. Collaboration with Associate Professor Taryo Hayama (Keio University Faculty of Environment and Information Studies). Seeks to develop new textile design methods by mathematically approaching fabric structure, advancing beyond experience-based design.
• DRESSXcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 November 2023Digital fashion platform distribution partner for REVINAL brand. Users select and purchase REVINAL digital fashion items, send their photo, and receive digitally dressed photo within 24 hours. REVINAL features rich texture, unique non-conventional designs, and high-quality materials.
• ZEPETO (Naver Z)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 November 2023Avatar-based social platform (over 460 million users, primarily Gen Z and Alpha) for REVINAL avatar items. 10 items created for ZEPETO avatars. Sales currently ended. Platform enables exploration of digital fashion needs among younger generations.
• TSI Holdings (STUMBLY)coreTechnology or Integration · 16 February 2023Proof of concept for VirtualFitting β - STUMBLY (February-May 2023). ZOZO NEXT provided virtual fitting technology using CLO-SET by CLO Virtual Fashion for TSI Holdings' women's brand 'STUMBLY.' Verification of CVR, cost, and customer feedback including user flow and avatar/clothing quality. Sale of Spring-Summer 2023 items including pullovers, dresses, jackets.
• SoftBank Corp.coreTechnology or Integration · 21 February 2022Three-party collaboration on 'VirtualFitting α - ALTRM' (February-March 2022). SoftBank developed key technologies for '3D Virtual Avatar Generation' and 'Virtual Fitting.' ZOZO NEXT developed the smartphone app. MN Interfashion established brand 'ALTRM,' planned and produced clothes, and realized digital 3D representation. ~400 male participants tested 14 item types.
• MN Interfashion Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2022Three-party collaboration on ALTRM virtual fitting project. MN Interfashion established the new brand 'ALTRM,' planned and produced the clothing items sold, and realized the digital 3D representation of clothes within the app. ZOZO NEXT provided app development, SoftBank provided avatar/fitting technology.
• Bunka Fashion Graduate University (BFGU)secondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 November 2021Collaboration with Drip virtual model unit for BFGU's online cultural festival (November 2021). BFGU students designed clothes reproduced with ZOZO NEXT's digital technology and worn by Drip models. Demonstrates virtual fashion's potential in fashion education.
• HATRAsecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Japanese fashion brand collaboration with virtual model unit 'Drip.' Created 3D data for HATRA's 2021 AW collection 'Rapid Eye Movement.' Virtual model Rino wore the collection, with content published on Instagram.
• University of Tokyo - Yasuaki Kakehi LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Joint research partnership since 2020 with The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies (Professor Yasuaki Kakehi's Laboratory) and Hosoo Co., Ltd. Focuses on developing smart textiles combining Nishijin-ori traditional craftsmanship with advanced technology. Led to the 'Ambient Weaving' concept and multiple prototype textile works (Woven Prototypes series). Professor Kakehi's team responsible for interaction design and information technology.
• Hosoo Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Joint research partnership since 2020 with ZOZO NEXT and University of Tokyo. Hosoo (founded 1688) is a long-established Nishijin textile workshop in Kyoto. Responsible for weaving technology, pursuit of beauty, and historical examination of cloth. Joint work on Ambient Weaving smart textiles exhibited at Ars Electronica 2022 (STARTS Prize Honorary Mention), HOSOO GALLERY exhibitions (2021, 2023-2024), and Matsudo International Science Art Festival 2022.
• Keio University Graduate School of Media Design (Future Craft Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research with Professor Junichi Yamaoka's Future Craft Lab on 'Project Link - Fashionable IoT.' Explores UX verification of a platform implementing smartwear with small IoT nodes that can be placed anywhere on clothing, designed via app, and easily attached/detached. Includes workshop implementation to explore smartwear applications.
• CIID (Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-creation project 'ENVISIONING THE FUTURE WITH SMART MATERIALS' exploring sustainability and new areas in fashion tech. Design target set at 30-year timeline. Four categories: Live Performance (TesseLive), Automotive (AMINO), Living Space (NATURE NETTING), Sports & Fitness (COMPANION). Conducted at CIID Costa Rica Studio with over 30 user interviews and multiple concept proposals.
• Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost partner for 'Ambient Weaving Collection -- Textiles and its Environment' exhibition (August 2023) at Have a Nice Tokyo! in Marunouchi, Tokyo. Mitsubishi Estate provided the venue as part of the co-hosting arrangement with ZOZO NEXT, University of Tokyo, and Hosoo.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vue.ai: AI-driven fashion and retail automation platform offering virtual try-on and styling; competes with ZOZO NEXT's measurement and VirtualFitting technologies for fashion e-commerce customers.
• Bold Metrics: AI-based body measurement solution for apparel sizing and fit recommendations; directly comparable to ZOZO NEXT's measurement technology stack (ZOZOSUIT/ZOZOMAT/ZOZOGLASS) for e-commerce fit prediction.
• Style.me: Virtual try-on and digital fitting room technology for fashion e-commerce; overlaps directly with ZOZO NEXT's VirtualFitting capabilities targeting online apparel retailers.
• CLO-SET by CLO Virtual Fashion: Cloud platform for 3D garment visualization directly integrated by ZOZO NEXT in its STUMBLY virtual fitting deployment; effectively a partner-competitor in the same 3D apparel technology category.
• DRESSX: Digital fashion marketplace where ZOZO NEXT's REVINAL brand is distributed; DRESSX operates its own digital fashion collections and competes with REVINAL for consumer mindshare in the same niche.
• CLO Virtual Fashion: Provides 3D garment design and virtual fitting tools (CLO-SET) used directly by ZOZO NEXT for its VirtualFitting deployments with TSI Holdings. Competes directly in the same virtual try-on and digital fashion technology stack for apparel brands.

Emerging players

• Obsess: Virtual store and digital fashion experience platform for brands; adjacent to ZOZO NEXT's digital fashion and virtual try-on focus, serving similar brand customers.
• Pinscreen: AI avatar generation technology partner referenced in ZOZO NEXT's Drip virtual model unit; competes in AI-driven virtual human creation for fashion and metaverse applications.
• Ready Player Me: Cross-platform avatar technology used in metaverse and digital fashion contexts; comparable to Drip/ZOZO NEXT virtual human model technology for digital wearables and avatar commerce.
• Revery.ai: Computer-vision-based virtual try-on technology for fashion retailers; emerging competitor in the same virtual fitting category that ZOZO NEXT serves via VirtualFitting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ZOZONEXTInc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZOZO NEXT