The pdf linked in other threads shows that the teeth have a fabric cord running through the middle of them. Then each tooth is surrounded by about 18 tiny stitches.
I wonder how fabrics will handle the mechanical wear vs the durable tape “track” used in a traditional zipper
They won't. They only work with garments < 1.3mm. Nothing here is about durability.
They found a worse way to create a worse zipper with a proprietary machine that no one owns . This is the future
It's not worse; it's different, and better for some applications. Specifically when high flexibility and/or sleek appearance are valued above cost and durability. One example that immediately comes to mind is zip-up pockets in athletic wear.
“The absence of the tape posed various production challenges,” Nishizaki says. “We had to develop new manufacturing equipment and a dedicated sewing machine for integration.”