Guided by the CYCLE OF GOODNESS® philosophy, YKK® has been committed to developing products with a focus on sustainability since 1994, the year of production of the first NATULON® zip in recycled material and the issue of the YKK Environmental Charter.
On this page, you will find the sustainable products proposed by YKK Italia and subdivided according to their sustainability characteristics: circularity, recycled material, natural fibres, no plating, eco-friendly finishing, renewal and bio-based.
Circularity
YKK® perceives circular fashion as a regenerative system in which garments circulate until their value is preserved, and then they are safely returned to the biosphere. This disrupts the traditional linear model of ‘Take, Make, Waste’. As part of the supply chain, we firmly believe that circularity is crucial for fostering sustainability. This belief drives us to design closure items using the finest quality recycled and recyclable materials. As part of the supply chain, we firmly believe that circularity is crucial for fostering sustainability. This belief drives us to design closure items using the finest quality recycled and recyclable materials.
EXCELLA® NATULON®
made with ECONYL® regenerated nylon
The zippers of our prestigious EXCELLA® series can also be produced with a tape made with ECONYL® regenerated nylon. This particular EXCELLA® NATULON® made with ECONYL® regenerated nylon is also suitable for garment dyeing. The elegant brass chain is extremely durable and contributes to the long life of the accessory – this too is eco-design.
VISLON® NATULON®
made with ECONYL® regenerated nylon
YKK’s expertise in innovative product development is translated into the design of VISLON® NATULON® made with ECONYL® regenerated nylon: a mono-plastic material zipper whose recycled content helps reduce its environmental impact.
ADVANCEN®
made with ECONYL® regenerated nylon
When it comes to circularity, one of the biggest challenges is separating the various materials that make up a garment so that as much of it as possible can be recycled. With the ADVANCEN® press stud made with ECONYL® regenerated nylon, YKK® addresses the problem of material separation, which is an obstacle to circular fashion. ADVANCEN® buttons belong to a new era: they are made of at least 98% ECONYL® regenerated nylon and are fully recyclable. They are also suitable for garment dyeing.
YKK’s Detachable Button & Rivet
Zamac Mono-Material
YKK Detachable Button & Rivet (patent pending) is not only monomaterial to aid disposal, but it can also be removed at the end of the garment’s life, which can reduce the amount of textile waste. The detachable button and rivet can be applied with standard fastening machines and removed easily with a simple tool.
Recyclable materials
YKK has long understood the environmental benefits of recycled materials. YKK® NATULON® products offer YKK® quality and performance with a lower environmental impact, as their manufacturing process ensures lower CO2 emission levels than when using virgin polyester. Since the creation of the first NATULON® zipper in 1994, we have continually expanded the NATULON® variations to offer the benefits of tape made entirely from recycled material to an ever-widening range of products.
The NATULON® product lines are designed for customers who wish to reduce the consumption of virgin material increasing the recycled content of their products. NATULON® zippers are made from recycled materials, such as PET bottles, thanks to mechanical recycling. The yarn used for the tape of NATULON® zippers consists of more than 99% post-consumer recycled material.
EXCELLA® NATULON®
It is the zipper that combines the elegance and prestige of the brushed metal items EXCELLA® with the need to increase the recycled content in accessories. In fact, the tape of this line is made of recycled material from the plastic of PET bottles, old fibres and other post-consumer materials.
YZiP® NATULON® & NATULON® Metal zipper
The NATULON® eco-friendly product line also includes YKK® punched metal zips. This article is characterised by the use of recycled material for both the tape and the chain. For the production of the chain, in fact, YKK® not only melts its own scrap but also purchases as much recycled metal as possible, mixing it with virgin materials to guarantee the necessary mechanical properties.
VISLON® NATULON®
VISLON® NATULON® zippers are made from recycled polyester tape. VISLON® is the name of our injected plastic zippers, serving creative and innovative design. Combined with the NATULON® brand of YKK®, it indicates the use of recycled material in the production of the tape, thus creating a zip suitable for all those customers who wish to increase the recycled content of their products.
VISLON® NATULON Plus®
NATULON Plus® zips feature the highest level of recycled material offered by YKK®. In this type of zipper, both the tape and the teeth are made with recycled material. In particular, the material used in the VISLON® NATULON Plus® chain consists of more than 63% post and pre-consumer recycled material. The level of recycling can be further increased by combining the zipper with a slider made of recycled material.
NATULON® Coil zipper
The NATULON® product series are designed for customers wishing to increase the recycled content of their products. The YKK® coil zipper tape is made from recycled materials, such as PET bottles, old fibres and other polyester residues, thanks to mechanical recycling technologies. The yarn used in the tape of NATULON® coil zipper is made from more than 99% post-consumer recycled material.
CONCEAL® NATULON®
The CONCEAL® invisible coil zipper is available with recycled polyester tape. CONCEAL® is the invisible zipper that does not disturb the design of the garment, making it more suitable for dresses and skirts.
NATULON Plus® Coil zipper
The NATULON Plus® coil zipper has the tape, chain, cord and sewing thread made of recycled material. The NATULON Plus® Coil zipper features the highest level of recycled material offered by YKK® and this advantage can be further increased by combining it with a recycled zinc die-cast slider. The material used in the NATULON Plus® coil zipper chain is made of 100% post-consumer recycled material.
AquaGuard® NATULON® Coil zipper
Also for this water-repellent zip, the tape is made of recycled polyester. Its surface is coated with a water-repellent polyurethane film. The item has been updated to improve smoothness, operability and environmental compatibility. Gloss and matt effect coatings are available.
Natural fibres
Natural fibres provide a renewable and sustainable source of material for the textiles used in zippers. YKK® zippers with natural fibre tapes help to eliminate the CO2 emissions associated with the production of synthetic textiles. These plant-based materials are renewable and can be grown regeneratively helping to reduce resource depletion and contributing to a healthier environment.
EXCELLA® Organic Cotton Tape
YZiP® Organic Cotton Tape
The cotton tape is made from organic cotton fibres. The farming of the cotton is certified by a 3rd party, offering traceability and compliance with requirements for chemical use, water stewardship and fair labor practices/ human rights. The tape is produced in natural colour ready for garment dyeing.
YZiP® with TENCEL™ Lyocell Fiber Tape
The YZip® zipper with a tape made of TENCEL™ fibres, which are produced from the renewable raw material wood. The fibres are biodegradable and compostable and are produced in an environmentally friendly closed-loop process in which 99% of the process water and solvents are recycled.
Without Plating
YKK® offers a series of stainless steel items without the need for plating or finishing. The snaps and zippers in this series allow the natural beauty of the material to shine through without requiring additional machining, offering an environmentally friendlier alternative to traditional galvanic finishes.
EXCELLA® NATULON® made with Stainless Steel
EXCELLA® NATULON® made with Stainless Steel zippers take the high-quality EXCELLA® series to the next level. Thanks to the strong corrosion resistance of stainless steel, these zippers are perfect for the most demanding applications, such as luxury clothing and leather goods, technical and nautical clothing. The chain undergoes a special innovative treatment that makes the corrosion resistance even more powerful, making this zipper a highly resistant, strong and durable product. Thanks to the natural colour of the stainless steel, this item does not require any additional plating or finishing.
FlexFix® made with Stainless Steel
Made of stainless steel and equipped with FlexFix® technology, FlexFix® made with Stainless Steel is designed for durability and resistance. It offers maximum comfort, best functionality and an attractive, elegant design. Thanks to the natural colour of the stainless steel, this item does not require any additional plating or finishing.
FlexFix® Flat made with Stainless Steel
Made of stainless steel and equipped with FlexFix® technology, FlexFix® Flat made with Stainless Steel is made ultra-flat and designed for durability and resistance. Thanks to the natural colour of the stainless steel, this item does not require any additional plating or finishing.
Eco-friendly finishes
YKK® eco-friendly metal finishes offer an environmentally friendlier alternative to traditional electroplating, requiring less water, less energy and eliminating the hazardous chemicals used in the traditional plating process. These finishes are available in multiple colours and offer greater resistance to corrosion.
FlexFix® Finished with AcroPlating®
Durable FlexFix® technology combined with AcroPlating®, the new plating method that uses fewer resources and no harmful chemicals, is at your side for more sustainable production and consumption. Thanks to these two innovative technologies, your items will last longer without losing performance. 6 colors are available.
Renewal
Revived renewal components keep YKK zippers running for years to come. Designed to replace damaged or broken parts revived components can bring new life to trusted YKK zippers. A key contributor to product circularity the revived collection of products helps keep valuable resources in use for longer.
VISLON® with Revived Top Stop
The VISLON® with the Revived Top Stop features a specially designed top stop that allows for easy removal and repair of the slider. The ingenious design of the top stop prevents the slider from unintentionally coming off during normal operation. To remove the slider, simply move the slider in a zig-zag motion at the top stop. This product allows customers and repair shops to easily remove sliders from garments when needed, contributes to the longevity of garments lifecycle.
Revived Replacement Slider
A broken slider can mean the end of a garment’s life cycle.
To aid in this repair process, YKK has designed a replacement slider that can be assembled to an existing zipper on a product, with no special tools required.
The ability to quickly repair a zipper contributes to the longevity of garments and sustainability.
Quick removal/attachment of the slider simplifies the repair/replacement process. Sold exclusively for repair/replacement.
Revived Replacement Elements for VISLON®
Revived replacement elements for VISLON® zippers allows for replacement of damaged elements that would otherwise require a full zipper replacement.
Enables repair shops, retail stores, and potentially customers to easily replace damaged or missing elements, contributing to a longer garment lifecycle.
Bio-based
Drawing from nature, YKK® is utilizing biomass to help reduce CO2 emissions. By pursuing bio-based materials from renewable resources, we are contributing to the effective use of biomass as new resource and the prevention of global warming.
VISLON® NATULON® with Bio-based Elements
The demand for materials with renewable content and low environmental impact is growing across all sectors. Research is increasingly focused on “bio-based” materials or products that are fully or partially derived from biomass. The introduction of bio-based zips in the YKK® range marks a step towards the decarbonisation of production—reducing the use of fossil raw materials and, consequently, net CO2 emissions.
More eco-design innovations from YKK world
GreenRise®
GreenRise® zippers are made from approximately 30% of the waste of cane sugar production. This allows the reduction of the use of petroleum-derived products and the associated CO2 emissions.
YKK Japan
NATULON® Ocean Sourced®
Plastic in the oceans is a global environmental issue that has a devastating impact on both marine and human life. YKK’s NATULON® Ocean Sourced® zippers help to create a solution by offering a new life to plastic waste before it ends up in the ocean reusing it in the production of the tape, which is made from 100% recycled material.
YKK India
ECO-DYE®
ECO-DYE® technology enables an almost 100% reduction of water used during the dyeing process. This technology allows us to produce the same high-quality products while drastically reducing the environmental impact.
YKK Japan
