As the apparel industry moves toward increasing circularity, it’s not only the fabric that matters—trims are another essential part of the equation.
In YKK’s FY2025 report, the company announced that their sustainable product line, the Natulon zipper series, now makes up more than half of the company’s global zipper sales volume. In 2025, YKK did 431.4 billion yen in net sales (2.7 billion USD) with 9.73 billion units sold. The company calculates that this shift has resulted in a 20,790 ton reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, compared to using virgin materials.
The Natulon series uses recycled polyester in the zipper tape, which is primarily sourced from PET bottles. The first Natulon zipper was developed in 1994, and now this series makes up 56 percent of their business—up from 3 percent in FY2019. The company has the goal of Natulon reaching 63 percent of their sales share in FY2026.
YKK is developing a new zipper called the Natulon Plus Fiber Sourced Zipper with Recycled PET Open Parts that uses fiber-derived recycled PET for the tape, elements, open parts, and core cord. This is a circular design that aims to maximize mono-material construction, which will allow the zipper to be recycled together with the garment. It also features a slider made from recycled zinc alloy for durability and practicality. This product was selected as a top five item in the accessories category at the ISPO Textrends Awards 2025.
Yuka Suzuki, general manager of the sustainable product strategy department, said, “To ensure that sustainability is not merely an optional extra but becomes the norm, we are not waiting for the market or our customers to dictate our course; instead, we are making decisions on our own initiative and working as a united company to drive the transition to Natulon zippers.”
In another push toward circularity, YKK is expanding its revived renewal components, which make it easier to repair zippers. It allows consumers to repair a damaged section rather than having to replace an entire zipper.
In FY2025, YKK also introduced the Circular Design Special Award, as part of their YKK Fastening Awards. The Fastening Awards are a fashion design contest for Japanese design students focused around fastening products. The goal is to nurture talent that will help advance circular fashion. In 2025, the winner was Kanade Konno of Bunka Fashion College, who designed a project that uses zippers to enable garment disassembly and repair.
This is all part of YKK Sustainability Vision 2050, a plan which was formulated in 2020 to define long-term direction for environmental initiatives for the entire YKK Group. The plan is organized around five themes: climate change, material resources, water resources, chemical management, and respect people. The company has planned for 8.4 billion yen (53 million USD) of sustainability-related investment in FY2026.
“Since formulating the YKK Sustainability Vision 2050, we have continued to advance initiatives
under its five themes. In FY2025, YKK was named to CDP’s Climate Change ‘A List’ for the third consecutive year,” said Koichi Matsushima, president of YKK Corporation. “These results demonstrate progress while underscoring the work ahead, including further reductions in CO2 emissions and expanded use of renewable energy.”