YKK, a global leader in trims manufacturing, continues to make strides toward its sustainability and climate neutrality targets with impressive progress reported in 2024. The Japanese company, known for its innovative approach to manufacturing, aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

YKK saw a notable increase in the use of sustainable materials, jumping 12 percentage points to reach 38 percent of all product sales in 2024. A key driver behind this rise is YKK’s proprietary in-house recycling technology for copper and zinc alloys, which are now used in the production of zippers. This technology underscores the company’s commitment to sustainability and material innovation.

The company is not only innovating in products but also in packaging. Currently, 31 percent of YKK's packaging materials are sustainable, a significant improvement that includes the use of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper for outer packaging at the Kurobe Manufacturing Center.

Additionally, YKK is scaling up its efforts to design products for recycling. A notable development in 2024 was the introduction of Natulon Plus, a zipper featuring recycled PET components. The design, which includes recycled PET for both the chain and open parts, aims to simplify the recycling process for garments by eliminating the need to remove the zipper during textile recycling.