As part of its plan to turn all aluminium alloy zipper products into sustainable goods, YKK Corporation will start sourcing all of the wire used for zippers from low-carbon aluminium.
A deal concerning the use of low-carbon aluminium was agreed upon by YKK, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., and Sumitomo Electric Toyama Co., Ltd., producers of aluminium materials. Low-carbon aluminium alloy wires were first acquired by YKK in FY 2024 for use as components in aluminium alloy zippers, and their use was progressively increased.
In order to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, YKK has established the YKK Sustainability Vision 2050, which lays out sustainability objectives. The company is working on projects to accomplish 10 SDGs associated with each of the five themes it has set targets for: climate change, material resources, water resources, chemical management, and respect for people.
According to the Science Based Targets (SBT) initiative’s net-zero target, YKK is advocating for efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the company and throughout its supply chain by 90 per cent for Scope 1 and 2 emissions and 90 per cent for Scope 3 emissions, compared to FY 2018 levels, by 2050. One of YKK’s efforts to meet the Scope 3 emission reduction target is the use of low-carbon aluminium for zippers.
YKK has been encouraging efforts to employ recycled and plant-based materials in textile materials for zippers and to enhance the ratio of such materials, according to Terry Tsukumo, Vice President, Product Strategy Division, Global Sales Headquarters, YKK Corporation. YKK will also encourage the use of low-carbon aluminium produced using hydropower and other renewable energy sources.
