YKK presents autumn / winter 2021 collection in digital showcase

Established in 1934 by Tadao Yoshida in Tokyo, Japan, Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha, known as YKK, is the world’s largest manufacturer of zippers and fastening products and synonymous with innovation, technology and sustainability. Having been a trusted supplier for the world’s textile and sewing product industries since the 1960s, when the company rapidly expanded internationally and opened subsidiaries, factories and showrooms in key markets, YKK’s success has been driven by continued investments and ground-breaking ecological developments, coupled with a commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility and environmental goals. YKK was among the first companies to have inaugurated an Environmental Charter, which was established in 1990 and championed ethical entrepreneurship and sustainability way before they became buzzwords.

YKK has always been devoted to the creation of new value through innovative ideas and inventions and to bringing prosperity to its customers and trading partners, a principle which has been a driving force behind YKK Group’s consistent growth. Today YKK is represented in over 70 countries worldwide, and all its Group companies share the ‘Cycle of Goodness’ Philosophy, meaning “No one prospers without rendering benefit to others”. Corporate responsibility, transparency and respect for the world are at the heart of each business decision, guided by the management principle ‘YKK seeks corporate value of higher significance’. Fairness is the standard on which YKK bases all of its conduct, with the key ambition to contribute to a sustainable society through its core business activities and products.

The new collection

YKK will be showcasing its autumn / winter 2021 collection at this year’s Lineapelle – A new Point of View, taking place 22-23 September 2020. Responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, YKK is launching a digital collection featuring an interactive video which will give customers, particularly those who are currently facing travel restrictions or are unable to attend physical meetings, access to its vast portfolio and the opportunity to get as close to the products as possible. The format has been devised to facilitate a deeper understanding of the collection and its new aspects and innovations. Customers will receive an exclusive invitation to view the range and will be able to digitally book a meeting with YKK’s team of sales representatives or request product samples.

Among this year’s sustainable product highlights is Natulon®, a range of resource-conserving, recycling-oriented zippers made from PET bottles, old fibre and other polyester remnants. They are the result of a double-layered development system offering both chemical and material recycling options. The innovative materials and manufacturing processes used to create these zippers reduce the impact on the environment significantly through lower energy consumption and CO2 emissions as well as less use of crude oil and production of industrial waste.

The Natulon® Material Recycled Tape is the solution for customers who are looking to increase the recycled content of their products. Meanwhile, the Natulon® Chemically Recycled tape goes further and is perpetually recyclable due to the chemical process that brings the polyester back to its original molecular structure. As a result, the chemically recycled material retains the very same properties as the virgin material.

Finally, GreenRise® is a YKK development that makes use of plant-based materials whose raw component is molasses, a by-product in the manufacturing of sugar, reducing petroleum usage and associated CO2 emissions.