YKK Eco Zips – NATULON® and GreenRise®

YKK eco zips: what YKK offers

YKK eco zips are the answer for brands that want to increase the share of recycled and renewable materials in their products without compromising on function. YKK defines a sustainable zip as one that requires less energy and water, avoids toxic chemicals and emits fewer greenhouse gases than a conventional one. Polkom supplies original YKK zips from the eco lines to manufacturers and brands in the EU; we do not manufacture YKK zips.

The lines at a glance

How a PET bottle becomes a zip

For mechanical recycling, YKK describes the following path: collected post-consumer bottles are shredded and turned into pellets, recycled yarn is spun from the pellets, and the NATULON® zip tape is woven from this yarn. An important clarification: according to YKK, it is the tape yarn that is recycled, while the core of the coil, the sewing thread and the binding yarn are not made from recycled materials.

Share of recycled material

YKK publishes indicative values by weight for the zip chain:

Lower emissions

Based on its own life cycle assessment, verified by SGS, YKK states that a 20 cm closed-end NATULON® coil zip No. 3 emits about 19.6 % less greenhouse gas than the standard YKK coil zip, and a 60 cm open-end No. 5 about 9.8 % less. The values apply to these specific models and should not be transferred mechanically to all articles.

Other YKK eco initiatives

YKK has also announced a long-term sustainability vision with targets for reducing emissions and for a circular economy. For brands, this means an eco zip can be part of a wider product story, backed by data from the manufacturer.

What to keep in mind

• because of the recycled raw materials, the chain colour of NATULON® may differ slightly from the standard colours – approve a sample;
• availability of each type, size and colour in a recycled version is confirmed on enquiry;
• YKK also offers product labels that show the use of NATULON®;
• when marketing the product, rely on the documentation for the specific article rather than on general claims.

Standard or NATULON® zip: comparison

If your collection has a target for the share of recycled materials, include the zip in the calculation from the development stage – it is small, but it is present in almost every product and matters in large series. Choose a model for which YKK provides data, and keep the documentation together with the tech pack.

Recycled accessories from Polkom

Polkom holds a GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certificate and also offers recycled versions of its own accessories – on enquiry we will tell you which articles are available in a recycled version. This way an eco YKK zip can be combined with buttons, labels and other metal accessories in one order. You will find more about our certificates on the Certificates page.

When enquiring about an eco YKK zip, also state what documentation you need for the product – for example for the brand's internal reporting or for your customer's requirements. This lets us check which models and sizes meet your goals before you approve a sample, and avoid surprises with the bulk order.

How to order

Specify the zip type – coil, VISLON® or metal – plus size, type, length, tape colour and approximate quantity. Minimum quantities depend on the article. All lines are in the YKK zips section.