Italy’s leader in fastening accessories YKK understands circular fashion as a regenerative system where garments are circulated for as long as their maximum value is retained, and then returned safely to the biosphere. YKK showed its Natulon recycled zippers made with Econyl regenerated nylon at Lineapelle and White Sustainable Milan (WSM), in collaboration with C.L.A.S.S. and Marco Poli – The Style Lift. The collection of recycled zippers made with Econyl regenerated nylon are the highlights of the YKK SS23 collection.
Econyl nylon, manufactured by Aquafil, is made entirely from nylon waste collected all around the world, such as industrial plastic, fabric scraps, old carpets, and fishing nets from the aquaculture sector. YKK now offers Econyl regenerated nylon products in three categories to the European market. It includes Vislon Natulon recycled zipper made with Econyl, a fully Econyl plastic injected zipper; Excella Natulon recycled zipper made with Econyl, a top-of-the-range brushed metal zipper; and recycled sew-on button made with Econyl, a simple button to sew on nylon garments, the company said in a press release.
“As a small part of the supply chain, we firmly believe that circularity is the key to building sustainability. This is our motivation when we design the highest quality recycled and recyclable fastener products. Not only do we want to optimise the use of raw materials and increase the recycled content, but we also work to understand the end of life of the garments and verify the compatibility between our proposals and their subsequent recycling,” Hitoshi Yamaguchi, president of YKK Italy, said in a statement.
“Put simply, our products are designed with the concepts of resource efficiency, non-toxicity, biodegradability, and recyclability in mind. They are also produced giving priority to recyclable sources and ethical practices.”
YKK has been expanding its Natulon recycled zippers series, which features zipper tapes made from PET bottles, old fibres, and other polyester residues. It recently introduced Natulon Plus, in which the chain and the slider are also made entirely of recycled polyester. Additionally, the company’s new AcroPlating technology significantly reduces the environmental impacts of metal plating.
