The YKK Corporation has signed the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action. The Fashion for Global Climate Action initiated calls on the fashion industry to recognize the industry’s contribution to climate change and its responsibility to achieve climate neutrality. YKK joins the more than 100 existing signatories of the charter, which supports the goals of the Paris Agreement to limit the global temperature increase to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels and sets specific targets for the entire fashion industry to implement. These targets focus on a 30% overall reduction in greenhouse gas missions by 2030 and the achievement of net zero emissions by 2050. The Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action was presented at COP24 (24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) in December 2018 under the auspices of United Nations Climate Change.
YKK said that it would continue its efforts to identify and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its business activities, including raw material sourcing, production processes, logistics, and supply chain. It also wants to set science-based targets within the next two years that meet the latest findings in climate science needed to achieve the Paris Agreement targets. YKK is aiming for certification of the Science Based Targets initiative.
YKK had already made a commitment to the environment in 1994 as part of its corporate philosophy “Cycle of Good” and the development of Natulon®, the first zipper made from recycled PET bottles and polyester residues, 26 years ago. Hiroaki Otani, president of YKK, said: “Signing the Charter not only signals to the world our continued commitment to sustainability in our product development and manufacturing processes but also our desire to work with other organizations in the industry to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.”
