The Zippo Stormlighter: Made for Life

Zippo is proud to manufacture reliable, reusable, long-lasting products. The most prominent of these is, of course, our iconic Zippo stormlighter, which has been made since the founding of our company in Bradford, Pennsylvania, USA.

Our stormlighter has not only stood the test of time for more than 90 years. Its robust construction, replaceable parts, and refillable design have undoubtedly prevented millions of lighters worldwide from ending up in landfills. And our legendary lifetime guarantee, “It works or we’ll repair it free,” ensures that every stormlighter can be enjoyed for generations, making plastic alternatives unnecessary.

FREE REPAIRS

Zippo has never charged for the repair of its iconic stormlighter.

QUALITY

Every lighter undergoes 4–6 inspections by an employee from raw materials to finished product to ensure it meets all our strict quality standards.

CARE

Our special Repair Clinic processes hundreds of lighters every year and returns each one to its owner free of charge in excellent condition, no matter how old or worn it may be.

Raw Materials

Because we manufacture every stormlighter at our factory in Bradford, Pennsylvania, we have direct control over (and are acutely aware of) the amount of raw materials we use, and we can recycle all the scrap generated during production. In fact, the vast majority of the material used in our manufacturing process contains recycled scrap.

Our suppliers play an important role in our mission to generate sustainable value both inside and outside our company. Through this partnership, we promote positive change for our stakeholders, the environment, and society as a whole, achieving a greater impact together than we could individually.

SCRAP

More than 453,000 kilos of scrap recycled annually (report covering 2021–2023).

RECYCLED MATERIAL

Virtually all the raw materials used to manufacture our stormlighters contain recycled material.

RESPONSIBLY SOURCED

Careful supply chain management ensures that materials are responsibly sourced.

Click here to read Zippo's 'Position on Illegal Labor Practices'. It explains the steps Zippo takes to ensure we do business exclusively with parties that operate ethically, legally, and responsibly.

Reducing Energy Consumption

Activities to reduce our carbon footprint in our factories include recycling cardboard shipping boxes and scrap metal; processing waste oil to reduce emissions; and upgrading our heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to significantly reduce our annual electricity and water consumption. 

WATER USAGE

Our closed-loop cooling system, installed in 2022, helps us save nearly 21 million liters of water annually.

REDUCED ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION

New compressor systems help us save more than 1.4 million kWh annually.

LED LIGHTING

Upgrading to LED lighting in our factories helps us further reduce electricity consumption.

Packaging

Over the past five years, we have worked to remove a significant amount of plastic from our packaging, and in 2019 we launched our first plastic-free packaging program (made from 30% post-consumer recycled fibers) as a benchmark for future products.

REDUCING PLASTIC

By no longer using plastic foam in the blister packaging for our stormlighters, we save hundreds of kilos of plastic annually.

REDUCING PAPER

Since 2024, printed instructions have been removed from the blister packaging for our stormlighters in the U.S., which is expected to save more than 540 kg of paper.

RECYCLABLE

Several of our key products now feature only recyclable, plastic-free packaging.

Worldwide

In 2019, Zippo partnered with WOODCHUCK USA to combat deforestation by planting a tree for every Zippo x Woodchuck lighter sold. To date, more than 125,000 trees have been planted worldwide. Learn more about this initiative at zippo.com/buyoneplantone.