Hydrogenated natural rubber (HNR) prepared from natural rubber (NR) is a new sustainable elastomer with excellent thermal properties. This study reports on the effect of vulcanization system and blend ratio on the thermal and oxidative resistance of HNR/NR vulcanizates. The various HNR/NR ratios vulcanized by peroxide and sulfur donor system exhibited the highest retention of tensile strength after thermal aging due to the formation of zinc-dimethyldithiocarbamate (ZDMDC) which is an efficient antioxidant. The results from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that the saturated structure of HNR had higher decomposition temperature and activation energy to enhance the thermal stability of HNR/NR vulcanizates. The initial and maximum decomposition temperatures of NR and HNR phases in vulcanizates were not affected by rubber blend ratio. This suggests that the decomposition pattern of HNR has no influence on another constituent. The increase in HNR content in the blends could retard the ozonolysis resulting in the surface cracking attacked by ozone. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 113: 1566-1575, 2009