Colgate leads the way with recyclable toothpaste tube design

Colgate-Palmolive hit the headlines in 2022 when it announced the launch of its recyclable toothpaste tubes with plans to roll them out worldwide by the end of 2025. The company has since shared it is on track to meet that objective laid out in its sustainability strategy, and 90 percent of U.S. brands have already made the switch to its recyclable packaging. 

The journey of bringing this mission to life

In 2013, Colgate-Palmolive set out to tackle a significant environmental challenge – creating a toothpaste tube that could be recycled. At the time, most toothpaste tubes were composed of different plastics layered around a thin sheet of aluminium, making them non-recyclable through conventional methods. 

The company aimed to revolutionise the packaging industry by creating a recyclable tube and more impressively, sharing this breakthrough with the entire industry, including its competitors. Their journey to invent a recyclable toothpaste tube began with a goal to create a tube that could be recycled alongside plastic bottles. 

In 2014, the company initiated five phases of design and testing, experimenting with various high-density polyethylene (HDPE) grades and between 7 to 20 laminate-layer combinations to achieve the right balance of durability and flexibility. Two years later, Colgate-Palmolive’s packaging engineers were able to successfully create a soft, squeezable tube from HDPE. 

Following this, the company presented its development work to the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR). After an extensive evaluation, the APR recognised the tube for meeting its technical requirements. This was a significant milestone since it was the first tube to be compatible with the HDPE bottle recycling system. 

In 2018, Colgate-Palmolive began holding technology-sharing sessions. They hosted approximately 80 sessions to encourage other tube manufacturers, including their direct competitors, to adopt the new recyclable tube designs. Following this innovation, about 90 percent of toothpaste packages and 75 percent of squeezable tube packaging in North America uses a recyclable design. 

Conclusion – The widespread impact of this innovation

The result of this journey was a first-of-its-kind tube created from HDPE. This material is compatible with existing recycling streams, and the innovation has resulted in a significant shift in the toothpaste industry. This achievement represents a major milestone in the transition towards more environmentally conscious packaging. By pioneering this innovation and encouraging widespread adoption, the company has showcased that industry leadership goes hand-in-hand with environmental preservation. 

As the world continues to face environmental challenges, the importance of creating products that minimise environmental harm cannot be overstated. This innovation highlights the critical role that collaboration and transparency play in spurring industry-wide change. Businesses globally, across all sectors, should take a page from Colgate-Palmolive’s playbook: by prioritising the environment and sharing innovations, companies can lead the charge towards a more sustainable future.