One of the most successful brands worldwide is Colgate, which belongs to the Colgate-Palmolive business group. The oral care brand is set to launch what it says will be a certified vegan toothpaste that comes packaged in a recyclable tube, representing the “an industry first.”
Colgate wants to give you another reason to smile … and not just to show off your teeth.
Most toothpaste tubes are made of plastic and aluminum, making it impossible to reduce their environmental footprint. However, very soon Colgate hopes to offer a tube that you can throw in the recycling bin. The new Smile for Good tube is made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), the same plastic used to create milk bottles.
“Colgate wants to make tubes a part of the circular economy by keeping this plastic productive and eliminating waste,” Colgate-Palmolive CEO and President, Noel Wallace, said in a statement.
The toothpaste of this brand contains minimal ingredients, 99.7% of which are natural, as well as the derived components that it uses, while the majority of toothpastes, on the other hand, contain glycerin made from animal fat. According to the company, it is certified by The Vegan Society.
Colgate explained that although it was originally thought that the commonly recyclable high-density polyethylene could be used for the new tube, it was found that it was not squeezable enough for toothpaste, which is why the product took five years to develop.
The so-called “eureka moment” came when the company combined several grades of HDPE material to form the toothpaste tube. The correct combination “allows people to comfortably squeeze out all the toothpaste, protects the integrity of the product and meets the demands of high-speed production,” the company added.
In February, the U.S. multinational reached an agreement with Tenth Avenue Holdings to acquire the premium oral hygiene brand Hello Products. The Hello range is free from dyes, artificial sweeteners and other preservatives, and its products are vegan and organic. Its range includes toothpaste for adults and children, mouthwash, toothbrushes and dental floss.
“We have great respect for the Hello team and their impressive product line, and we value the strong connection they have made with younger customers,” notes Wallace.
Colgate-Palmolive is committed to using 100% recyclable packaging for all of its products by 2025, and the good news is it isn’t the only company investing in products of this type.
