Colgate has released a new Vegan Society-certified toothpaste in “the first ever” recyclable tube.
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Colgate-Palmolive has launched a new vegan-friendly toothpaste, Colgate Smile for Good, in what it claims is the “the first ever” recyclable tube.
Most conventional toothpaste tubes cannot be recycled through conventional means due to the use of aluminium sheets lining the plastic laminate tubes, but Colgate’s new tubes uses widely recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
The company previously found that HDPE was too rigid for a traditional toothpaste tubes, but it “figured out how to combine different grades and thicknesses of HDPE laminate into a tube that meets recycling standards” said the brand.
According to Noel Wallace, CEO and president of Colgate-Palmolive, the company wanted “to make tubes a part of the circular economy by keeping this plastic productive and eliminating waste.
“If we can standardise recyclable tubes among all companies, we all win. We want all toothpaste tubes – and eventually all kinds of tubes – to meet the same third-party recycling standards that we’ve achieved. We can align on these common standards for tubes and still compete with what’s inside them.”
Vegan Trademark
The toothpaste is available in both Whitening and Protection variants (£4.99), and has been made from “just a handful of ingredients that are 99.7% natural.”
The new toothpastes will be sold across UK and EU supermarkets and retail stores such as Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury’s, Boots and Superdrug.
The products have also been certified vegan by The Vegan Society, who shared the news of the launch on Instagram saying: “Colgate have just launched TWO vegan toothpastes so you can keep your teeth sparkling with a clear conscience!
“Registered with our #VeganTrademark, @colgate’s new #SmileForGood toothpastes (Protection and Whitening) contain just a handful of simple ingredients and both the tube and cardboard packaging are both recyclable. They will be available across the EU and you’ll be able to find them in supermarkets and other personal care retailers.”
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Criticism
A number of social media users have taken to The Vegan Trademark’s Instagram post to criticise the organisation for adding their trademarking to the products as Colgate is not a cruelty-free or vegan company and currently conducts animal testing for its products.
However, but the Vegan Society made it clear that the two new tubes of toothpaste have not been tested on animals and will not be sold in China where animal testing is required, nor do they include animal products, which is why it has given the products its seal of approval.
