Within Brick System
Why Greener LEGO Bricks Are So Hard
LEGO's recycled-plastic brick reversal shows why greener materials must preserve durability, clutch power and long-term reuse.
On this page
- Why material changes must preserve clutch and feel
- What the recycled PET prototype revealed
- How durability can protect sustainability claims
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Introduction
Making a LEGO brick more sustainable sounds straightforward: replace fossil-based plastic with recycled or renewable material and keep producing the same shapes. In practice, it is one of the hardest engineering and sustainability challenges the company faces. A LEGO brick is not merely a piece of plastic. It is a precision component that must connect reliably with bricks made decades ago, survive years of assembly and disassembly, remain safe for children, and retain its distinctive “clutch power” without becoming too loose or too tight. The company’s experience with recycled PET plastic, initially celebrated as a breakthrough and later abandoned, illustrates why greener materials can create unexpected trade-offs. Rather than showing a failure of sustainability, the episode reveals how the LEGO system’s commitment to durability and compatibility acts as a constraint that forces environmental claims to survive real-world testing. [LEGO]lego.comPrototype LEGO brick recycled plasticLEGOPrototype LEGO brick recycled plastic - About UsAugust 3, 2021 — 22 Jun 2021 — The new prototype, which uses PET plastic from discard… [Reuters]reuters.comReutersLego abandons one of its projects to make oil-free bricks -FT26 Sept 2023 — Lego found that bricks made from recycled polyethylene…
Why Material Changes Must Preserve Clutch and Feel
The classic LEGO brick is primarily made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a plastic chosen because it combines rigidity, durability and highly predictable mechanical behaviour. These properties allow bricks to grip each other firmly while still being easy to separate. LEGO refers to this balance as clutch power. [LEGO]lego.comSustainable materialsLEGOSustainable materials - Sustainability - LEGO.comIn 2025, 52% of the materials we used to make LEGO® bricks and elements came from re…
For many products, a sustainable material only needs to perform adequately. LEGO bricks face a far stricter requirement. A new brick must:
- Connect correctly with billions of existing bricks already in circulation.
- Maintain consistent performance after repeated use.
- Preserve the tactile feel that users expect.
- Meet safety and quality standards across decades of storage and play.
- Function within manufacturing systems designed around extremely tight tolerances. [LEGO]lego.comLEGOMaterials - Sustainability - LEGO.comMaterials in LEGO® bricks and elements; ABS. The material used for the classic LEGO® brick.; H…
This requirement matters because the value of the LEGO system comes from interoperability. A brick purchased today is expected to fit a brick produced many years ago. If a greener material weakens connections, deforms more easily or ages differently, it risks undermining one of the company’s most important promises. LEGO explicitly states that new materials must ensure that bricks from today fit with those from yesterday and tomorrow. [LEGO]lego.comMass balanceSustainabilityThe raw materials we make LEGO® bricks from are changing. In 2025, 60% of all resin we purchased was certified according to…
From an antifragility perspective, this compatibility requirement functions as a demanding stress test. New materials cannot succeed merely by sounding environmentally friendly; they must survive interaction with an accumulated ecosystem built over generations.
What the Recycled PET Prototype Revealed
In 2021, LEGO unveiled a prototype brick made partly from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sourced from discarded plastic bottles. The announcement was significant because the company described it as the first recycled material to meet its stringent safety and quality requirements for a standard brick. Engineers reportedly tested hundreds of material formulations over several years to reach that stage. [LEGO]lego.comLEGOWe remain committed to make LEGO® bricks more…27 Sept 2023 — We have set ourselves a target to reduce carbon emissions by 37% by 2…
The prototype highlighted how difficult the challenge really was. PET differs from ABS in stiffness, processing behaviour and long-term performance. To approach LEGO’s standards, engineers had to modify the material and repeatedly test variants to achieve acceptable clutch power and durability. [WIRED]wired.comrecycled lego brickTo find a sustainable substitute, LEGO first utilized sugarcane-based plastic, but its limited rigidity made it suitable only for non-str…
At first glance, the project appeared to demonstrate that recycled bottles could replace fossil-based plastic in one of the world’s most recognisable consumer products. Yet further analysis produced a less encouraging result.
After more than two years of testing, LEGO decided not to proceed with PET bricks. The company concluded that scaling the solution would not reduce overall carbon emissions and could potentially increase them because of the manufacturing changes and additional processing required. Company executives stated that implementing the material at scale would have required major changes across production facilities. [AP News]apnews.comAfter two years of testing, they found that PET did not reduce carbon emissions as hoped. The company, which historically uses oil-based… [Reuters]reuters.comThe company has tested over 600 materials to find a suitable alternative but has seen limited success. Lego aims to reduce its oil-based… [3packagingeurope.com]packagingeurope.comIt was disappointing.” Lego reports that it is trying out various other materials…Read more…
This reversal is often misunderstood as proof that recycled materials do not work. The more important lesson is that environmental performance must be measured across the entire system rather than judged solely by the origin of the raw material. A recycled input is not automatically the lower-emission option if it requires more energy, more processing or less efficient manufacturing. [Reuters]reuters.comReutersLego abandons one of its projects to make oil-free bricks -FT26 Sept 2023 — Lego found that bricks made from recycled polyethylene… [The Guardian]theguardian.comlego abandons effort to make bricks from recycled plastic bottlesLego abandons effort to make bricks from recycled plastic…24 Sept 2023 — Lego has stopped a project to make bricks from recycled drink…
Why Durability Can Protect Sustainability Claims
One of the paradoxes of LEGO’s sustainability challenge is that durability itself is part of the environmental argument.
Many consumer products are replaced frequently. LEGO bricks often remain usable for decades. Parents pass collections to children, schools reuse pieces for years, and second-hand markets thrive because old bricks still work. The company’s Replay programme and broader emphasis on reuse depend on this longevity. A brick that lasts for generations spreads its manufacturing impact across a much longer useful life. [LEGO]lego.comPrototype LEGO brick recycled plasticLEGOPrototype LEGO brick recycled plastic - About UsAugust 3, 2021 — 22 Jun 2021 — The new prototype, which uses PET plastic from discard…
This creates a tension. A material that appears greener on paper but shortens product life may weaken the overall sustainability case. If bricks lose clutch power faster, crack more easily or become incompatible with older pieces, users may need replacements sooner and existing collections could lose value.
The recycled PET episode exposed precisely this risk. Reports on the abandoned project noted concerns not only about emissions but also about durability and performance compared with ABS. The challenge was not simply producing a brick-shaped object from recycled material; it was producing one that behaved like a LEGO brick over years of use. [Yahoo Finance]finance.yahoo.comlego drops plans bricks recycled 114318624Yahoo FinanceLego drops plans to make bricks from recycled plastic bottles25 Sept 2023 — Testing also found that the recycled plastic was…
For a company whose brand rests on long-term compatibility, lowering standards would create a hidden environmental cost. A less durable brick could make the system more disposable, undermining one of the characteristics that has historically reduced waste through reuse.
A Different Route to Lower-Impact Bricks
The failure of the PET initiative did not end LEGO’s sustainability effort. Instead, it pushed the company toward a broader strategy focused on total emissions reduction rather than a single substitute material. LEGO has continued testing hundreds of alternative materials while increasing its use of certified renewable and recycled feedstocks through a mass-balance approach. By 2025, the company reported that an estimated 52% of the materials used in its products came from recycled or renewable sources, and it continues to invest heavily in alternative resins and supply-chain changes. [ESG Today]esgtoday.comlego surpasses 50 renewable and recycled content in bricksLEGO Surpasses 50% Renewable and Recycled Raw…10 Mar 2026 — The company revealed that in 2025, it increased the mass balance approach… [3LEGO 3LEGO]
This approach may seem less dramatic than a headline-grabbing “brick made from bottles”, but it reflects a more system-oriented understanding of sustainability. The goal is not merely to replace one plastic with another. It is to reduce environmental impact while preserving the performance characteristics that make the LEGO system valuable.
Within the broader story of LEGO’s antifragility, this matters because the company treated the PET project as information rather than failure. A highly public experiment exposed weaknesses, generated new knowledge about materials and manufacturing, and redirected investment toward approaches more likely to survive real-world constraints. The productive constraint of compatibility forced LEGO to reject an appealing narrative in favour of a tougher standard: a sustainable brick must still be unmistakably a LEGO brick. [LEGO]lego.comSustainable materialsLEGOSustainable materials - Sustainability - LEGO.comIn 2025, 52% of the materials we used to make LEGO® bricks and elements came from re… [Reuters]reuters.comThe company has tested over 600 materials to find a suitable alternative but has seen limited success. Lego aims to reduce its oil-based…
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Endnotes
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Source: lego.com
Title: Prototype LEGO brick recycled plastic
Link: https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2021/june/prototype-lego-brick-recycled-plasticSource snippet
LEGOPrototype LEGO brick recycled plastic - About UsAugust 3, 2021 — 22 Jun 2021 — The new prototype, which uses PET plastic from discard...
Published: August 3, 2021
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Source: reuters.com
Link: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/lego-abandons-effort-make-oil-free-bricks-ft-2023-09-24/Source snippet
ReutersLego abandons one of its projects to make oil-free bricks -FT26 Sept 2023 — Lego found that bricks made from recycled polyethylene...
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Source: lego.com
Title: Sustainable materials
Link: https://www.lego.com/en-us/sustainability/sustainable-materialsSource snippet
LEGOSustainable materials - Sustainability - LEGO.comIn 2025, 52% of the materials we used to make LEGO® bricks and elements came from re...
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Source: lego.com
Link: https://www.lego.com/en-gb/sustainability/product-safety/materialsSource snippet
LEGOMaterials - Sustainability - LEGO.comMaterials in LEGO® bricks and elements; ABS. The material used for the classic LEGO® brick.; H...
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Source: wired.com
Title: recycled lego brick
Link: https://www.wired.com/story/recycled-lego-brickSource snippet
To find a sustainable substitute, LEGO first utilized sugarcane-based plastic, but its limited rigidity made it suitable only for non-str...
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Source: packagingeurope.com
Link: https://packagingeurope.com/news/lego-backs-down-on-recycling-plastic-bottles-into-bricks-citing-increased-emissions/10373.articleSource snippet
It was disappointing.” Lego reports that it is trying out various other materials...Read more...
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Source: finance.yahoo.com
Title: lego drops plans bricks recycled 114318624
Link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/lego-drops-plans-bricks-recycled-114318624.htmlSource snippet
Yahoo FinanceLego drops plans to make bricks from recycled plastic bottles25 Sept 2023 — Testing also found that the recycled plastic was...
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Source: lego.com
Title: [Mass balance]({{ ‘mass-balance/’ | relative_url }})
Link: https://www.lego.com/en-gb/sustainability/mass-balanceSource snippet
SustainabilityThe raw materials we make LEGO® bricks from are changing. In 2025, 60% of all resin we purchased was certified according to...
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Source: reuters.com
Link: https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/lego-replace-oil-its-bricks-with-pricier-renewable-plastic-2024-08-28/Source snippet
The company has tested over 600 materials to find a suitable alternative but has seen limited success. Lego aims to reduce its oil-based...
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Source: lego.com
Link: https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2023/september/the-lego-group-remains-committed-to-make-lego-bricks-from-sustainable-materialsSource snippet
LEGOWe remain committed to make LEGO® bricks more...27 Sept 2023 — We have set ourselves a target to reduce carbon emissions by 37% by 2...
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Source: apnews.com
Link: https://apnews.com/article/a523a39117eed52b57622b07d07d9fd6Source snippet
After two years of testing, they found that PET did not reduce carbon emissions as hoped. The company, which historically uses oil-based...
-
Source: theguardian.com
Title: lego abandons effort to make bricks from recycled plastic bottles
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/sep/24/lego-abandons-effort-to-make-bricks-from-recycled-plastic-bottlesSource snippet
Lego abandons effort to make bricks from recycled plastic...24 Sept 2023 — Lego has stopped a project to make bricks from recycled drink...
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Source: theguardian.com
Title: lego plans to make half the plastic in bricks from renewable materials by 2026
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/aug/28/lego-plans-to-make-half-the-plastic-in-bricks-from-renewable-materials-by-2026Source snippet
Currently, 22% of the materials in Lego bricks are derived from non-fossil sources. The company is testing over 600 alternative materials...
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Source: esgtoday.com
Title: lego surpasses 50 renewable and recycled content in bricks
Link: https://www.esgtoday.com/lego-surpasses-50-renewable-and-recycled-content-in-bricks/Source snippet
LEGO Surpasses 50% Renewable and Recycled Raw...10 Mar 2026 — The company revealed that in 2025, it increased the mass balance approach...
Additional References
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/unboxfactory/posts/lego-builds-massive-solar-park-for-its-new-carbon-neutral-us-factorythe-danish-t/986369880380729/Source snippet
LEGO BUILDS MASSIVE SOLAR PARK FOR ITS NEW...Tim Brooks, head of Lego's sustainability department, said ABS is the material that gives L...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/anime_titties/comments/16rhguc/lego_ditches_oilfree_brick_in_sustainability/Source snippet
Lego ditches oil-free brick in sustainability setbackLego has abandoned its highest-profile effort to ditch oil-based plastics from its b...
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Source: english.elpais.com
Link: https://english.elpais.com/economy-and-business/2023-09-25/toymaker-lego-will-stick-to-its-quest-to-find-sustainable-materials-despite-failed-recycle-attempt.htmlSource snippet
Lego will stick to its quest to find sustainable...25 Sept 2023 — Lego said on Monday that it remains committed to its quest to find sus...
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Source: axios.com
Link: https://www.axios.com/2023/09/25/lego-oil-free-bricks-recycled-bottles-plan-ditchedSource snippet
The company revealed that using recycled PET would have resulted in higher carbon emissions due to the significant manufacturing changes...
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Source: supplychainbrain.com
Title: 38161 lego abandons effort to make bricks from recycled plastic bottles
Link: https://www.supplychainbrain.com/articles/38161-lego-abandons-effort-to-make-bricks-from-recycled-plastic-bottlesSource snippet
Lego Abandons Effort to Make Bricks From Recycled...25 Sept 2023 — Lego has stopped a project to make bricks from recycled drinks bottle...
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Source: fortune.com
Title: lego scraps plans bricks plastic bottles rpet higher carbon emissions
Link: https://fortune.com/europe/2023/09/25/lego-scraps-plans-bricks-plastic-bottles-rpet-higher-carbon-emissions/Source snippet
Lego's plan to make bricks of RPET made emissions worse25 Sept 2023 — Lego's big plan to make bricks out of recycled plastic bottles woul...
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Source: illuminem.com
Title: plastic empire lessons from legos sustainability struggles
Link: https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/plastic-empire-lessons-from-legos-sustainability-strugglesSource snippet
Plastic empire: lessons from LEGO's sustainability struggles13 Dec 2023 — In September 2023, LEGO confirmed that it was abandoning the pr...
Published: September 2023
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Source: plasticstoday.com
Title: Lego Set to Pay Up to 70% More for Certified Renewable
Link: https://www.plasticstoday.com/sustainability/lego-set-to-pay-up-to-70-more-for-certified-renewable-resinSource snippet
Lego announced that it was abandoning a two-year project to make its iconic bricks from recycled PET, citing resulting higher carbon emis...
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Source: catholicvote.org
Title: lego abandons project oil free bricks less sustainable
Link: https://catholicvote.org/lego-abandons-project-oil-free-bricks-less-sustainable/Source snippet
Lego Abandons Main Project to Create Oil-Free Bricks...Sep 29, 2023 — Producing Lego bricks from recycled materials required extra steps...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/wbaltv11/posts/lego-has-abandoned-plans-to-make-its-famous-bricks-from-recycled-plastic-bottles/702521508588113/Source snippet
es, saying that the manufacturing process would be more polluting...Read more...
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