Within Sustainability
Why LEGO Bags Can Change Before Bricks
LEGO can redesign bags and boxes faster than brick materials because packaging surrounds the product while plastic defines the product.
On this page
- What paper packaging can solve
- Why brick material changes are harder
- What the contrast reveals about antifragility
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Introduction
LEGO has found that changing packaging is difficult, but changing bricks is vastly harder. The company can redesign a paper bag, test it, adjust it and roll it out without altering the fundamental LEGO building experience. A brick material change is different. The plastic is not simply a container for the product; it is the product. Every change affects clutch power, durability, colour consistency, safety standards, factory equipment and compatibility with bricks made decades ago. That contrast helps explain why LEGO has made visible progress on paper-based packaging while still struggling to replace the oil-derived plastics used in most bricks. [LEGO]lego.com® boxes in Europe and Asia to contain paper-basedLEGOLEGO® boxes in Europe and Asia to contain paper-based…February 19, 2025 — 21 Nov 2023 — The rollout of the new paper-based bags, w… [The Guardian]theguardian.comlego paper bags packaging sustainabilityLego to switch to eco-friendly paper bags in its packaging15 Sept 2020 — The Danish toymaker, which aims to make all its packaging sustai…
The difference also reveals an important limit in LEGO’s antifragility. The company can adapt quickly when sustainability challenges sit around the edge of its system. It moves much more slowly when those challenges reach into the engineering foundations that make the LEGO system work.
What Paper Packaging Can Solve
Packaging sustainability is comparatively manageable because packaging performs a simpler job. A bag or box must protect pieces during transport, survive warehouse handling, communicate product information and remain affordable to manufacture. Those requirements matter, but they do not determine whether a LEGO set functions once it reaches the customer.
This gives LEGO room to experiment. If a paper bag tears too easily, creates sorting frustrations or performs poorly in humid conditions, engineers can redesign the bag without redesigning the bricks inside it. The risk remains largely contained to the packaging layer rather than the entire product architecture.
That flexibility is visible in LEGO’s packaging transition. The company began testing paper-based internal bags several years ago, gathering feedback from families and refining materials before wider deployment. The rollout has proceeded factory by factory rather than requiring an immediate transformation of the entire production system. LEGO reported that the transition started in 2022 and has gradually expanded across multiple manufacturing sites. [Packaging Europe]packagingeurope.comlego2-01.07.jpg. Like you…Read more… [LEGO]lego.comOver half of LEGO packing lines switch from plastic bags26 Nov 2025 — The transition from single-use plastic to paper-based bags that hou…
The economics are also easier to manage. Packaging represents only part of a set’s material footprint. Improving it can reduce single-use plastics and create visible sustainability gains without forcing a complete rebuild of moulding operations, quality systems or brick chemistry. LEGO has stated that most of its packaging by weight is already paper-based and has continued increasing the share of paper bags inside sets. [Products of Change]productsofchange.comCurrently, 93% of packaging by weight is made from paper,Products of Change'Incredible achievement' | LEGO reveals the challenges…January 8, 2024 — 8 Jan 2024 — LEGO aims to make all its pack… [Packaging Europe]packagingeurope.comlego2-01.07.jpg. Like you…Read more…
In practical terms, packaging sustainability is a peripheral engineering problem. It is challenging, but it does not threaten the core mechanics that define the product.
Why Brick Material Changes Are Harder
A LEGO brick carries far more technical responsibilities than a paper bag.
The familiar click between bricks depends on extremely precise material behaviour. The plastic must be rigid enough to hold connections, flexible enough not to crack, stable enough to maintain exact tolerances and durable enough to survive years of use. Small deviations can affect how pieces connect and separate. This is why replacing acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), the plastic used in most LEGO bricks, has proven so difficult. [IOM3]iom3.orglego drops recycled plastic prototypeIOM3LEGO drops recycled plastic prototype3 Oct 2023 — The material rPET is being dropped after two years of testing, as despite having sh…
The failed recycled PET project illustrates the problem. At first glance, using recycled drinks bottles appeared straightforward: convert waste plastic into bricks and reduce dependence on fossil-based materials. After years of testing, however, LEGO concluded that the approach would not deliver the environmental benefits it wanted. The material required additional processing and factory adjustments, while the overall carbon footprint ended up higher than expected. Reports also noted performance challenges linked to the material’s suitability for LEGO’s demanding specifications. [Axios]axios.comThe company revealed that using recycled PET would have resulted in higher carbon emissions due to the significant manufacturing changes… [The Guardian]theguardian.comlego abandons effort to make bricks from recycled plastic bottlesThe GuardianLego abandons effort to make bricks from recycled plastic…24 Sept 2023 — Lego has stopped a project to make bricks from re… [Plastics Engineering]plasticsengineering.orglego drops plan to make its bricks from recycled pet bottles 002028Lego Drops Plan to Make Its Bricks From Recycled PET…25 Sept 2023 — Danish toymaker Lego tried to replace ABS resin with PET from recy…
Unlike packaging, brick materials cannot fail locally.
If a paper bag underperforms, LEGO can replace or improve it without affecting every set in circulation. If a new brick material creates durability problems, colour instability or compatibility issues, the consequences spread across the entire ecosystem. A successful replacement must work with billions of existing elements, thousands of moulds and decades of accumulated consumer expectations.
That requirement turns sustainability into a systems challenge. The company has tested hundreds of alternative materials, yet finding one that satisfies environmental goals while preserving the LEGO experience has proven far more difficult than finding a recyclable packaging solution. [Reuters]reuters.comLego to replace oil in its bricks with pricier renewable plasticThe company has tested over 600 materials to find a suitable alternative but has seen limited success. Lego aims to reduce its oil-based… [2IOM3]iom3.orglego drops recycled plastic prototypeIOM3LEGO drops recycled plastic prototype3 Oct 2023 — The material rPET is being dropped after two years of testing, as despite having sh…
Packaging Can Change Without Rewriting History
One overlooked difference is compatibility.
A paper bag does not need to connect to a paper bag made in 1985. A cardboard box does not need to function perfectly alongside packaging manufactured twenty years earlier. Packaging is temporary.
Bricks are permanent by design. A child can combine a newly purchased brick with one inherited from a parent and expect them to fit together perfectly. That promise is one of LEGO’s strongest advantages, but it makes material transitions much harder.
Every new resin must preserve backwards compatibility across generations. A sustainability improvement that weakens that promise risks damaging one of the company’s core strengths. Packaging improvements face no equivalent burden.
Why Consumers Notice Packaging Progress More Easily
Packaging also offers something that brick reformulation often cannot: visible evidence.
When LEGO replaces a plastic bag with a paper-based alternative, consumers can immediately see the change. The sustainability effort becomes tangible. The packaging itself acts as proof that something has been altered.
Brick sustainability is increasingly moving in the opposite direction. LEGO’s current strategy relies heavily on certified renewable and recycled feedstocks entering existing plastic supply chains through mass-balance systems. The resulting bricks are designed to look and perform exactly like conventional bricks. Consumers cannot identify the difference by sight or touch. [Reuters]reuters.comLego to replace oil in its bricks with pricier renewable plasticThe company has tested over 600 materials to find a suitable alternative but has seen limited success. Lego aims to reduce its oil-based…
This creates a communication asymmetry.
Paper packaging generates visible sustainability signals even when its environmental impact is relatively limited compared with the total product system. Greener brick materials may eventually deliver larger emissions reductions, but they are often invisible to the customer. The easier project becomes more noticeable, while the harder project remains largely hidden.
That difference helps explain why packaging transitions frequently appear faster and more successful in public sustainability narratives.
What the Contrast Reveals About Antifragility
LEGO’s history often demonstrates antifragility: the ability to emerge stronger from experimentation, setbacks and market shifts. New themes can fail. Digital initiatives can be redesigned. Product lines can be expanded or retired.
Packaging fits that pattern. It is modular. LEGO can test materials, gather feedback, revise designs and scale successful solutions. Mistakes remain manageable because they sit around the product rather than inside it.
Brick materials expose the limits of that flexibility.
The company can learn from unsuccessful experiments such as recycled PET, but learning alone does not create a workable substitute. The constraints come from chemistry, manufacturing physics, safety standards and long-term compatibility requirements. Those boundaries are less negotiable than consumer tastes or marketing strategies. The Guardian [Lux Research]luxresearchinc.comwhat can we learn from legos recycling failureLessons from LEGO's Recycling Failure15 Nov 2023 — Lego recently announced that it was winding down a program to recycle polyethylene ter…
The contrast between paper bags and plastic bricks therefore reveals something important about LEGO’s sustainability challenge. The company is most adaptable when it can modify layers surrounding the system. It becomes much less free to improvise when sustainability demands changes to the material foundation of the system itself.
Paper packaging shows where LEGO’s antifragility works. Greener bricks show where it encounters hard limits.
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Endnotes
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Source: lego.com
Title: ® boxes in Europe and Asia to contain paper-based
Link: https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2023/november/lego-boxes-in-europe-and-asia-to-contain-paper-based-bagsSource snippet
LEGOLEGO® boxes in Europe and Asia to contain paper-based...February 19, 2025 — 21 Nov 2023 — The rollout of the new paper-based bags, w...
Published: February 19, 2025
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Source: lego.com
Link: https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2025/november/over-half-of-lego-group-packing-lines-switch-from-plastic-bags-to-paper-based-alternativesSource snippet
Over half of LEGO packing lines switch from plastic bags26 Nov 2025 — The transition from single-use plastic to paper-based bags that hou...
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Source: iom3.org
Title: lego drops recycled plastic prototype
Link: https://www.iom3.org/resource/lego-drops-recycled-plastic-prototype.htmlSource snippet
IOM3LEGO drops recycled plastic prototype3 Oct 2023 — The material rPET is being dropped after two years of testing, as despite having sh...
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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: reuters.com
Title: Lego to replace oil in its bricks with pricier renewable plastic
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
Title: Making LEGO® Bricks More Sustainable
Link: https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2024/march/making-lego-bricks-more-sustainable-Source snippet
About Us6 Mar 2024 — By 2032, our ambition is to make LEGO products from materials that are renewable and recycled. This ambition require...
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Source: lego.com
Link: https://www.lego.com/en-gb/sustainability/recycleSource snippet
Sustainability - LEGO.comWe're in the process of switching from single-use plastic to paper-based bags.... Since 2022, we have been usin...
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Source: theguardian.com
Title: lego paper bags packaging sustainability
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/sep/15/lego–paper-bags-packaging-sustainabilitySource snippet
Lego to switch to eco-friendly paper bags in its packaging15 Sept 2020 — The Danish toymaker, which aims to make all its packaging sustai...
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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
The GuardianLego abandons effort to make bricks from recycled plastic...24 Sept 2023 — Lego has stopped a project to make bricks from re...
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Source: packagingeurope.com
Link: https://packagingeurope.com/the-lego-approach-to-packaging-sustainability/2841.articleSource snippet
lego2-01.07.jpg. Like you...Read more...
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Source: productsofchange.com
Title: Currently, 93% of packaging by weight is made from paper,
Link: https://www.productsofchange.com/incredible-achievement-lego-reveals-the-challenges-overcome-in-sustainable-packaging-transition/Source snippet
Products of Change'Incredible achievement' | LEGO reveals the challenges...January 8, 2024 — 8 Jan 2024 — LEGO aims to make all its pack...
Published: January 8, 2024
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Source: packagingeurope.com
Link: https://packagingeurope.com/news/over-95-of-lego-packaging-was-paper-based-in-2025-annual-report-suggests/14016.articleSource snippet
Over 95% of Lego packaging was paper-based in 2025...11 Mar 2026 — Made from at least 95% paper with a thin plastic coating for sealing...
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Source: plasticsengineering.org
Title: lego drops plan to make its bricks from recycled pet bottles 002028
Link: https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2023/09/lego_drops_plan_to_make_its_bricks_from_recycled_pet_bottles-002028/Source snippet
Lego Drops Plan to Make Its Bricks From Recycled PET...25 Sept 2023 — Danish toymaker Lego tried to replace ABS resin with PET from recy...
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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: luxresearchinc.com
Title: what can we learn from legos recycling failure
Link: https://luxresearchinc.com/blog/what-can-we-learn-from-legos-recycling-failure/Source snippet
Lessons from LEGO's Recycling Failure15 Nov 2023 — Lego recently announced that it was winding down a program to recycle polyethylene ter...
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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
Lego backs down on recycling plastic bottles into bricks...26 Sept 2023 — According to Financial Times, Lego has reversed its decision...
Additional References
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/967478717319949/posts/2184871775580631/Source snippet
Challenges with all paper bags in Lego setsEncountered my first "all paper bags" set. I'm a fan of saving the environment. But I'm not us...
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Source: esgtoday.com
Title: lego passes halfway point in transition to paper based packaging for bricks
Link: https://www.esgtoday.com/lego-passes-halfway-point-in-transition-to-paper-based-packaging-for-bricks/Source snippet
LEGO Passes Halfway Point in Transition to Paper-based...26 Nov 2025 — The LEGO Group announced an update in its progress on its initiat...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lr3ZQvfrWwSource snippet
The Journey to Paper-based BagsThe journey to build the right bag for our Lego bricks has been a big challenge but over 350 clever and cr...
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Source: cbsnews.com
Title: lego recycled plastic prototype blocks pet didnt reduce carbon emissions
Link: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lego-recycled-plastic-prototype-blocks-pet-didnt-reduce-carbon-emissions/Source snippet
Lego drops prototype blocks made of recycled plastic...25 Sept 2023 — Danish toy giant Lego said 2 years of experimentation with blocks...
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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...Sep 25, 2023 — Lego has stopped a project to make bricks from recycled drinks bottle...
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Source: designboom.com
Title: lego bricks recycled plastic bottles pet carbon emissions 09 26 2023
Link: https://www.designboom.com/technology/lego-bricks-recycled-plastic-bottles-pet-carbon-emissions-09-26-2023/Source snippet
LEGO discontinues bricks made of recycled plastic bottles...26 Sept 2023 — LEGO will no longer make bricks made of recycled plastic bott...
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Source: brickfanatics.com
Title: paper bags in lego boxes sometimes the simplest answer is the best
Link: https://www.brickfanatics.com/paper-bags-in-lego-boxes-sometimes-the-simplest-answer-is-the-bestSource snippet
Paper bags in LEGO boxes: “Sometimes the simplest...1 Oct 2020 — For us, the point there is that the bags were not reusable and were not...
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Source: energymonitor.ai
Title: signal oil free lego bricks scrapped amid sustainability concerns
Link: https://www.energymonitor.ai/news/signal-oil-free-lego-bricks-scrapped-amid-sustainability-concerns/Source snippet
oil-free Lego bricks scrapped amid sustainability concerns25 Sept 2023 — Intended to improve sustainability, Lego's oil-free prototype wo...
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Source: traveltomorrow.com
Title: lego abandons plan to make bricks from recycled plastic bottles
Link: https://traveltomorrow.com/lego-abandons-plan-to-make-bricks-from-recycled-plastic-bottles/Source snippet
Lego abandons plan to make bricks from recycled plastic...28 Sept 2023 — Lego has announced that, after intensive testing and high optim...
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Source: euronews.com
Title: Lego’s quest to make recycled plastic bricks has failed
Link: https://www.euronews.com/2023/09/25/legos-quest-to-make-recycled-plastic-bricks-has-failed-now-the-toymaker-is-turning-to-e-meSource snippet
25 Sept 2023 — Toymaker Lego has abandoned plans to make recycled plastic bricks after finding the materials would lead to higher carbon...
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