New toothpaste tube design cuts plastic use by 30%

Think of a tube of toothpaste. It’s about as iconic an object as a can of Campbell’s soup. Now imagine that almost one-third of that tube is made of paper. It’s a quiet, revolutionary change considering how many tubes of something we use each day in the bathroom or kitchen. But that’s not all – Toppan Printing’s reimaging of the tube makes it easier to squeeze every little last bit out of it too.

The company has developed a new type of tube that cuts plastic use by at least 30% by replacing it with paper. Toppan says the move was encouraged by both consumers and product manufacturers. Changes including this plastic replacement is expected to reduce plastic use in tubes of toothpaste by as much as 65%.

Toppan also reduced the thickness of the body of the tube from about 0.3 millimeters to 0.1 millimeters, replacing the outermost layer of the normally laminated tubes with paper. The natural resilience of the paper helps make the tube easy to squeeze.

Change in material sparks a rethink in design

The change to paper also led to a rethink of the design of the cap section. Because the tube flattens more easily, Toppan says it is easier to push out the very last of the contents, compared with regular, laminated tubes.

The paper covering on the new tubes gives it a look and texture that lends itself to products advertised as natural or organic. The company began selling the tubes in April, aiming for 1 billion yen in sales. It anticipates demand particularly for packaging of food, toiletries and pharmaceuticals.

Increasing awareness to replace plastic

The redesign comes amid increased awareness of environmental concerns and conservation of resources. It includes ocean pollution due to waste plastics. Toppan is developing ecological packaging material that uses recycled plastic, single-material recyclable packaging, and plant-based, recyclable materials like paper and biomass.

This new tube is another example of the importance of consumers making their wishes known, and driving change and innovation in the marketplace. It is also a reminder to each of us, every now and then, to question the most basic elements of our everyday and consider how we can make them more environmentally friendly and sustainable.