How2recycle: More than a label

How it all started and developed? 

The hidden players behind How2Recycle

Before “ESG / Sustainability” became a buzzword, GreenBlue was already working on it. As an environmental nonprofit, its mission has always been simple but far-reaching — to make the use of materials more sustainable, from production to end of life. But as waste and pollution kept growing, one truth became clear: no single company, or even an entire sector, could fix the problem alone. Recycling, sourcing, packaging — all of it was connected. That realization inspired GreenBlue to build something bigger: a way for brands, retailers, and suppliers to work together on real solutions instead of working in silos.

So in 2004, GreenBlue founded the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) — a membership-based network that brings every part of the packaging supply chain to the same table. Its goal wasn’t to issue another set of lofty principles, but to drive systemic change — turning sustainability from theory into action.

The SPC quickly became a hub for collaboration. Members exchanged data, compared challenges, and co-created resources that any company could use to design smarter, more circular packaging. Over time, this collaboration produced not just reports, but practical tools and standards that helped sustainability become tangible.

One of those tools went on to reshape how consumers and brands talk about recycling — How2Recycle. By turning complex recycling science into simple, consistent on-pack language, it gave everyone — from designers to shoppers — a clearer way to act responsibly.

Main Goal: One Label, One Language

Recycling used to be a guessing game. Every package said something different — or nothing at all.

How2Recycle set out to change that. Its mission is to give the entire North American market one shared, science-backed language for packaging recyclability. A language that connects lab-tested design rules with real-life consumer habits — making recycling simple, intuitive, and actually possible.

For brands, speaking this language matters. It means your packaging tells the truth clearly, your consumers know what to do, and your story aligns with the standards that the industry already trusts.

Speaking the Same Language of Recycling: Who’s Already In

How2Recycle may not be required by law, but in the consumer goods world, it’s already the language everyone’s speaking. Across the North American CPG market, this tiny label has quietly become a commercial norm, a shared signal between brands, retailers, and consumers about what “recyclable” really means.

Let’s look at who’s already using it 

• Nestlé:  Its pet food brand Purina was among the first to adopt How2Recycle labels, helping shoppers tell at a glance which bags and trays are recyclable — and which aren’t. That simple label now appears across Purina’s packaging lineup.

• Unilever:  The company features How2Recycle on its personal care and home cleaning lines, as part of its broader “100% recyclable or reusable packaging” goal. It’s one of the clearest examples of using design to make ESG claims tangible.

• Target:  Through its own brands like Market Pantry, Archer Farms, and even shipping materials for online orders, Target has made How2Recycle part of its everyday packaging language — helping customers recycle better at home while reinforcing Target’s sustainability promise.

• Best Buy:  You’ll now find How2Recycle icons on the packaging of small appliances and tech accessories, giving customers an easy cue on how to dispose of product wraps or trays responsibly.

• The Walt Disney Company:  Even in entertainment merchandising, Disney uses How2Recycle across consumer products, tying the label to its larger “planet-friendly storytelling” approach.

Together, these brands are setting the tone for what responsible packaging looks like —and proving that How2Recycle isn’t just a label, it’s a way for businesses to turn sustainability commitments into everyday communication.

For brands, joining this system isn’t about following a rule. It’s about standing in the same conversation as the market leaders, and showing that your sustainability claims come with real, verifiable action.

Decoding the How2Recycle Label?

The How2Recycle label isn’t just a single icon. It’s a layered visual information system.

Each label is made up of several parts, showing which component of the package can be recycled, how it should be prepared, and under what conditions it can actually be accepted for recycling.

1. Prepare to Recycle

The top section of the label shows what preparation steps are needed before recycling — there are 12 types in total. 

Hint：

• “Discard” ≠ throwing away a part — it means removing a material that isn’t compatible. 
• “Reattach” ≠ just putting something back— means it’s safe to keep things together — same material, same recycling stream.

2. How and Where to Recycle

The middle section of the label shows the most important information — it tells you where this package can be recycled and how it will be collected.

3. Type of Materials

In a How2Recycle label, the material type tells what the package is made of — and which recycling stream it belongs to. It’s the key to sorting things right.

Hint for Brands

• The material type isn’t judged by how the package looks, but by what it’s made of — and whether that main material is compatible with recycling systems.
• “Multi-Layer” doesn’t refer to a single material. It means a composite structure — for example, layers of different plastics or plastic mixed with aluminum. These are hard to separate in recycling, so they’re often labeled “Not Yet Recycled.”
• For brands, the most effective way to improve recyclability is to simplify your materials — reduce layers and avoid unnecessary mixes.

4. Packing Component

The bottom line of the How2Recycle label identifies which part of the package the instructions refer to. It may look like a small detail, but it helps consumers avoid confusion and helps brands label their packaging more precisely.

Beyond the Basics: Multi-Component Labels

Like This: When a package includes several separate parts — such as a bottle, pump, or outer box — one single label can’t fully explain how to recycle each piece. That’s why How2Recycle uses a multi-component label, made up of several small tiles. Each tile represents one part of the package that consumers can recycle separately.

How to know if your packaging needs a multi-component label？

1. When a package has parts that can be separated by consumers

Use a multi-component label. Typical examples include bottles, caps, pumps, boxes, wraps, trays, inserts, bags, films, and cans. If the components can be detached and recycled individually, they each need their own tile. Items that can’t or don’t need to be separated (like small cushions or inner padding) usually don’t.

2. When all parts are made of the same material and can be recycled together

Use a single label. For example, if an outer box and its inner tray are both plain paperboard and can be recycled together, you can simply label it as PAPER / BOX (or TRAY) without giving each one a separate tile.

3. When small accessories like pumps or caps are covered by “Reattach / Discard” instructions

Use a single label. Mixed-material parts (like sprayers or pumps) don’t always need a separate “component” tile. They are often included within the bottle’s label, with wording like “Empty & Discard Pump” or “Empty & Reattach Cap” to avoid over-labeling.

4. The order of tiles in a multi-component label follows the unpacking or disassembly order.

Tiles are arranged from left to right in the order a consumer would handle them: outer wrap → outer box → inner tray → bottle/can → cap/pump.