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Rebuilding the Future: LEGO Turns to Circular Design and Recycled Green Bricks
- Hanaa Siddiqi
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
The LEGO Group has launched its latest sustainability campaign, Built for Tomorrow, celebrating both the timeless quality of the LEGO brick and the company’s ongoing journey toward a greener future.
At the centre of the campaign is a nostalgic character, a knight from the iconic 1978 Yellow Castle set, who acts as a guide through LEGO’s evolving approach to sustainability. Over the years, the company has tested more than 600 materials in its search for sustainable alternatives that can still meet LEGO’s famously high standards of performance and durability.
“This campaign is a way to celebrate the progress we’re making on our sustainability journey and to recognise the durability of the LEGO brick that fans have come to know and love,” says Annette Stube, Chief Sustainability Officer at the LEGO Group.
“With half of the materials we buy to make LEGO bricks now produced with renewable sources, we’re proud of how far we've come.
“As we continue to transition to more sustainable initiatives, we remain committed to the highest standards of safety, durability and quality, ensuring our bricks are always ready for generations of play.”
Some of the most promising materials are already in use. For example, botanical pieces are now made from sugarcane. Tyres have been developed from recycled engine oil and discarded fishing nets. Even transparent bricks are being produced from recycled acrylic countertops. Looking ahead, LEGO plans to incorporate e-methanol into the production of its complex and rigid bricks, a move inspired by the opening of the world’s first commercial e-methanol plant in Kassø, Denmark, in May 2025.
Circularity in practice
Since 2018, LEGO Replay has been giving new life to old bricks. Through this initiative, more than one million pounds of pre-loved LEGO pieces have been collected and redistributed across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Each brick is cleaned, repackaged and donated to children in need, allowing them to continue sparking creativity while staying out of landfills.
Another significant step has been the replacement of single-use plastic bags in product packaging with recyclable, paper-based alternatives. This change represents an essential part of LEGO’s efforts to eliminate unnecessary plastic waste from its operations.
Cutting emissions with renewable energy
The company is also making progress in reducing its carbon footprint. Over the past two years, LEGO has increased its global solar energy capacity by 61 percent. This growth supports a larger ambition: to reduce carbon emissions by 37 per cent by 2032, using 2019 as the baseline.
Innovation in tyres
LEGO’s innovation efforts extend to tyres as well. The company is working toward the goal of ensuring that all major products are made with sustainable materials by 2030. Tyres are a key part of this shift, with new versions already appearing in sets that contain at least 30% recycled content. These tyres are manufactured from materials such as recycled fishing nets, ropes, and engine oil.
Backed by an investment of $ 140.5 million in research and development, LEGO is exploring next-generation alternatives, including rSEBS, bio-PE derived from sugarcane, and arMABS sourced from recycled artificial marble. The transition is ambitious but reflects a deep commitment to sustainability across both products and packaging, with a target for fully sustainable packaging by 2025.
A partnership with WWF
Collaboration is also playing a vital role. LEGO has partnered with WWF Denmark to launch the Planet Promise Design Guidelines, a toolkit designed to help embed sustainability into LEGO play experiences. These guidelines, developed with input from global experts, will support over 600 LEGO designers as they create storylines, sets, and packaging that highlight environmental values in fun and accessible ways.
The initiative builds on more than a decade of partnership with WWF and ties directly into LEGO’s broader Planet Promise. It also responds to the finding that 94 per cent of parents believe play can help children better understand sustainability.
As LEGO continues to refine its approach to sustainability, it also sets an example for how beloved brands can evolve responsibly, proving that even the most iconic toys can be “built for tomorrow.”