Every day, twice a day, billions of people reach for a toothbrush. And every few months — if they’re following their dentist's advice — they shop for a new one. Yet, despite how universal this ritual is, buying a toothbrush has historically been less than enjoyable. Retail aisles are overcrowded with near-identical options. Once you finally make a choice, traditional plastic blister packs are notoriously frustrating to open — and even harder to recycle. Colgate-Palmolive set out to rethink that experience from the ground up. The result? A new generation of paper toothbrush cartons designed around a simple philosophy: Easy to shop. Easy to open. Easy to recycle.
“We’re always looking to make the toothbrush category easier to shop, and understand what makes certain products more desirable than others,” says Amanda Klemm, Vice President of Toothbrushes at Colgate-Palmolive. “We paired consumer insights with our desire to make the packaging more sustainable.”
This transformation reflects Colgate-Palmolive's belief that great innovations shouldn’t force people to choose between convenience and sustainability. By delivering a better experience every time consumers shop, the company continues to advance its 2030 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy — building products that are better for both people and the planet.
Improving Colgate’s New Toothbrush Packaging Design
Colgate is transforming the premium tier of its manual toothbrush portfolio to eliminate the frustrations of traditional plastic blister packs, the industry standard for decades.
“People don’t always love blister packs,” says Klemm of the classic plastic packaging. “They’re hard to open — not just for kids, for people of all ages. Plus, while our previous packages were technically recyclable, you had to separate the plastic from the paper first. Now, the entire package simply goes straight into paper recycling.”
Rather than just swapping one material for another, Colgate used deep consumer research to rethink the entire retail experience from top to bottom.
“We set out to transform the packaging experience to make it easier for consumers to shop, open and make environmentally friendly choices,” explains Gerard Rizzo, Director of Enterprise Oral Care Design at Colgate-Palmolive.
The New Colgate Toothbrush Packaging Makes Shopping Easier
Extensive shopper research revealed a clear insight: When consumers look at toothbrush packaging, the brush head is the single most important feature.
“We figured, if people shop based on the toothbrush head, let’s make it oversized so it’s easier to see,” says Klemm. That led to a pivot beyond a simple plastic-to-paper switch: The package now features a larger-than-life illustration of the brush head itself.
“We have moved to a fully recyclable carton which features an illustration of the brush on the packaging,” explains Rizzo. The distinctive new paper structure features a "bullseye" or "halo" design that places the toothbrush head front and center. The simplified layout creates a cleaner visual presentation on shelf, making it easier for shoppers to compare products and quickly identify the option that's right for them.
The redesign also emphasizes Colgate’s signature red, creating a more cohesive appearance across the toothbrush aisle and helping consumers navigate shelves with greater confidence. “We have so much loyalty globally in our toothbrushes,” explains Rizzo, “so we want to make sure consumers recognize Colgate first.”
How Was the New Packaging Tested?
Thoughtful design doesn't just improve aesthetics — it helps consumers make decisions. Before launching the new paper packaging, Colgate-Palmolive tested multiple structural designs to determine which package best improved shelf visibility, product findability and purchase intent.
“We had many rounds of consumer testing to get the design and functionality just right,” says Klemm.
Compared with previous packaging, consumer testing found measurable improvements in shopping performance:
Ease of shopping increased 20%
Shelf visibility improved nearly 10%
Purchase from shelf increased 10%
Pulling Inspiration From Other Categories
Colgate didn't innovate in isolation. Rizzo explains that the team looked to other consumer packaged goods categories, like razors, which have successfully transitioned toward paper-based packaging while maintaining premium shelf presence.
These categories served as proof that sustainability and strong merchandising can reinforce one another rather than compete. By adapting those learnings to the unique needs of toothbrush packaging, Colgate created a solution tailored specifically to how consumers shop the oral care aisle.
What the New Approach Means for the Future of Packaging
The new packaging supports value-creating sustainability in several ways, encouraging consumers to think beyond just recycling.
“We decided, now that our package is a recyclable box, we’re going to use all sides of the package rather than just the back,” says Rizzo. “So now the side panels are all about sustainability.” Packaging includes a QR code linking to Colgate-Palmolive’s sustainability initiatives and explaining how the cartons are made, including more information on Colgate-Palmolive’s 2030 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy. “Between easy-to-shop, easy-to-open and easy-to-recycle, all three goals were important,” says Klemm. “In that way, the new packaging is a win-win-win — that trifecta of benefits.”
The transformation of Colgate-Palmolive's toothbrush cartons demonstrates that meaningful innovation often comes from improving everyday essentials.
Klemm explains that the project is global in nature, and this year the brand will make toothbrushes in the new packaging across Colgate, Elmex, Meridol and Tom's of Maine, and next year will increase to toothbrushes in nearly 200 countries.
As Colgate-Palmolive continues to advance value-creating sustainability, projects like this illustrate what's possible when design, science and “people-first” thinking work together. One redesigned carton may seem like a small change, but multiplied across millions of households, that’s major progress toward a healthier future — for people and the planet.
