Built for Tomorrow: LEGO’s Circular, Recycled & Green Bricks
The LEGO Group has unveiled its latest sustainability campaign, Built for Tomorrow, which celebrates the enduring quality of the LEGO brick while spotlighting the company’s journey towards a greener future.
At the heart of the campaign is a nostalgic twist in the form of a knight from the iconic 1978 Yellow Castle set, acting as a guide through LEGO’s evolving approach to sustainability.
Durability meets sustainability
LEGO bricks are renowned for their longevity - a study conducted by Andrew Turner, an Environmental Scientist at the University of Plymouth, England, found LEGO on the coast of Cornwall from at least 40 years ago.
Through LEGO’s Built for Tomorrow, the company is bringing to life its commitment to building a more sustainable future, continuing to use LEGO’s core values:
- Quality
- Safety
- Durability.
Progress on sustainable materials
A key milestone in LEGO’s sustainability mission was reached in 2024, with half of the materials purchased for brick production now coming from sustainable sources.
The company is on track to meet its mass balance target of 53% by year-end, a significant move in its wider push to transition away from fossil-based plastics.
“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.”
To date, more than 600 materials have been tested in the search for alternatives that match LEGO's high performance standards.
Some of the notable materials now in use include:
- Botanical pieces made with sugarcane
- Tyres created from recycled engine oil and fishing nets
- Transparent bricks produced from recycled acrylic countertops.
In the near future, LEGO is planning to incorporate e-methanol into the production of hard, rigid bricks.
- E-methanol is a renewable, synthetic fuel produced by combining green hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide using renewable energy.
- E-methanol is being explored as a solution for decarbonising sectors like shipping, heavy industry and chemical production where direct electrification is challenging.
This advancement follows the inauguration of the world’s first commercial e-methanol plant in Kassø, Denmark in May 2025.
Circularity in practice
Since 2018, the LEGO Replay programme has collected and redistributed more than one million pounds of pre-loved LEGO bricks in the US, Canada and UK.
These bricks are cleaned, repackaged and donated to children in need, ensuring they continue to spark creativity while staying out of landfill.
The brand is also replacing single-use plastic bags in product packaging with recyclable, paper-based alternatives, a key shift in its efforts to eliminate unnecessary plastic waste.
Cutting emissions with renewable energy
LEGO’s operational footprint also appears to be getting greener.
Across the past two years, the company has increased its solar energy capacity by 61% globally.
This expansion is part of a broader ambition to cut carbon emissions by 37% by 2032, measured against a 2019 baseline.
LEGO’s recycled tyres
LEGO also plans to create new tyres from recycled materials, aiming for all major products to use sustainable materials by 2030.
With only 9% of plastic being recycled, LEGO is taking action to improve this figure by introducing sustainable tyres made from recycled fishing nets, ropes and engine oil.
These tyres, already appearing in sets, contain at least 30% recycled content and are part of the wider push to use more sustainable materials.
Backed by a US$140.5m R&D investment, the company is exploring alternatives like rSEBS, bio-PE from sugarcane and arMABS from recycled artificial marble.
LEGO aims to transition all major products to sustainable materials by 2030 and packaging by 2025, while working with partners like WWF and BFA to accelerate change across the industry.
A partnership with WWF
The LEGO Group has partnered with WWF Denmark to launch the Planet Promise Design Guidelines, a new toolkit that helps embed sustainability into LEGO play experiences.
Building on a decade-long partnership, the guidelines aim to support more than 600 LEGO designers in creating storylines, sets and packaging that reflect environmental values in fun and engaging ways.
This initiative aligns with LEGO’s broader Planet Promise and responds to findings that 94% of parents believe play helps children understand sustainability.
Developed with input from global experts, the guidelines include design principles and practical guides, encouraging themes such as nature restoration, clean energy and resource conservation.
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.”
