Colgate-Palmolive launched their new Elixir line of three toothpaste formulas, in PET packaging, to the European market. Liz Mellone, Colgate-Palmolive Co. Worldwide Director of Oral Care Packaging said “Colgate Elixir is toothpaste reimagined—breathtaking design with beauty-inspired ingredients in a unique packaging technology that is recyclable and designed to let people enjoy the toothpaste to the last drop.”
The new Elixir formulas were developed at the same time as the innovative package, a clear 80ml PET bottle with a clear cap. The new container manages to achieve a more stylish image, while also being more eco-friendly than the traditional toothpaste tubes, which are made of plastic and aluminum and are not recyclable.
The use of PET containers with thick substances like toothpaste is made possible thanks to LiquiGlide, a frictionless coating technology developed by Dave Smith and Professor Kripa Varanasi. LiquiGlide, invented at the Varanasi Lab in MIT in 2012, eliminates the friction between the PET packaging and the product inside, letting the toothpaste easily flow from the container and avoiding waste.
Meanwhile, the cap is made from a thick-walled PETE, which warrants that the package is completely recyclable. “The cap was designed with an opening that allows the viscous product to dispense onto a toothbrush while also enabling air into the bottle for a smooth outflow of the toothpaste.”
According to Mellone, “Functionally, it’s quite important for the bottle to intuitively work as a toothpaste package in terms of form, squeezability, and nozzle design,” she says. “Aesthetically, clarity was critical to both showcase how the product dispenses and to highlight the toothpaste aesthetics. Moving into a rigid format enabled us to achieve a ‘counter-worthy’ appearance throughout the entire usage cycle of the product.”
The Colgate-Elixir line is available in several European countries since April and will be offered in other European countries throughout the year with a focus on e-commerce.
