A small design change can make a big difference in recycling.
That’s what happened when Coca-Cola replaced Sprite’s green bottles with clear PET bottles in North America and Europe. This small design shift made them compatible with bottle-to-bottle recycling systems. It’s a striking example of how design for recycling (DfR) is emerging as a powerful driver of circular packaging.
As sustainability moves from buzzword to business imperative, companies across the globe are realizing that packaging innovation begins at the design table. Every choice from color, label, adhesive, to closure, determines how easily a PET bottle can be collected, sorted and recycled into new packaging.
Across the industry, simplified bottle design is revolutionizing PET bottle recycling. In Europe, CITEO trials found that bottles designed with smaller labels, compatible adhesives and clear PET achieved higher sorting purity rates. These results show how visual and structural simplicity directly support recycling efficiency.
In Asia, clear PET bottles command higher value in local recycling markets, motivating brands to adopt transparent, recyclable designs. Meanwhile, Japan and South Korea have set strict rules promoting colorless PET and simplified bottle structures-demonstrating how design for recycling is now factored into national policy.
The takeaway is clear: simplified colors and labels are not just aesthetic improvements; they are tools that enable a circular packaging system.
To achieve truly sustainable packaging solutions, brands are embracing mono-material PET bottles where the body, cap, label, and additives are all compatible with the same recycling process. In Europe, the European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) and RecyClass provide guidelines for recyclability, using a “traffic light” system to evaluate adhesives, inks, and closures.
In the U.S., the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) sets similar standards, pushing companies to reduce label size, use washable adhesives and switch to recyclable tethered caps.
In Asia, Coca-Cola introduced fully recyclable PET bottles in Vietnam and Indonesia, aligning design innovation with local rPET capacity investments.
By adopting mono-material packaging, brands are building a foundation for circular packaging design where materials can re-enter the production loop efficiently and safely.
Beyond environmental benefits, sustainable packaging design delivers tangible business value. Simplified and recyclable PET designs improve sorting efficiency, reduce production losses and support regulatory compliance, turning sustainability into measurable ROI.
Holland Colours contributes to improving recyclability by developing additives tailored for rPET processing. Solutions such as ViscoBoost help restore intrinsic viscosity during recycling, while CircStab reduces thermal degradation and discoloration, supporting material stability. For color correction, TintMask offers a sublimation-resistant option to neutralize off-tint rPET in recycling streams. These developments align with recognized recyclability standards, including RecyClass and APR Design® Recognition, helping converters and brand owners maintain both performance and visual quality.
By integrating design for recycling principles early in development, companies not only strengthen brand reputation but also gain a competitive edge in a fast-changing regulatory landscape.
In the journey toward circular packaging, every element from color choice to material composition matters. As Coca-Cola’s clear bottles demonstrate, even small design shifts can unlock massive recycling potential.
When the value chain works together, it can transform packaging from waste into value. Circularity starts at the design table, and it’s here that the future of PET bottle recycling begins.
👉 Delve deeper into these industry shifts in our latest industry guide, where we examine how evolving global policies, market forces and advances in material science are redefining the intersection of cost and circularity in sustainable packaging.