For generations, LEGO bricks have been a staple of Australian childhoods (and let’s face it, many adulthoods, too). But in recent years, a new kind of building block has been stacking up: sustainability.
The LEGO Group has set an ambitious goal to make all of its products and packaging from more sustainable materials by 2032. This isn’t just a corporate buzzword; it’s a massive technological and creative challenge.
In the post, we’ll explore how LEGO is turning “trash into treasure,” the innovative materials they are using, and where Australia fits into this global picture.
The Challenge: The Infamous “Clutch Factor”
First, It’s important to understand why this is so hard. LEGO bricks are currently made from a plastic called ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). It’s incredibly durable, keeps its vibrant colour for decades, and, most importantly, has the perfect “clutch factor” the precise snap that lets two bricks click together firmly but still be pulled apart by a child.
Finding a sustainable material that is:
- Safe
- Durable (can last for generations)
- Indistinguishable in look and feel from current bricks
…….. has taken years of research and testing of over 600 different materials.
The New Wave of Sustainable Materials
The LEGO Group isn’t looking for a single “silver bullet”. They are using a multi-pronged approach, creating different elements from different types of sustainable sources. Here are the stars of the show so far.
Plants from Plants: Bio-PE
Since 2018, LEGO has been producing flexible elements – like trees, leaves and bushes – from a bio-polyethylene (bio-PE). This plastic is made from sustainably sourced sugarcane from Brazil. It’s physically identical to the original plastic, meaning these plants feel just like, well, plastic plants. Today, over 200 different elements are made from this material.
Kitchen offcuts to Clear bricks: arMABS
Starting in 2024, the transparent elements of LEGO sets – Think windows, windscreens and even lightsabres – are being made with a material called arMABS. This plastic contains 20% recycled materials from artificial marble, which is often sourced from kitchen worktop offcuts.
Ropes, Nets, and Oil: Sustainable Tires
LEGO is, surprisingly, the world’s largest tire manufacturer. In 2025, they announced a new material for their tires (rSEBS). These are made with at least 30% recycled content from discarded fishing nets, ropes and recycled engine oil.
How Does Australia Fit In?
This is the key distinction to understand: LEGO does not manufacture bricks in Australia. LEGO has major factories in Denmark, Hungary, Czech Republic, Mexico and China. All the innovation, material sourcing, and brick modelling happen at these global sites. The LEGO sets you buy in a Myer or Kmart were moulded and packaged thousands of kilometres away.
However, Australia plays a critical role in the other held of the circular economy: the circularity.
Product Circularity: The LEGO Replay Program
A crucial part of sustainability is keeping materials in use for as long as possible. In Australia, LEGO launched LEGO Replay.
This program allows you to take your old, unwanted, or dusty LEGO bricks and donate them. These bricks are then collected, cleaned and sorted. From there, they are donated to children’s charities and schools cross Australia, ensuring that the bricks find a new home and a new life of play, rather than sitting in a storage box or ending up in a landfill.
The Consumer Voice
As a nation that deeply values its unique environment, Australian consumers have a powerful voice. The push for sustainable packaging (like the transition from plastic to paper-based bags inside LEGO boxes, which is currently rolling out) and recycled materials is heavily driven by consumer demand. By supporting companies making these shifts, Australians help drive the global market.
Conclusion: A Prototype for the Future
This journey to make a LEGO brick from 100% recycled or renewable materials is not over. The LEGO Group famously prototyped a brick made from recycled PET bottles, only to discover that scaling production would actually increase their carbon footprint.
This transparency is key. Innovation is messy and requires failing forward. By combining cutting-edge materials science with circular economy programs like LEGO Replay, companies are prototyping a more sustainable future – one brick at a time.