Chloe Zhang
The Lego Group has been making plastic toys since 1947, with the first plastic bricks produced in 1949. The plastic used to make Lego bricks has changed over time, with the company now prioritising sustainability in its choice of materials. Lego bricks are made from a variety of plastics, depending on their use case, including ABS, CA, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, and MABS. The exact formulations are trade secrets.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic type | ABS or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polypropylene, polyamide or nylon, polycarbonate, MABS, polyethylene, polystyrene |
| Plastic properties | Tough, flexible, strong, impact-resistant, transparent, opaque |
| Manufacturing process | Injection moulding, heating plastic to 450°F (230-232°C), applying pressure, cooling, ejecting |
| Production locations | Billund, Denmark; Nyíregyháza, Hungary; Monterrey, Mexico; Jiaxing, China |
| Sustainability efforts | Using recycled and renewable materials, old fishing nets, recycled engine oil, sugarcane, aiming for more sustainable products by 2032 |
| Quality standards | Rigorous safety, quality, and durability standards |
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What You'll Learn
Lego bricks were first made with CA, a moderately hard thermoplastic
Over time, CA has a tendency to warp, often severely. Many of the earliest Lego bricks are now incompatible with modern bricks due to this deformation. Lego switched to ABS around 1963 and fully phased out CA by 1970. ABS, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, is a plastic used in most modern Lego elements. The butadiene component, a derivative of natural rubber, is largely responsible for the strength and impact resistance of this plastic.
The modern formula for ABS was developed as part of the war effort in the mid-1940s. Lego uses a proprietary version of Lanxess' Novodur ABS, Makrolon polycarbonate for transparent elements, and Macrolex dyes for colouring. Lego bricks are made by injection moulding. Silos of material feed plastic granules to the moulding machines, which heat up the granules to about 450°F (230°C). The plastic is then fed into moulds, and hundreds of tons of pressure are applied to ensure the bricks are shaped with perfect accuracy.
Lego has also experimented with other plastics, such as polystyrene for early bricks and modern baseplates, polypropylene for Bionicle weapons and minifigure parts, and polyamide or nylon for connectors and gears. The company is currently working towards using more sustainable materials, such as sugarcane, recycled kitchen worktops, and old fishing nets.
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Since 1963, most Lego pieces have been made with ABS plastic
Before 1963, Lego bricks were made from a plastic called CA, which tended to warp over time. Lego switched to ABS around 1963 and fully phased out CA by 1970.
Lego has also used other plastics for specific purposes. For example, Bionicle weapons and minifigure parts that might easily break are made from polypropylene, a tough and flexible plastic. Polycarbonate, a strong and clear material, is used for transparent Lego pieces. Lego is also working to make its products from more sustainable materials, with some bricks already made with recycled and renewable materials like sugarcane and recycled kitchen worktops.
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Polypropylene is used for parts that may break if made with rigid plastic
Lego bricks are made from a variety of plastics, depending on their use case. The standard Lego brick is made from ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic, which is known for its strength and impact resistance. Lego has used this plastic for its bricks since around 1963, having previously used Cellulose Acetate (CA), which tended to warp over time. Lego continues to use CA for some of its baseplates.
However, Lego also uses other plastics for specific parts. Polypropylene, for example, is a tough, flexible plastic used for parts that may break if made with rigid plastic. This includes Bionicle weapons and some minifigure parts. Its flexibility allows it to be used as a "living hinge". Polypropylene is also used for a variety of other applications, including large buckets, pick-a-brick cups, and the polybags that parts and small sets come in.
Lego also uses polycarbonate for transparent parts, such as windows, which are made from a more rigid plastic so that they no longer require center posts. In recent years, Lego has been working to find solutions to make its products from more sustainable materials, including recycled and renewable materials such as sugarcane, recycled kitchen worktops, and old fishing nets.
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Polycarbonate is used for transparent Lego parts
Lego bricks are made from a variety of plastics, depending on their use case. The standard Lego brick is made from ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic, which is known for its strength and impact resistance. However, Lego also uses other plastics for specific parts.
Polycarbonate is a strong and very clear plastic that Lego uses for transparent parts. It replaced CA (a moderately hard thermoplastic) for transparent parts in 1963, the same time that ABS replaced CA for opaque parts. Polycarbonate's clarity means that transparent Lego bricks, such as those used for windows, no longer require centre posts. Around 2019, Lego switched to using MABS for transparent parts, so now polycarbonate is only used for opaque parts like hinges and joints.
Lego has been working to make its products more sustainable. Some Lego bricks are already made with recycled and renewable materials, such as sugarcane and recycled kitchen worktops. The company has set itself a deadline of 2030 to find an eco-friendly alternative to ABS plastic and aims to make all its products from sustainable materials by 2032.
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Lego's plastic bags are made with polyethylene
Lego bricks have been made from a variety of plastics since their creation in 1949. The first Lego bricks were made from CA, a moderately hard thermoplastic. However, Lego switched to using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) in 1963, and fully phased out CA by 1970. Since then, Lego has continued to use ABS for most of its bricks, although it has also used other plastics for specific applications. For example, Lego uses polypropylene for most Bionicle weapons and minifigure parts that might break easily if they were made from a more rigid plastic.
Lego has also started to pack their sets in paper bags instead of plastic ones to further reduce their environmental impact. The company has also made efforts to move towards sustainably-sourced plastics, such as using polycarbonate for transparent bricks instead of centre posts. Despite these changes, Lego has not changed the plastic used for standard bricks and minifigures.
Lego's exact plastic formulations are trade secrets, and the company chooses high-quality materials to ensure the safest and best play experience possible.
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Frequently asked questions
Since 1963, most Lego pieces have been made of a high-quality plastic called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).
The very first Lego bricks in 1949 were made from cellulose acetate (CA), a moderately hard thermoplastic.
Transparent Lego bricks are made from polycarbonate, a strong and clear material.
Polypropylene is a tough, flexible plastic used for Lego weapons and minifigure parts that might break easily if they were made from a more rigid plastic.
Plant-shaped Lego pieces are made from polyethylene, a common thermoplastic with low strength, rigidity, and melting point.
