Colgate-Palmolive
Flagged · AvoidMultinational consumer products company specializing in oral care, personal care, and household cleaning products.
Last updated June 13, 2026
↓ Skip to 4 ethical alternativesReasons to avoid
Issues span:EnvironmentLabor
- Colgate marketed its toothpaste tubes as "recyclable" and "first of its kind recyclable tube," but a federal judge allowed a consumer lawsuit to proceed in 2024, ruling the claims were potentially misleading because virtually no U.S. recycling facilities accept the tubes. The suit accuses Colgate of violating FTC guidelines that require at least 60 percent of consumers to have recycling access before a product can be labeled recyclable.
- A Greenpeace investigation found that palm oil suppliers to Colgate-Palmolive had cleared more than 130,000 hectares of Indonesian rainforest in under three years, with 40 percent of that clearing occurring in Papua, one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. Colgate was named as one of 12 global brands sourcing from at least 20 of the deforestation-linked palm oil producers.
- A 2023 analysis by Planet Tracker found that Colgate-Palmolive's upstream emissions were on track to overshoot its approved Science-Based Targets by a factor of seven, placing the company on a +3°C warming pathway by 2030. The analysis found no clear strategy for reducing Scope 3 emissions and no disclosed investment targeting supply chain emissions, which represent the vast majority of the company's greenhouse gas footprint.
- An AP investigation traced Colgate-Palmolive's palm oil supply chain to plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia where workers faced forced labor, child labor, and sexual abuse. The investigation specifically named Colgate's Tom's of Maine brand as connected to plantations where labor abuses were documented, despite the brand's sustainability marketing.
Ethical alternatives
Personal Care
Dr. Bronner's
Family-owned maker of organic soaps and personal care products, dedicated to social and environmental justice.
🤝 Fair Trade🌿 Organic
Visit →
Hello Products
Vegan, cruelty-free oral care products with naturally friendly ingredients and recyclable packaging.
🌱 Vegan🐰 Cruelty-Free
Visit →
Ethique
Plastic-free, cruelty-free beauty bars and personal care products. Certified B Corp and climate positive.
✅ B-Corp♻️ Plastic Free🐰 Cruelty-Free
Visit →
Bite Toothpaste Bits
Plastic-free toothpaste tablets in refillable glass jars, cruelty-free and made in the USA.
♻️ Plastic Free🐰 Cruelty-Free🌿 Zero Waste
Visit →Common Questions
- Is Colgate-Palmolive ethical?
- A federal judge allowed a consumer lawsuit to proceed in 2024 over Colgate's "recyclable" toothpaste tube claims, ruling the label was potentially misleading because virtually no U.S. facilities accept the tubes. An AP investigation also traced Colgate's supply chain to palm oil plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia where workers faced forced labor, child labor, and sexual abuse.
- Why should I avoid Colgate-Palmolive?
- Colgate's palm oil suppliers cleared more than 130,000 hectares of Indonesian rainforest in under three years, including in Papua, one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. A 2023 analysis found the company's upstream emissions were on track to overshoot its climate targets by a factor of seven, placing it on a pathway toward 3 degrees of warming by 2030.
- What are the best ethical alternatives to Colgate-Palmolive?
- Dr. Bronner's makes organic, B Corp certified soaps and personal care products without palm oil linked to deforestation. Ethique offers plastic-free, cruelty-free beauty bars and is both B Corp certified and climate positive. Bite Toothpaste Bits come in refillable glass jars and are made without the plastic tubes Colgate markets as recyclable.