Colgate Launches Vegan Toothpaste in Recyclable Tubes in Europe 

Oral hygiene company Colgate recently released its vegan-certified toothpaste line Smile for Good at retailers across the United Kingdom and the European Union. The new products, certified vegan and cruelty-free by The Vegan Society, are available in two varieties: Whitening and Protection, both packaged in recyclable tubes and cartons. Vegan certification is important as some ingredients typically found in toothpastes can be derived from either animal or vegetable sources, including glycerin and calcium phosphate (the animal-based form of which comes from bone char). Other toothpastes add propolis (which comes from bees) as an antimicrobial agent. While Colgate is not a wholly cruelty-free company, The Vegan Society chose to certify these two products as they are not tested on animals—an approach the organization takes to sway companies into creating more cruelty-free products.