How2Recycle is a standardized, on-package labeling system that provides consumers with clear, consistent recycling instructions and helps brands communicate recyclability claims accurately. Its mission: to reduce confusion, improve recycling participation, and ensure brand messaging aligns with the real capabilities of recycling facilities.

The program began as an SPC working group in 2008 and launched publicly in 2012 with a small group of pilot brands. Today, more than 500 brands, retailers, and packaging manufacturers are members. Its framework is built on data-driven criteria that evaluate whether packaging can be collected, sorted, and reprocessed into new materials.

To use a How2Recycle label on your packaging, your brand must become a member and submit your packaging for review.

Here’s how the process works:

1. Contact the How2Recycle team and create an account on their Member Platform.

2. Review and sign the membership agreement outlining program expectations and label use guidelines.

3. Pay the one-time setup fee and annual membership dues.

4. Enter detailed packaging information for each SKU. This includes material type, adhesives, inks, labels, stickers, and additional packaging components. (Each SKU submission requires roughly 60 data points.)

5. Wait for How2Recycle’s review. Once approved, you’ll receive the correct label artwork for each product. For packaging with multiple components (such as a box, wrap, and mailer), How2Recycle provides a multi-tile label. Each tile appears from left to right, guiding consumers on properly disposing of each part.

Membership fees vary depending on company type and size, but for many sustainability-focused brands, access to this expert evaluation and official recyclability labeling provides a strong return—especially given the rapidly evolving legislative landscape.

As recycling infrastructure evolves and legislation like California’s SB 343 raises the bar for recyclability claims, How2Recycle has updated its labels to provide even greater clarity. The redesign aims to prevent confusion about what is curbside recyclable, what requires drop-off collection, and what is not yet recyclable.

Old vs. New Design: Historically, How2Recycle labels used chasing arrows and color-coded icons for four categories:

• Widely Recyclable

• Check Locally

• Store Drop-Off

• Not Yet Recyclable

Source: How2Recycle

While recognizable, the chasing arrows were confusing. Consumers often assumed any product featuring them was curbside recyclable.

The new design replaces chasing arrows on specific icons, particularly the Store Drop-Off label, with more explicit imagery emphasizing collection location and disposal method. It also incorporates QR codes that link to real-time, localized recycling guidance powered by data from The Recycling Partnership.

The new system reflects today’s recycling realities and aligns with tightening labeling regulations. It ensures consumers receive accurate, actionable information and helps brands maintain compliance with emerging laws.

Source: How2Recycle

Transition Timeline

• January 2025: New Guidelines for Use released.

• Mid-2025: Launch of the refreshed How2Recycle Pro and How2Recycle Plus label designs.

• August 2025: Phase-out of legacy labels begins.

• February 2026: Brands should only be using new label designs. Old ones should be phased out.

• October 2026: SB 343 compliance deadline in California, requiring accurate recyclability labeling.

How2Recycle’s abbreviated transition guide and full rollout guide are great resources for current How2Recycle members who want to navigate this process.

Current How2Recycle brands using the legacy iconography should begin updating their packaging now to adhere to the rollout timeline.

Plastic film packaging, such as poly mailers and bubble mailers, and plastic film recycling, present unique challenges.

While mono-material polyethylene (PE) film is technically recyclable, it is rarely accepted curbside. For this reason, most PE films that meet How2Recycle’s standards are assigned the Store Drop-Off label.

Pre-Qualification and EcoEnclose Products

How2Recycle pre-qualifies EcoEnclose’s poly mailers, bubble mailers, and poly bags. This means brands using these products can streamline their certification process by submitting our pre-qualification letter and packaging details.

Shipping Labels and Contamination

Shipping labels significantly affect recyclability. If your poly mailer includes a paper shipping label that the consumer cannot remove, the packaging may receive a “Not Yet Recyclable” designation. However, suppose your packaging uses an APR-approved label (made of PE or an approved plastic blend) or a removable label that consumers can easily peel off. In that case, it may still qualify for a Store Drop-Off designation.

The How2Recycle team determines eligibility after reviewing the complete SKU and its components.

NexTrex, created by Trex Company, Inc., is a film recycling and certification program that verifies whether polyethylene (PE) packaging can be remanufactured into Trex composite decking. Trex’s process represents more than 90 percent of current plastic film recycling in the United States, making it a cornerstone of the nation’s film recycling infrastructure.

Trex accepts most clean, dry PE films, including those with paper shipping labels, since paper does not interfere with their composite manufacturing process.

However, Trex does not accept materials contaminated with grease, non-PE plastics such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), metal components, or heavy residues. These contaminants can cause defects in finished decking boards, compromising strength and appearance.

How NexTrex Differs from How2Recycle

While both NexTrex and How2Recycle focus on improving film recyclability, their goals and processes differ.

• NexTrex evaluates whether a PE film can be recycled into composite lumber, a form of downcycling that keeps material out of landfills.

• How2Recycle focuses on consumer communication and accurate labeling, ensuring packaging claims reflect actual collection and reprocessing capabilities. Additionally, How2Recycle has historically focused more on film’s ability to be recycled into single-use packaging.

Because Trex’s recycling process is more forgiving, NexTrex certification is generally easier to obtain. However, it reflects a downcycling pathway rather than a closed-loop system that turns film into new packaging. 

Brands committed to circularity often pursue both pathways: NexTrex certification to ensure material recovery, and How2Recycle labeling to guide consumers responsibly and transparently. 

Brands interested in testing their film packaging with Trex can contact Stephanie Hicks (shicks@trex.com) for details. Trex will request material samples for analysis and run them through a test recycling process. If the film meets program standards, Trex issues NexTrex certification, confirming that the material can be successfully recycled into composite lumber. 

This program is vital in giving used PE film a meaningful second life, even as the broader recycling industry continues working toward a fully circular film-to-film recycling system.

Source: EcoEnclose

We are a non-brand member of How2Recycle, which means we cannot directly request labels. However, our poly packaging is pre-qualified, allowing us to provide pre-qualification letters to customers.

Brands can then submit these letters and their packaging details to How2Recycle for final review and labeling.

Additionally, all of our poly packaging—including poly mailers, bubble mailers, and poly bags—is NexTrex certified. This allows brands to apply the NexTrex label without separate certification, offering a simple path to communicating recyclability to consumers.

Together, these verifications provide both material assurance and labeling credibility, helping brands navigate the complex world of film recyclability confidently.

→ Learn about our certifications here.

As recycling standards tighten and consumer expectations rise, brands can no longer afford vague or misleading recyclability claims. The How2Recycle® program offers a clear, credible path forward — but earning and maintaining that label requires thoughtful planning, data accuracy, and ongoing alignment with evolving regulations.

If your brand is ready to strengthen its packaging sustainability strategy:

1. Audit your current packaging portfolio. Identify which materials are eligible for How2Recycle labeling and which may need design adjustments.

2. Become a How2Recycle member. Join the program to access their Member Platform, evaluation tools, and official label assets.

3. Leverage pre-qualified materials. Using EcoEnclose’s pre-qualified and NexTrex-certified films can significantly streamline your submission and labeling process.

4. Stay compliant with upcoming legislation. Track updates from California’s SB 343 and other state recycling laws to ensure your claims remain valid.

5. Educate your customers. Use your How2Recycle labels as an opportunity to promote transparency and help consumers recycle correctly.

Partner with sustainability experts. Work with packaging specialists who understand both the science and the compliance behind recyclability labeling.

Whether you’re just beginning your How2Recycle journey or refining your packaging for upcoming legislation, our sustainability experts can help you design packaging that is both recyclable and regulation-ready.

→ Contact us today to discuss your packaging goals and take the next step toward transparent, circular design.