Pioneering products enable craftsmen, DIYers and professionals to reduce their environmental impact

It feels good to build or fix something with your own two hands. Sustainable technologies from Henkel give consumers and craftsmen that great feeling. These products are made from recycled materials, designed for reuse and engineered to reenter the value chain. And they’re helping tradespeople to get ahead of new expectations and regulations for sustainability.

Cardboard cartridges, circular by design 

For decades, sealant cartridges barely changed – until now. Henkel’s next-gen design replaces most of the plastic with a 100% recycled cardboard shell and separable components made with at least 49% recycled plastic. After use, the contaminated parts can be removed and disposed of in general waste, while the cardboard body and ring go into regular recycling streams. The result: at least 51% less plastic per cartridge and 73% less non-recyclable waste – with no compromise on product performance. Usability gets an upgrade, too. A one-step auto-opening cap eliminates the need for knives or scissors, and the cartridges fit existing guns, so pros and DIYers can work exactly as they do today. Co-created through two years of engineering and testing with 3,000+ users, this solution sets a new benchmark for circularity and convenience. The solution rolled out across Europe from October 2025 in sanitary and multi-purpose silicone sealants, expanding across the portfolio under Pattex, Sista, Rubson, Unibond, and Moment.

PU foams made of recycled material

Our huge portfolio of adhesives for consumers and craftsmen is available in office supply and hardware stores worldwide. Many of those retailers have sustainability targets and expect manufacturers to develop innovations that unlock measurable progress. Henkel is committed to exceeding those expectations.

Innovative polyurethane ‏(PU) foams are an exciting example. DIYers and professionals use these sprayable foams to insulate weak spots in homes like the edges of windows or doors. Typically, used cans of PU foam go into landfill because they are not suitable for recycling streams in many countries. But Henkel has developed a more circular approach…

In partnership with recycling specialists PDR, the company collects and recycles PU foam cans with a recovery rate of more than 95 percent – including the metal body. As a result, Henkel is now offering cans of PU foam that are made of 25 percent recycled metal, while the cap includes 98 percent recycled plastic. In addition, this partnership has also enabled Henkel to launch the world’s first PU foams that contain 30 percent recycled prepolymer extracted from used cans – while achieving performance that is equivalent to foams made from virgin raw materials.

A prepolymer is a partially polymerized compound. They are contained within these products and they react to form the final adhesive bond when they are applied. Prepolymers are highly reactive and very sticky, which makes them difficult to extract from cans. Innovators at Henkel designed a new process that makes it possible to harvest this material efficiently. Foams containing recycled prepolymer are now sold in 29 countries. This promotes recycling and reduces the need to produce prepolymers from virgin materials, while the products still achieve great results. Additionally, it enables Henkel customers, like DIY stores, to make measurable progress for their sustainability targets.

Recycled and recyclable packaging

Pritt sticks have a 50-year history of supporting safe and natural crafting. But the iconic brand is constantly expanding its contribution to sustainability. Recently, it launched blister packs that are made from 85 percent recycled paper and that are 100 percent recyclable. They are the world’s first ever plastic-free packaging of this type for stationery and crafting products.

Pritt blister packs are made from 85% recycled paper and are 100% recyclable

The material in these blister cards is certified as sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council ‏(FSC). This new packaging marks the latest step forward for this well-known and sustainable brand. In addition, the actual glue sticks feature 97 percent natural ingredients and are made from up to 65 percent recycled plastic (depending on size). Now, the packaging  supports the transition to a circular economy too. And it is certified by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

Safer, more sustainable and more successful

This trio of innovations are stand-out examples of how Henkel’s scientists enable consumers and craftsmen to achieve successful projects in a rapidly changing world. They also demonstrate how products from Henkel deliver tangible contributions to sustainability targets at customers like major DIY chains. As regulations and expectations shift, our huge portfolio of safer and more sustainable technologies is empowering users to get great results with a smaller environmental footprint.

Looking ahead, Henkel is already developing solutions to meet the next set of challenges in this market worldwide. Whether you’re a crafter, a DIYer or a full-time pro: We’ve got the right sustainable products to help you build or fix something with your own two hands.