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Colouring Recyclates: Challenges and Feasibility with Masterbatch Solutions
The use of recyclates in plastic products has increased steadily in recent years – and with it the question: how well can recyclates actually be coloured?
The short answer is: yes, it is certainly possible – though not without limitations. What matters most are the quality of the recyclate, its inherent colour, and realistic expectations regarding the target shade.
As a specialist in circular economy solutions, Lifocolor supports you in developing the right masterbatch for your specific requirements.
The use of recyclates – and with it the requirements for colouring – is demonstrably increasing across the EU. According to industry association Plastics Europe, the use of recyclates (post-consumer recyclate, PCR, and post-industrial recyclate, PIR) in the EU has increased by 24% since 2021, reaching 580 kt in 2024 (2021: 467 kt). This growth has been driven primarily by a significant increase in PCR volumes, rising from 369 kt in 2021 to 470 kt in 2023. (Source)
For processors and brand owners, this means that in addition to selecting the right reused or recyclable polymer type, colour must also perform reliably within recycling loops.
Why recycled materials have a special starting point in terms of colour
In mechanical recycling, plastics from a wide range of previously coloured products – typically collected via household recycling systems – are gathered, processed and reintroduced into the value chain.
The result is recyclates that are already colour-loaded, ranging from light grey to dark shades, sometimes with yellow or green undertones.
This inherent colour cannot be “removed” or extracted within mechanical recycling processes; instead, it must always be taken into account and over-coloured during any new colouration.
A clear distinction is important here:
- Post-consumer recyclates (PCR) can, depending on market composition – and there are now also very well colourable grades available – be more strongly colour-loaded, as they originate from heterogeneous collection streams.
- Post-industrial recyclates (PIR), can be more homogeneous and lighter in colour, for example, due to better pre-sorting. With high-quality PIR grades, the existing colour content is often lower, and consequently the effort required for colouring is reduced.
Light or dark recyclates – a crucial difference for colouring
The inherent colour of the recyclate plays a decisive role in both the technical feasibility and the economic efficiency of colouring.
- Light recyclates can generally be coloured more flexibly. They allow for a wider colour range and more moderate masterbatch dosages – often even when using high recyclate contents in the final product.
- Dark recyclates, by contrast, significantly restrict colour variety. In some cases, only more muted or “dirtier” shades can be achieved economically. Producing light or highly brilliant target colours requires considerably more effort.
A simple and intuitive analogy helps to illustrate this: colouring recyclates in mass processing is similar to working with modelling clay. If you try to colour grey clay yellow, it becomes clear that a large amount of yellow pigment is needed to make the material appear yellowish or truly yellow. Even then, the visual result must be assessed carefully, as a grey undertone is difficult to avoid and can limit the overall colour appeal.
Not every desired colour shade can be reproduced exactly
When colouring recyclates, one rule applies: the starting material defines the colour window.
Not every desired shade can be reproduced exactly with every recyclate quality. In practice, this means that manufacturers and brand owners may need to accept compromises in colour or adjust the material composition.
Early alignment is crucial: the better the recyclate quality is understood from the outset, the more realistically colour expectations can be defined – both technically and economically.
Colouring recyclates is not a standard process; it requires close, collaborative alignment across the entire value chain. Colour targets, recyclate content, cost framework and regulatory requirements must be considered together. In many cases, the best solution is not the maximum achievable option, but a well-balanced compromise between sustainability, design freedom and economic viability.
As a specialist in colour and masterbatch solutions, Lifocolor supports processors and brand owners in achieving the best possible colour performance from every recyclate.
📩 Do you have a recyclate-based application that requires a suitable colour?
Contact us at or by phone on +49 (0) 9571 789-0.
Further information on our LifoCycle products is available in our Downloads section.