Mobius loop
Three twisted arrows chasing each other round a triangle, with nothing inside, claim that the item is capable of being recycled. It is the maker's own claim, not a certificate. Worcestershire County Council's guide says the loop shows the item is capable of being recycled but 'doesn't ensure that the item will be collected for recycling'.
- Material
- Recyclable claim
- Code
- none: a claim, not a material code
- Family
- Claims
- Defined by
- The maker’s own claim (ISO 14021 sets the rules)
Which bin, usually
Usually the loop alone does not tell you which bin; use the material code or letters beside it, or a named label such as OPRL or How2Recycle if the pack has one.
Whether this goes in your recycling depends on your local collection; check your council or municipality's sorting guide.
The material
Not stated: the loop names no material. Look for a material code or letters nearby.
Where you see it
Card boxes, paper bags, plastic bottles and almost any other pack, often printed by the maker next to a material code.
What it does not mean
The plain loop does not mean the pack is made of recycled material (that is the loop with a percentage), it does not mean the pack has been recycled, and a triangle of arrows with a number inside is a material code, not this claim. The international standard for self-declared environmental claims, ISO 14021, sets the rules for using the loop; it is sold by ISO and not quoted here.
The loop is a self-declared claim by whoever printed it, not a certificate and not a collection promise. Under the US Green Guides a plain 'recyclable' claim is only fair where recycling facilities reach a 'substantial majority' of the people or communities it is sold to, which the rule sets at 'at least 60 percent' (16 CFR 260.12(b)(1)).
Other ways it is printed
- the loop alone, in any colour or size
- the loop with a percentage inside or beside it: a different claim, recycled content
- a triangle of arrows with a number inside: a material code, not this claim
Other claims marks
Sources
- Worcestershire County Council: Recycling symbols explained (Mobius Loop: capable of being recycled, not a collection promise) — checked 2026-09-23
- 16 CFR 260.12 Recyclable claims (US FTC Green Guides), eCFR ((a), (b)(1): when an unqualified recyclable claim is fair; (b)(1): substantial majority means at least 60 percent) — checked 2026-09-23
Written in our own words from these public texts and checked on the date shown. ASTM D7611 and ISO 14021 are sold by their publishers; only their public catalogue text is used here.