How to choose the right toothpaste and cream based on the markings on the tubes, what do the colored stripes mean?

What do the colored stripes mean on tubes of toothpastes and creams?

There are so many different myths about what the colored stripes on toothpaste tubes mean. Allegedly, they are talking about harmful substances, the permitted frequency of using the paste, and what country or city it was actually made in. The most advanced manufacturers began to produce toothpastes in tubes with a green stripe, supporting the myth of their naturalness. But in fact, such assumptions are wrong, and any dentist can confirm this.

Why do we mark the adhesion site?

Let's say right away that marked squares or rectangles of different colors have nothing to do with the quality characteristics of the toothpaste. The same marks can be found on creams and other products in tubes or sealed bags.

Multi-colored markers serve as technological markings. The products are packaged using robotic equipment. It is labeling that allows you to automate the process and eliminate human participation.

Before filling with toothpaste, a plug with a threaded part and a cap is already soldered into the tube. On the conveyor, the empty blank falls into a special conductor. It is filled with hygiene product and moved to the sealing machine. The position of the tube is not controlled at the previous stages. But we all see that the end seam is always positioned so that the main inscriptions are easily read when the tube lies freely on the table. This is possible due to the fact that before sealing, the robot twists each tube into the desired position. We determine the correct orientation of the computer precisely by the stripes in the end part.

The same marks are used in printing houses for cutting material when forming tubes. The computer reads the information from the color markers and cuts the workpieces in the designated places.

In this case, the horizontal strip is responsible for the correct cutting of the workpiece. Vertical for the correct orientation of the seam on the tube. All information must be quickly read.

Note! There is a special typographic marking on any package. It performs an auxiliary function and is intended only for the correct orientation of printed information and cutting of blanks.

Basic myths about color marks on tubes

According to some consumers, the colors of the stripes on tubes of toothpastes, ointments and creams indicate the characteristics of their composition:

• Red is about synthetic.
• Green is about the environment.
• Blue and brown indicate that the product is half natural.
• Black - contains only chemical components.

Another part of consumers is of the opinion that colored markers indicate the degree of abrasiveness, the presence of protective properties, or the cost of hygiene products.

Are all pastes color coded?

We'll tell you a secret - stripes are found not only on toothpaste, but also on any tube that contains creams, gels or any other cosmetic products. And these marking stripes can be of completely different colors (red, green, blue, black) and even shapes (square, rectangular), but are invariably localized on the tail of the tube.

Stripes are found not only on toothpaste, but also on other tubes

Naturally, most consumers have a question - what can color markings mean? Maybe she reveals to us secret information or an important message that will warn us against buying or, conversely, tell us about the miraculous properties of this product? Let's figure it out together.

GOST and multi-colored stripes

A modern tube of toothpaste made in Russia must comply with three GOST standards at once:

• GOST 7983-99 (based on ISO 11609-95) talks about the correct marking of a paste mass and what it means.
• GOST 14192 and 28303 indicate the requirements for containers.

These documents state that:

1. It must be indicated on the tube:
   Product name;
2. brand;
3. trademark;
4. volume;
5. compound;
6. acceptable storage conditions;
7. best before date;
8. availability of relevant certificates.
9. The marking is applied in the language of the manufacturer and the importing country.
10. Permissible deviations from weight are 5%.
11. Containing materials must be environmentally friendly.

But none of the GOSTs talks about the meaning of colored stripes on toothpaste and the rules for applying them. That is, the state does not regulate in any way the procedure for applying a “color barcode” ; the company itself decides the issue of marking toothpaste with colored stripes and can do without these designations.

What other marks are often found on cosmetic products?

There are a lot of labels for cosmetic product packaging. Some are mandatory for all manufacturers in the Customs Union, others are used only by one company for marketing purposes.

Article on the topic

Take a break. What you need to know about deodorants and antiperspirants

As Elena Moskvicheva points out, you can often find a sign on tubes of cosmetics in the form of an open jar, inside of which there is a number and the letter “M”. This symbol indicates the expiration date of the product from the moment it is opened, that is, the time within which the manufacturer recommends using it. If the standard shelf life of many sealed cosmetics is usually 24-36 months, then the shelf life of open ones is much shorter - often 6-12 months.

Another interesting sign is an open book with a finger pointing at it. This mark means that the package is too small and all the necessary information does not fit on it. As a rule, such cosmetics are sold in secondary packaging (for example, cardboard boxes), into which a leaflet with complete information about the product is inserted.

Moskvicheva especially highlights the signs that companies use to declare that their cosmetics are organic. In different countries, and even in the same country, these labels may differ among different manufacturers. According to the expert, the professional community has not yet reached a consensus on which cosmetics are considered organic. “Each company that produces such cosmetics has its own criteria. Other companies do not support them [criteria]. That is, most often this is just a marketing mark,” the analyst noted.

Why are multi-colored stripes applied?

In fact, the colored stripes on the tubes are an identification mark for the conveyor during automated production. They are necessary for high-quality separation of the tube blank from the conveyor belt.

Stripes on pastes

The technological sensor detects the color marking and cuts off the future tube of toothpaste. After this, the plastic sheet is twisted, glued and filled with gel content. After these manipulations, the tube is finally glued and closed with a cap.

The color of the mark on toothpaste, by and large, means nothing. The manufacturer can independently choose the range and height of the strips, regardless of the chemical composition of the product and the shape of the container.

Streaks on creams

Creams are marked as the products move along the conveyor belt in a non-contact manner using special color markers read by conveyor sensors. They allow you not only to correctly cut and solder the tube, but also indicate places for applying drawings and text on the container.

Information about the composition and manufacturer is applied by inkjet using special ink. That is, red, black and other stripes are needed only in the process of producing creams using robotic technology.

Myth No. 2: color indicates the ratio of chemicals and natural substances in the composition

There are other ridiculous interpretations of what the colored stripes on toothpastes mean. For example, color can indicate the percentage of chemicals in the product:

• black: the product consists entirely of chemical components, i.e. 100%
• blue: there is a little less chemistry here, about 80%,
• red: semi-natural-semi-chemical composition, i.e. 50/50,
• Green: This is a 100% natural, organic and safe product. It supposedly contains only herbs and oils.

“My grandmother heard from a friend about what the stripes on toothpaste and other products mean. Afterwards, she carefully inspected her bathroom and found, oh my God, a package with a black mark. It was panic. It took a long time to prove to my grandmother with the whole family that all this was nonsense and give examples: they took shoe polish - there was a green mark on it, was it natural? But the tube with baby cream turned out to have a black mark! It turns out that they are harming children and not even hiding it? The manufacturer has become insolent! We took condensed milk in soft packaging from the refrigerator, and there was a black mark there. Yes, all packages have these marks. In general, they somehow convinced me that everything was fine and there was no catastrophe...”

Larisa, fragment of a review from correspondence on woman.ru

The True Meaning of Flowers

Despite the simple explanation for the appearance of stripes on toothpaste tubes, a certain color is chosen for a reason. The choice of mark shade is influenced by:

• Tube color. A black (dark) stripe on the toothpaste means that the main tone of the blank and tube is white or just a light shade. Light marks are typical for dark-colored containers, but manufacturers who decide to choose this shade of marker take a risk, since the photo sensor may not “catch” it during the soldering process.
• Limited choice. Typically, the marking involves 4 basic shades (CMYK - Cyan Magenta Yellow Black). Additionally, a fifth color can be used to print a barcode, text, or one light mark.

That is, the correct reading of the marking by the optical sensor depends on the contrast of the stripe and the main color of the tube.
Most often, the tags are darker than the background, which allows the sensors to read the necessary information most efficiently. When choosing a marker shade, packaging design is no less important. This means that if there are blue elements on a tube of toothpaste, then the stripe on it will be blue. Since the stripes on tubes of creams and pastes do not mean anything important (impact on the enamel), they can easily be replaced by other design elements at the discretion of the manufacturer.

Technological photo marks can be divided into 2 types based on their position on the sheet:

• horizontal markers are placed for precise cutting of the main workpiece when printing on a rolled laminate;
• vertical marks are needed to accurately indicate the location of the cut when soldering the tube, so that it is parallel to the main text and image on the final product.

Common misconceptions in the interpretation of labeling

When sellers explain the meaning of color marks, you may encounter a number of myths. Some of them are even voiced by opinion leaders. To avoid confusion, we present a number of popular erroneous judgments that are not confirmed.

The meaning of the green stripe on toothpaste

• Paste with this label is completely safe for human health. In its production, only natural ingredients of plant origin are used.
• The products are intended for children and people with increased enamel sensitivity.
• The hygiene product has a strengthening effect.
• The contents of the tube are made from natural raw materials, the shelf life of which does not exceed 30 days.
• The active formula contains no substances obtained synthetically.
• There are no abrasive substances in the structure of the product. This hygienic composition can be used for daily brushing of teeth.

Considering the above features, it is safe to say that the green stripe has become an excellent marketing tool. Some manufacturers use it to stand out from other products. Sellers and distributors often tout green markers as a competitive advantage. It is important to always study the composition and build on the recommendations that are written on the tube.

The meaning of the blue stripe on toothpaste

• The composition of the hygiene product consists of 20% natural ingredients. The remaining 80% is obtained synthetically. Some of them may contain aggressive substances. Therefore, before purchasing, you need to study the information on the tube and take into account the individual characteristics of the body.
• The recipe contains dyes. They give color to the paste itself and can negatively affect human health.
• Products with a blue stripe contain abrasive substances. They help in whitening enamel. However, they do not have a powerful effect. There are no negative consequences, which means the composition can be used in daily oral care.
• The product is designed specifically for sale in the USA. It takes into account the characteristics of the oral microflora of residents of this region. When using medicinal components, the characteristics of common diseases of the oral cavity of Americans are taken into account.
• When developing the recipe, more stringent standard requirements are taken into account, which makes the product high quality.

The meaning of the black stripe on toothpaste

• The recipe contains no natural substances. All components are obtained synthetically. But this does not mean that using the product is dangerous. It is often impossible to obtain the required properties using only natural components.
• The active formula contains strong abrasives. They promote intensive teeth whitening. At the same time, rough substances negatively affect the strength of the enamel. They can scratch it and cause pain. Such products should not be used for daily hygiene. They are used in courses of 5 to 14 days in accordance with the recommendations of dentists.
• The composition contains strong dyes that can cause allergic reactions or adversely affect health.

Note! The black stripe is used on the vast majority of hygiene products, including creams, hair dyes, etc. If you carefully study each one, you can also find natural ingredients.

The meaning of the red stripe on toothpaste

• Half of the hygiene product’s recipe consists of natural plant ingredients. The remaining 50% is obtained synthetically. When choosing a product, you need to pay attention to individual intolerance to the components.
• The products belong to the medicinal category. Its formulation uses medicinal components. They are designed to eliminate oral problems without dental intervention. It is recommended to use such formulations in courses of 7 days.
• The recipe contains abrasive substances. You can use the product on an ongoing basis, but not more than three times a week.
• The red stripe toothpaste has been developed for sale in Europe. It takes into account the characteristics of the oral microflora of Europeans.
• The product belongs to the elite category. It contains special high-quality substances. This is what explains the increased cost. At the same time, you get the best quality characteristics.

Let's focus our attention once again. All arguments about quality characteristics are myths. The colored stripes on the toothpaste only indicate where the tube is cut and its orientation when sealing. There is no need to pay attention to them when choosing a hygiene product.

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.

Labeling procedure

Color division depends on the equipment and the number of coloring sections. At the preparatory stage, one main color is taken, which will contrast most with the color of the tube. Based on it, the features of reading elements and printing a barcode are determined.

If you use two colors at once, for example, blue and black, this will lead to unreadable text when the equipment is moved. Optical sensors correctly capture one primary color (red, green). Most often, white color is used for the background, since all the colored stripes are clearly visible on white tubes; the height and width of the marks are discussed individually. This approach allows us to minimize the costs of producing and placing information on tubes using a printed, non-contact method.

But the color of the marking has nothing to do with the composition of the gel. Typically, the tubes are manufactured by a company that has nothing to do with the development of the personal care product itself and dentistry, so its labels simply by definition cannot refer to the chemical composition of the paste-like mass. If stripes on toothpaste mean anything, it clearly doesn't matter to the end consumer.

Depending on the required parameters of the tube, a large blank sheet is divided into parts of a certain size. Light marks are placed as delimiters. They indicate the location of the incision to produce a tube of the required volume. Different colors of markers help identify manufacturing defects and other technological defects.

The stripes on toothpaste do not mean anything, so you don’t need to look closely at them and look for a secret sign in them. If you need to choose a paste with some specific indicators, you should look for information about them not in strips. The content of synthetic and natural substances in the gel can be found by reading the composition information posted on the tube.

Squares on tubes: what do they mean?

myths circulating on the World Wide Web regarding labels on cosmetic products . The most common of them gives the following interpretation of the rectangles on the packaging:

• Black or other dark shades - the product is replete with substances harmful to health. The daily use of such “chemicals” can pose a danger to human health;
• The blue color of the square indicates a slight decrease in the concentration of synthetic components relative to the previous category. The share of natural “ingredients” reaches 1/5;
• The red square serves as a signal that the proportion of natural substances is exactly half per 100 grams of substance;
• The green color of the brand indicates that the product can be safely classified as “Organic”. The composition includes only natural raw materials, which have only a beneficial effect on health.

Alternative theory

mythological meaning is sometimes attributed to flowers on toothpaste :

• Black: composition for whitening tooth enamel. Recommended for use no more than once a week;
• Blue: the mass is suitable for everyday use;
• Red: there is a healing effect. Such products are sold in pharmacies and prescribed by dentists in case of painful teeth;
• Green: designed to consolidate the healing results achieved by the previous composition. Recommended for use within 4 weeks after the treatment course.

Other decryption options are also possible. The gradation of colors is often interpreted as a distribution by price categories of goods, where the green marker is an indicator of an elite and expensive “eco-product”.

Myth No. 1: a color marker signals the harm or benefit of the composition

• green: this is a natural product that contains environmentally friendly ingredients,
• what does the red stripe on toothpaste mean: such products are full of ingredients and substances that are dangerous to the health of the body and oral cavity,
• blue: the product contains synthetic substances, but they are not dangerous to health or life, because their use in a certain ratio is permitted,
• what does a black stripe on toothpaste mean: such a product is very dangerous, and it may also contain substances that provoke gum inflammation, gingivitis, periodontitis and periodontal disease.

There are myths that the strips symbolize the dangers and benefits of the product

Features of container production

Before answering the question regarding the true meaning of squares on containers, you need to provide information about the features of their production.

Creating regular tubes looks like this:

1. The polymer blank is cut into pieces of a certain length and width;
2. The logo, barcode, manufacturer data and other information are applied to the tube;
3. Rolling up a segment that takes the shape of a cylinder;
4. Sealing the edges of the sample (on one side);
5. Filling the container with cream (or other substance);
6. Clogging and sealing of the cylinder;
7. The date of manufacture and expiration date are printed on the seam. light mark” is also affixed , thanks to which the machine recognizes the exact location where the cut needs to be made.

The specified sequence of actions is applicable to the process of manufacturing plastic products. The mechanism for creating aluminum tubes is somewhat different, but the placement of a color marker also takes place.

What do the stripes on tubes of creams mean?

We found out that there is nothing supernatural hidden behind the mysterious rectangles on the containers of cosmetic and hygiene products:

• The light mark can be any color. The main requirement for it is readability for the machine. Therefore, you need to paint the rectangle so that it is as recognizable as possible for the car and contrasts sharply against the background of the overall design of the product;
• Horizontal figures indicate the cut line, vertical ones are used as a marker for the sealing location;
• Sometimes light marks may be completely absent from the container: instead, figures disguised as design elements are used;
• International standards do not have any requirements regarding seam markers. The ISO 11609-95 standard, which describes the technology for the production of dentifrices, does not contain data on light markers.

Quality assessment criteria

A high-quality toothpaste should not contain the following substances:

• Sodium dodecyl sulfate - used to form foam. It is inexpensive, so it can be found in products in the low price segment. It has a negative effect on the skin of the oral cavity, is one of the causes of early baldness, and can reduce visual acuity. It tends to accumulate in the body, so daily use of such substances is not recommended;
• Triclosan is designed to destroy and inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Along the way, it destroys a number of microorganisms necessary for health;
• Fluoride helps in the prevention of caries and other dental ailments, but is quite poisonous. If large quantities of fluoride or fluorides are accidentally ingested, poisoning may occur;
• The controlled abrasiveness index should be within 100 for healthy teeth.

On the Internet you can find a wide variety of explanations of what the stripes on toothpaste tubes mean. Allegedly, they indicate the degree of environmental friendliness or the price category of the product. But in fact, their purpose is exclusively practical and makes sense only for a machine on a conveyor belt .

Video: codes on tubes

In this video, Igor Mulatov will tell you how manufacturers label toothpaste tubes and what the green and blue squares on the packaging mean:

What does the stripe mean on cosmetic tubes?

Varya Valovil

It would seem, “How many times have they told the world…” but no! Here and there, topics that have already been chewed over several times continue to emerge. But our task, as the main organic publication, is to periodically remind who is who, or rather, to tell what is true and what is not.

Active discussions of stripes on tubes began a long time ago, but the peak moment was when Elena Malysheva said in the program “Live Healthy” that this is not just a stripe, but a secret message from cosmetics manufacturers, which no one knows about, but “I, they say, you , fools, now I’ll tell you the truth!”

Here, by the way, is this issue, I suggest you read it:

With the development of blogging and the emergence of a huge number of beauty-health-eco-shmeko blogs, this conspiracy theory has been reborn. After all, nothing motivates people to action like fear. She states that:

" Green - contains 100% natural raw materials, environmentally friendly substances Red - contains both synthetic and natural substances Black - contains substances hazardous to health"

The question immediately arises: where did the blue and white stripes go? Why didn't they say anything about them? I offer my interpretation: the tubes with the blue stripe contain only water! And in tubes with a white stripe there is air. By the way, there is also an opinion that the black stripe indicates the absence of animal testing.

As you can guess from my caustic comments, Elena Malysheva’s statements about green, red and black stripes have no basis. It is clear that my theory about the blue and white stripes is the same.

Let's move on to the serious part of the article: argumentation.

In fact, the stripes are technological markings; they serve to correctly orient the tube in the tube-filling machine. In order for the photo sensor to catch the photo tag, it must be as contrasting as possible with respect to the color of the packaging; this is the only thing that determines the color of this stripe.

There is no connection between the composition of the product and the strips for at least three more reasons:

1. The green tube in the first photo in this article is Weleda SkinFood cream, the naturalness of which is confirmed by the international eco-certificate NaTrue, and the strip is “for some reason” black.
2. Most aluminum tubes do not have such marks, although they produce creams, toothpastes, and much more. The fact is that aluminum tubes are not soldered, but wrapped, this is done by another machine and the need for a mark disappears.
3. The Russian manufacturer of cosmetics “Nevskaya Kosmetika” (Ushasty Nyan, New Pearl, Tip-Top, etc.) posted on its website an official confirmation that the marks on the tubes are nothing more than technological markings. Maybe they produce cosmetics that are not the most environmentally friendly and natural, but there is definitely no doubt about the technological effectiveness of their production.

Apparently, the manufacturer was so tired of letters from frightened people that the marketing director himself was forced to write a paper refuting it.

What actually helps to recognize the naturalness of a product?

1. Eco-labels. The most, MOST reliable source of information about the natural composition of the product. The main thing is to be sure that this is a real eco-certificate, and not an ordinary circle with a leaf inside and the inscription “100% organic.” We wrote about them here and here.
2. Compound. The ability to recognize critical ingredients in a composition is extremely useful! Here are some articles that will help you figure it out: 1 and 2.

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What do the colored stripes on the tubes mean?

The stripes on the tubes are technological markings. It is needed only for the production of tubes and has nothing to do with the contents of the tube and its composition.

When the machine cuts the tape and rolls the tube, it follows these marks. “Looks” at them with his “eye” - a photocell. And in order for the marking to be better visible, its color is selected from the available set based on the principle of maximum contrast with the background (material) of the tube.

For example, if the tube is white, and the print colors include black, the mark will be black, as it has the most contrast to the background. If there is no black in the color set, another, most contrasting one, will be used.

Why am I writing all this? And so that you look with contemptuous pity at those who, by the color of this label, determine “the degree of environmental friendliness and the percentage of natural composition of the components of the contents of the tube.”

My wife heard this nonsense from the mothers in the yard, and googling showed that people sincerely believe in it. Here is a typical opinion about tubes of toothpaste, taken from the website baby.ru (the first link on Google when searching for stripes on a tube):

return to "Prodkhoz - Food and Economy"

Initially, the design of the future tube is developed. For most “designers” there are only 4 colors - CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow Black). But not all of the designers’ ideas can be reproduced when printing in full color, so the design goes to the pre-press department for further processing, where problematic design elements are processed: unnecessary colors are removed, replaced with spot colors, color separations are made in accordance with the number of ink sections of the printing machine and etc. technological aspects.

For example, a design contains an image and text (all done in full color - cmyk). The designer assigned blue color (cyan+magenta) to the text and barcode, because he was told so by higher powers from outer space, or simply this color is in harmony with the general idea of ​​the design, or it is the brand color of the company, etc... Print such elements by superimposing two colors on each other it is impossible, since if the colors are not combined, the text will not be readable, and the barcode will not be readable, therefore, at the pre-press stage, a spot color is assigned to this text, choosing a color from the Pantone catalog (the design will already be made in 5 colors - cmyk + pantone), therefore the photo tag will be blue, and not red or green, since an additional color is an additional expense, which the manufacturer will not agree to, trying to keep costs to a minimum.

Now about technological photo tags. Photo marks are necessary, as mentioned above: - horizontal - for precise cutting of the laminate sheet in height (when printing on a rolled laminate sheet) - vertical - for precise positioning when soldering the tip of the tube (so that the solder is parallel to the image and text part, and not under angle or perpendicular) As a rule, the mark is printed with the same ink, like a barcode.

In order for the photo sensor to catch the photo tag, there needs to be a contrast between the background and the tag. The maximum contrast is a white material and a black photo tag. If the design contains black paint, then both the photo tag and the barcode will be black; if there is no black paint in the design, then the maximum contrast color relative to the background is assigned. If the background is black/dark, then use a white photo tag. There are cases when there are no photo tags at all, and their role is played by design elements. Many manufacturers take a risk by assigning a light color to the photo tag and barcode, since the barcode may simply not be considered a scanner in a store, and the photo sensor may not catch the tag when sealing the tip of the tube. To select the color of tags and barcodes, preliminary tests are carried out, but most often manufacturers do not risk releasing a low-quality product and use black/dark color.

Myths and debunking

There are several theories about the meaning of the color of the strip on a tube of toothpaste, most of which were “invented” by consumers themselves.

Popular opinion

The most popular theory is the connection between the colored stripe and its chemical composition. It fully reveals the meaning of color in accordance with the chemical composition used in the form:

1. A black stripe indicates the presence of only chemical elements in the composition. There is no need to talk about the use of natural herbal ingredients.
2. The blue stripe indicates the content of 20% natural ingredients in the entire composition. The rest are harmful chemicals.
3. Red color indicates the content of natural substances in the cleaning product, but only half of the total amount.
4. Green strip is the safest paste containing only natural ingredients.

There is also a theory where the stripes on toothpaste tubes indicate how long the product can be used.

There are 4 statements here:

• a blue stripe on the toothpaste means it can be used daily;
• red – the composition contains substances that provide a therapeutic effect, but it can be used for no longer than 7 days;
• the green stripe indicates its strengthening effect, the period of use is no more than 30 days;
• black color means whitening property, which negatively affects tooth enamel.

Availability of dyes

• according to this theory, the green-labeled paste contains no synthetic dyes and consists only of natural ingredients;
• tubes with black, brown and blue stripes contain many harmful chemical dyes that add color to the product.
• There are suggestions that marketers deliberately put green stripes on tubes of paste so that they sell better - everyone knows that green means the color of nature and benefits for humans.

The theory that prevents the development of periodontal disease says:

• black mark – composition that provokes the development of periodontal disease;
• red mark - there are synthetic elements permitted by GOST;
• green mark – environmentally friendly composition, most beneficial for teeth.

There is a hypothesis about the presence of abrasive components and the frequency of its use, according to the marks on the tubes. We are talking about the presence of small particles in the paste that whiten and polish teeth, but over time spoil the enamel.

According to this theory, products with a high content of abrasive particles are marked with stripes of dark colors: black, brown, blue. Such formulations can be used for no longer than 7 days.

A red stripe means that the paste contains few abrasive particles and can be used to brush your teeth 3 times a week. But the composition with a green mark can be used every day without harm to health.

There is a somewhat strange theory about the presence of petroleum products in toothpaste, which radically affects the territorial purpose. Here is an example:

• tubes with a black stripe are intended for Asian and third world countries;
• with red and green stripes they make pasta for European residents;
• The US can use paste with a blue mark.

Based on the content of petroleum products, they are divided into:

• black color indicates a high content of petroleum products;
• blue color – contains less petroleum products;
• red color – there are very few components in question;
• green color is an environmentally friendly product.

Financial conspiracy

There is a theory about the financial situation of buyers who purchase toothpastes for daily consumption.

According to this hypothesis:

• a black stripe is applied to tubes of cheap toothpaste, which contains inexpensive ingredients;
• blue mark – the product is of higher quality;
• red stripe is an elite product containing components that are gentle on tooth enamel.

There are many speculations about these marks on toothpaste tubes, but what do they really mean?

The truth will debunk the myth about colored stripes and disappoint many dreamers.

You should not trust the above speculations, because the composition is written on the packaging and it is enough to read it, and not come up with special properties for the colored stripe on the tube.

Although the font chosen for printing will not be able to be read by most consumers, it is therefore necessary to take a magnifying glass and a table of harmful components, with the help of which the entire composition of the product is deciphered.

The colored stripes do not contain any secret messages, no matter how much some dreamers might like them to. The colored rectangles on the tubes are just “markings” or “light marks” that the conveyor needs to correctly cut the tube blank.

We suggest you read: What does a blue stripe on toothpaste mean?

The conveyor sensor reads the mark on the moving belt of the tube blank and cuts it at this point. Then, the cut piece of foil is twisted, glued, the tube is filled with paste, with the lid and cap at the bottom. Finally, the edge of the tube is wrapped or soldered.

When black is used in the design of the tube, both the label and the barcode will be black; if it is not in the design, then a different, maximum contrasting color relative to the background is assigned.

If the background of the tube is light, then the dark color of the label will be used (black, blue, brown). If the background of the tube is dark, the label will be white.

Typically, tube design uses 4 primary colors, which do not always fulfill the original plans. Then the color schemes are complemented by pre-press finishing.

To prevent colors from overlapping each other, a fifth color is assigned, which is used to print the barcode, the font on the packaging and the light mark on the tube.

It is easier for sensors to capture one color, and this also helps the manufacturer to optimize costs. Sometimes the function of photo marks is performed by design elements, then there will be no colored stripe on the tube.

So the secret of toothpaste labeling has been revealed. It turns out that they do not carry any information about the composition of the toothpaste. In any case, you should not trust such elements when choosing a product. It is important to read the ingredients on the packaging or on the manufacturer’s website before purchasing the product.