British Legion's new poppy removes single-use plastic

The new mono-material British Legion poppy is made from a blend of renewable fibres from responsible sources and can be recycled in ordinary paper recycling collections.

The British Legion has been developing the plastic-free poppy for the last three years, in collaboration with partners at University College London (UCL). They set out to eliminate single-use plastic completely.

The environmental impact of the new poppy was assessed by experts at UCL. ‘The new poppy design has a 40% smaller carbon footprint,’ says Professor Paola Lettieri, UCL.

Hundreds of iterations were explored during the design process, scrutinising form, finish and usability. Paper was chosen over 'expensive and complicated' bio-based plastics to create a single-material solution that can be easily recycled.

The new plastic-free poppy is created from bespoke red and green paper, which has been produced from a blend of renewable fibres from responsible sources, 50% of which has been recovered from the waste used in the production of coffee cups.  

Maintaining the iconic design, this is the first time in 28 years that a new poppy has been developed, ensuring that it continues to be a national symbol of Remembrance for the service and sacrifices of the Armed Forces community.

The plastic-free poppy will be available alongside the current poppy to reduce any waste of poppies already produced, and can be fastened with a pin or inserted into a buttonhole.

Poppies containing single-use plastic can be returned to Sainsbury’s stores for recycling after the Poppy Appeal. The new poppy will be available from October 2023.