LEGO House 6 Bricks now in paper bags

@CCC said:
" @Brickmasterboy said:
"I doubt polybag sets on a larger scale will have paper bags… feels a bit too risky. Probably small boxes, or, I wouldn’t be surprised if they keep the polybags as is for longer. Since they are not as widely available or marketed alongside the proper waves of boxed sets"

All the comics with "free" gifts have already gone over to paper bags instead of foil bags. They can take a lot of rubbing and crushing on shelves, so I don't see why polybags won't eventually go the same way."

They're very robust for a paper bag, and the more fibrous feel of the material probably explains why they are so tough. I've also had one set (can't remember which) with the paper bags and they worked very well. Also easier to open and splay out so I can keep my bricks in them while building. Now we just need to have it so ALL WINDSCREENS COME INDIVIDUALLY BAGGED!!! The number of windscreens that have scratches on them is just disappointing. I was genuinely annoyed when my XL-15 ( 76832 ) had a large scratch down the canopy.

I got the Polaroid Camera just after new year. That was the first one I’ve seen with paper bags.
Great if it’s good for the environment but I did find that even the paper bags had old style plastic bags inside for the smaller bits which I thought was a bit bizarre. So not completely there yet

Is my plastic Lego House bag rare now?

I've personally encountered two sets with numbered paper bags instead of plastic bags in them: 76907 Lotus Evija and 76421 Dobby The House-Elf.

I specifically say numbered bags, because the paper bags themselves still contained the smaller polybags for the smallest pieces. Still, it will make the plastic packaging used significantly less, so I approve!

@alldarker said:
"I've personally encountered two sets with numbered paper bags instead of plastic bags in them: 76907 Lotus Evija and 76421 Dobby The House-Elf.

I specifically say numbered bags, because the paper bags themselves still contained the smaller polybags for the smallest pieces. Still, it will make the plastic packaging used significantly less, so I approve!"

I got 75350 at Christmas and all the larger numbered bags were paper, as well as the smaller bags in all but the last numbered bag, which still had the plastic ones, so they're getting there, albeit slowly

@Brickmasterboy said:
" @MrBob said:
"I've yet to see a paper bag in any of my Lego sets. Each new set I'm silently hoping is the one so I can get a feel for how they compare!"

71806 has paper bags! From my understanding, the more “earthy” sets this year will have paper bags. So look for animals or botanicals I guess"

I bought that set today, but unfortunately no paper bags. Australia also gets the small barcodes too.

I picked up 76420-1 recently (and at nearly half-price thanks to the links here on BrickSet), and was pleased and surprised to see it contained all paper bags - even the insert bags inside the numbered ones. Paper bags weren't mentioned in the official BrickSet review. I like them!

Looks very similar to bagged candies, like M&M's.

Took them long enough...

My copy of 31152 also used paper bags.

I got paper bags with 76282 but the inner small bags for small pieces were the usual plastic.

Strangely the only paper bags I got were from 75325 which I got cheap from my local Tesco before Christmas.

I just hope the mini figures boxes will be replaced with paper bags instead...

@Brickmasterboy said:
"I doubt polybag sets on a larger scale will have paper bags… feels a bit too risky. Probably small boxes, or, I wouldn’t be surprised if they keep the polybags as is for longer. Since they are not as widely available or marketed alongside the proper waves of boxed sets"

Since they were packaged in boxes in certain regions between 1991 and 2002, changing polybags to boxes seems the most logical step to me as well.

EDIT:
I also have not seen paper bags in sets as well. It's also interesting to see that the got rid of that little glued on tape (also plastic!) for the CMF leaflet with the latest series.

@Brickmasterboy said:
" @MrBob said:
"I've yet to see a paper bag in any of my Lego sets. Each new set I'm silently hoping is the one so I can get a feel for how they compare!"

71806 has paper bags! From my understanding, the more “earthy” sets this year will have paper bags. So look for animals or botanicals I guess"

No it doesn’t.My brother has it and there wasn’t a single paper bag. The only ones with paper bags are the Dreamzz and Technic January sets and there might be one other theme though I’m hoping that the March sets will have them.

60404 : Burger Truck had paper bags for me, so far the only one I've seen.

The paper bag thing comes like 10 years to late anyway. And the roll out is lacking at best, I've yet to see one in person

@MandoEli37 said:
" @Brickmasterboy said:
" @MrBob said:
"I've yet to see a paper bag in any of my Lego sets. Each new set I'm silently hoping is the one so I can get a feel for how they compare!"

71806 has paper bags! From my understanding, the more “earthy” sets this year will have paper bags. So look for animals or botanicals I guess"

No it doesn’t.My brother has it and there wasn’t a single paper bag. The only ones with paper bags are the Dreamzz and Technic January sets and there might be one other theme though I’m hoping that the March sets will have them."

Well then I guess it might be regional like Rex explained. Weirdly enough, one of the 2 big paper bags contained 2 small PLASTIC bags inside… the rollout definitely reveals some questionable decisions

What i dont get about the new paper bags is that they are coated with thin plastic on the inside?????

This is eerily similar to when I order a large fry from McDonalds these days. I wanted it to be special, but it was like barely full of anything.

@Brickmasterboy said:
"I doubt polybag sets on a larger scale will have paper bags… feels a bit too risky. Probably small boxes, or, I wouldn’t be surprised if they keep the polybags as is for longer. Since they are not as widely available or marketed alongside the proper waves of boxed sets"

You'd break your jaw on the floor if you saw just how many polybags they can pack into a tiny case. Boxes may be less environmentally friendly than polybags, just because of how much more efficiently the polybags can be packed. All you have to do is compare the size of an old CMF-60 case against the larger CMF-24 case they're using with boxes to see how much of a difference it makes. They only hold 40% as many CMFs, and the case is still larger.

As far as the rollout goes, it's going to be even messier than the PAB boxes. There, each store only had three plastic packages to eliminate before each, in turn, would get replaced by the cardboard option. Local districts were probably spreading out the remaining supply as evenly as they could, so everyone would switch over around the same time. Sets get packed into a variety of different size bags, and they'll have to use up all the remaining stock of plastic for a particular size bag before they fully convert to paper...for that size bag. This process then gets spread out across multiple packing centers on different continents. If old sets get buried behind new sets, plastic bags could technically be available in limited supply well after paper bags start appearing. Even once they've fully sold off any copy of a set that includes plastic bags, someone could always return a sealed copy that goes right back on the shelf.

@Ns_:
The plastic coating is a lot thinner, and allows them to impulse-seal the bags instead of pouring glue on them and risk fouling the contents.

Wait, doesn't this mean we can't exactly call them polybags anymore?

@Tuzi said:
"Wait, doesn't this mean we can't exactly call them polybags anymore?"
Papybags?

@yellowcastle said:
" @Tuzi said:
"Wait, doesn't this mean we can't exactly call them polybags anymore?"
Papybags?"

Pulpybags.

Very cool! This is the eighth first time I've heard of the debut of paper bags somewhere in a lego product!

I haven't seen any as yet, but I've got three sets (60386, 60430, and 76914) that I haven't opened yet. But if @CapnRex101 is right, they've probably all got plastic bags.

@Spritetoggle said:
" @johleth said:
"So is this recycled paper? How many trees are cut down to supply it?"

I'm not aware of what the paper is sourced from in this case, but there are reasonably fast-growing trees that can be used for wood pulp. And ultimately, paper breaks down naturally, and quickly. Plastic, on the other hand? Plastic doesn't like to just "go away," we're at the point the stuff in the oceans is leading to things like the formation of sedimentary rock made up partially of plastic. And that's just one example out of all sorts of fun issues."

^This^

I have planted trees for commercial and industrial operations for the last 20 years. Even when paper and plastics are not as recyclable as hoped, paper sourced from trees remain a much more renewable and sustainable resource than not fully recyclable plastics.

@Tupperfan said:
" @Spritetoggle said:
" @johleth said:
"So is this recycled paper? How many trees are cut down to supply it?"

I'm not aware of what the paper is sourced from in this case, but there are reasonably fast-growing trees that can be used for wood pulp. And ultimately, paper breaks down naturally, and quickly. Plastic, on the other hand? Plastic doesn't like to just "go away," we're at the point the stuff in the oceans is leading to things like the formation of sedimentary rock made up partially of plastic. And that's just one example out of all sorts of fun issues."

^This^

I have planted trees for commercial and industrial operations for the last 20 years. Even when paper and plastics are not as recyclable as hoped, paper sourced from trees remain a much more renewable and sustainable resource than not fully recyclable plastics."

Personally I find it a very ugly look that a company who's entire product is made of petroleum, is now chopping down trees for its bags.

@johleth said:
" @Tupperfan said:
" @Spritetoggle said:
" @johleth said:
"So is this recycled paper? How many trees are cut down to supply it?"

I'm not aware of what the paper is sourced from in this case, but there are reasonably fast-growing trees that can be used for wood pulp. And ultimately, paper breaks down naturally, and quickly. Plastic, on the other hand? Plastic doesn't like to just "go away," we're at the point the stuff in the oceans is leading to things like the formation of sedimentary rock made up partially of plastic. And that's just one example out of all sorts of fun issues."

^This^

I have planted trees for commercial and industrial operations for the last 20 years. Even when paper and plastics are not as recyclable as hoped, paper sourced from trees remain a much more renewable and sustainable resource than not fully recyclable plastics."

Personally I find it a very ugly look that a company who's entire product is made of petroleum, is now chopping down trees for its bags."

VS the uglier look of... more plastics? Your comments seem like a weird defense of unnecessary petroleum-based items (the bags) for the sake of it.

Again, paper is way more sustainable than plastics. LEGO is not doubling down on affecting the environment negatively by switching to more sustainable solutions.

@Tupperfan said:
" @johleth said:
" @Tupperfan said:
" @Spritetoggle said:
" @johleth said:
"So is this recycled paper? How many trees are cut down to supply it?"

I'm not aware of what the paper is sourced from in this case, but there are reasonably fast-growing trees that can be used for wood pulp. And ultimately, paper breaks down naturally, and quickly. Plastic, on the other hand? Plastic doesn't like to just "go away," we're at the point the stuff in the oceans is leading to things like the formation of sedimentary rock made up partially of plastic. And that's just one example out of all sorts of fun issues."

^This^

I have planted trees for commercial and industrial operations for the last 20 years. Even when paper and plastics are not as recyclable as hoped, paper sourced from trees remain a much more renewable and sustainable resource than not fully recyclable plastics."

Personally I find it a very ugly look that a company who's entire product is made of petroleum, is now chopping down trees for its bags."

VS the uglier look of... more plastics? Your comments seem like a weird defense of unnecessary petroleum-based items (the bags) for the sake of it.

Again, paper is way more sustainable than plastics. LEGO is not doubling down on affecting the environment negatively by switching to more sustainable solutions."

I think cutting down trees is absolutely worse than plastic bags.

@Krutak said:
"Paper bags hype aside, one question: Is this set really just... 6 red bricks in a bag? What does it mean?"

There are 915,103,765 possible combinations for these 6 bricks. The idea here is that you get bespoke instructions to build yours, meaning each set is "unique".

@Tupperfan:
Paper production uses some very noxious chemicals, and is in no way "green". But yes, Georgia Pacific even bred their own fast-growth tree that's really only suitable for turning into wood pulp for paper products. As they harvest, they replant.

Here we go again. Can we just skip these paper based bag updates please? Tywm.

@R0Sch said:
"Here we go again. Can we just skip these paper based bag updates please? Tywm."

Three more updates would make sense to me, being:

1. When TLG says they've entirely switched over to paper bags, and no more plastic bags will be forthcoming.
2. When polybags start switching over to paper bags.
3. When CMFs switch from boxes to paper bags.

Any of those would still be legitimate news, in my book.

@PurpleDave said:
" @R0Sch said:
"Here we go again. Can we just skip these paper based bag updates please? Tywm."

Three more updates would make sense to me, being:

1. When TLG says they've entirely switched over to paper bags, and no more plastic bags will be forthcoming.
2. When polybags start switching over to paper bags.
3. When CMFs switch from boxes to paper bags.

Any of those would still be legitimate news, in my book."

4. When LEGO bricks are made out of paper and packed in plastic boxes .

I've yet to come across paper bags in sets. Then again I still have lots of unbuilt newer sets waiting to be opened. Perhaps some of those contain paper bags and I just don't know yet.

@johleth

Alright. I don't know what your relationship with trees might be, but the massive piles of plastics that will degrade over the next few thousand years might be something to consider in your reflection, especially when comparing to the regeneration cycle of a forest.

Full disclosure, my relationship with trees is a bit complicated: At times, I had to cut down a few in order for my crews to be able to plant hundreds of thousands more. For exemple, this bridge was built with dead, burnt trees, but we sometimes had to do something similar with living and thriving ones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP3tmfhJcCw

@PurpleDave

Far from me to start such a debate in the comments section of a brickset article (as productive as I'm sure it will be) but I don't disagree with you that paper production might often be quite damaging.

Believe me, I'm fully aware of the numerous issues with the whole forestry industry cycle. But your comment remains a bit dismissive. Replanting is not only limited to initiatives and breeding programs from specific mills, it's a legal requirement to replace the resource or, if it won't be harvested again (as some replanted forests look a lot more like optimized tree farms), to return the land to as close to its original state as possible. I stated having done numerous reclamation projects in the Albertan Oil Sands, which are by any accounts, much more noxious than any paper production process.

Paper production varies indeed greatly in its environmental effects and they - including various forms of recycled paper - are not all born equal. You are right, the bleached paper process can be quite toxic and is in no way "green". Toilet paper - when not made of recycled fibers - is, well, pretty sh!**y. But on the other hand, postconsumer recycled paper remains the most sustainable kind of recycled material (not just paper, ANY recycled materials).

So that's the point here: Paper, including the sort favoured by Lego, is a less damaging option than what they are currently doing. Paper (despite its flaws) IS better than plastics (despite all its virtues).

If we truly want to progress on such matters, we must stop criticizing anything short of the perfect solution (which is maybe currently non-existing or impractical), especially if it means keeping the worst solution in the meantime. It means finding progressively less-damaging solutions while aiming for improvement.

I feel like in this fandom, especially when it comes to environmental matters, we have a tendency to go out of our way to find faults in any solutions that somewhat affect our personal enjoyment of the product, or what we believe Lego should actually be. To argue that we are for plastic bags and against paper bags for imagined or exaggerated environmental reasons is, if not fallacious, at least misinformed, misguided or plain contrarian. It's often also unproductive, self-interested posturing, while the real reason behind all the noise is just that many of us simply prefer plastics bags because we can see their content, we're familiar with them, we like the sound they make, etc.

But in the end, paper bags might be a bit annoying, but they're the future, and they won't go away.

@TeriXeri said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @R0Sch said:
"Here we go again. Can we just skip these paper based bag updates please? Tywm."

Three more updates would make sense to me, being:

1. When TLG says they've entirely switched over to paper bags, and no more plastic bags will be forthcoming.
2. When polybags start switching over to paper bags.
3. When CMFs switch from boxes to paper bags.

Any of those would still be legitimate news, in my book."

4. When LEGO bricks are made out of paper and packed in plastic boxes . "

Nope. Don't want to read that. Not now, not ever.