I have had a few people ask me if I know where the original recycle symbol came from. Other people have asked who designed the recycle symbol that we have today and others have asked if there is a photo of the original recycle symbol. Well, you have come to the right place.That photo on the side of this post is the man who designed the recycle symbol and the symbol you see is his original design. The man's name is Gary Dean Anderson and he is the man on the right, not the man with the suit. He was a graphic design artist and his recycling symbol has become one of the most widely known, and important, symbols ever created.
In 1970, the Container Corporation of America (CCA) advertised a competition to design a graphic symbol to be used on recycled paper products. They envisioned the design would recognize a commitment to environmental sensitivity on the part of manufacturers who were engaged in recycling.
It was decided that the winning symbol, called the Mobius Loop, would be given over to the public domain. This competition was also held in conjunction with the first Earth Day. Anderson's design was chosen from over 500 entries and it is still used today although it has been altered in some cases and is usually seen with the color green now. Here is the original design and some of the ones used today.
