COLGATE

is a registered trademark of the US company Colgate-Palmolive for oral care products such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash and dental floss. The company originally sold soap and entered the oral care market in 1873, 16 years after the death of its founder, British entrepreneur William Colgate.

In 1873, the founder moved into toothpaste sales, selling toothpaste in glass jars, and in 1896 began selling toothpaste in collapsible tubes in New York City. Since then, the brand has been present in Asian, African, European and Latin American markets since the 1920s. In 1992, Colgate established its first factory in India to produce toothpaste for the domestic market. Colgate products are marketed in China and as of 2002, Colgate held 20% of the toothpaste market share in China. As of 2015, it also led, approximately 70% of the oral care market in Brazil.

In 2007, the UK Advertising Standards Authority said that Colgate-Palmolive could no longer make the claim that 4 out of 5 dentists recommended its dental products. The investigation showed that the study involved dentists surveyed by telephone to list the toothpastes they recommended, and their competitors were recommended at similar rates. The claim was considered misleading.

In 1995 Colgate bought the Kolynos brand and launched the new Sorriso brand. The "Bright Smiles" global oral health programme is launched in 1996, a year later it launches one of its flagship products, Colgate Total toothpaste, which promises 12 hours of protection. Today Colgate' s portfolio is focused on four business lines: oral care, personal care, home care and pet nutrition. Its presence covers more than 200 countries around the world.