History

The small soap and candle business that William Colgate began in New York City early in the 19th century is now, more than 200 years later, a truly global company serving hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide. Throughout this history, Colgate people and Colgate values have been at the heart of our success.

Graphics resembling blue waves

1806-1820

1806: William Colgate starts a starch, soap and candle business on Dutch Street in New York City.

1817: First Colgate advertisement appears in a New York newspaper.

1820: Colgate establishes a starch factory in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Painting of a 19th-century street scene showing people walking, a woman with a parasol, and a building with blue shutters and a Colgate Co. 1806 sign

1857-1866

1857: Upon the death of founder William Colgate, the company is reorganized as Colgate & Company under the management of Samuel Colgate, our founder’s son.

1864: B.J. Johnson opens a soap factory in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which later becomes the Palmolive Company.

1866: Colgate introduces perfumed soap and perfumes/essence.

Black and white photo of a large, multi-story Palmolive Company factory in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

1872-1879

1872: Peet brothers establish a soap company in Kansas City, Kansas where they make Crystal White soap. Cashmere Bouquet, the first milled perfumed toilet soap, is registered as a Colgate trademark.

1873: Colgate starts selling aromatic toothpaste in jars.

1879: Gerhard Mennen establishes a pharmacy in Newark, New Jersey, which later becomes the Mennen Company.

Bottles of Colgate's Dental Powder with a metal cap from 1873.

1896-1898

1896: Colgate introduces toothpaste in a collapsible tube.

1898: B.J. Johnson Soap Co. introduces Palmolive Soap. Today, the Palmolive equity is sold in over 88 countries in 54 variants.

Soap bar with green packaging labeled Palmolive Mild All Family Soap from 1898.

1900-1902

1900: Colgate wins top honors for its fine soaps and perfumes at the World’s Fair in Paris.

1902: Stylish Palmolive advertising begins, emphasizing ingredient purity and product benefits.

Pattern of small Colgate soap and perfume bottles from 1900 against a light gray background.

1906-1908

1906: Colgate is incorporated by the five sons of Samuel Colgate. Ribbon opening is added to the Colgate tube: “We couldn’t improve the product, so we improved the tube.”

1908: Colgate & Company celebrates its 100th anniversary. Our product line includes over 800 different products.

Historic Colgate Clock sign from the 1900s on a building with a sign that reads Colgate's Soaps Perfumes.

1911-1912

1911: Colgate distributes two million tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes to schools and hygienists to demonstrate tooth brushing.

1912: William Mennen introduces the first American shaving cream tube.

Colgate tube of toothpaste from the 1900s.

1914-1920

1914: Colgate establishes its first international subsidiary in Canada.

1920: Colgate begins establishing operations in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Globe illustration showing longitude and latitude lines on a spherical map, representing Colgate's international expansion.

1926-1928

1926: Soap manufacturers Palmolive and Peet merge to become Palmolive-Peet Company.

1928: Colgate merges with Palmolive-Peet to become Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company.

1926 logo featuring a hand-drawn goat with the text PEETS on its side and Palmolive-Peet Co. underneath.

1930-1939

1930: On March 13th, Colgate is first listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

1939: Dr. Mark L. Morris develops a pet food to help save a guide dog named Buddy from kidney disease. This breakthrough leads to the first Hill’s Prescription Diet product.

Black-and-white photo of Dr. Mark L. Morris walking alongside his guide dog Buddy on a city street in the 1930s.

1947-1953

1947: Ajax cleanser is launched, establishing a powerful now-global brand equity for cleaning products.

1953: Colgate-Palmolive Company becomes the company’s official name.

Logo from the 1950s for Colgate-Palmolive Co with the text Quality Products Since 1809 underneath.

1956-1962

1956: Colgate opens corporate headquarters at 300 Park Avenue in New York City.

1962: Colgate opens research center in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Black and white photo of the Colgate headquarters building from the 1950s

1966-1968

1966: Palmolive dishwashing liquid is introduced. Today, it is sold in over 35 countries.

1968: Colgate toothpaste adds MFP Fluoride, clinically proven to reduce cavities.

Ad from the 1960s for Colgate toothpaste showing three children holding toothbrushes, with text reading "Pump More Fun Into Fighting Cavities".

1970-1972

1970: Irish Spring launches in Germany as Irische Frühling and in Europe as Nordic Spring. In 1972, Irish Spring is introduced in North America.

1972: Colgate acquires Hoyt Laboratories, which later becomes Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals.

Ad introducing Sunshine Yellow Irish Spring deodorant soap with packaging that reads "Exciting New Color".

1975-1976

1975: Caprice hair care launches in Mexico. Today, hair care products are sold in over 70 countries, with variants to suit every type of hair need.

1976: Colgate-Palmolive acquires Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Today, Hill’s is the global leader in pet nutrition and veterinary recommendations.

Several Hills Science Diet dog food cans and bags are displayed from the 1970s, including varieties for different health needs and life stages.

1983-1985

1983: Colgate Plus toothbrush is introduced. Today, over 2 billion Colgate toothbrushes are sold annually worldwide.

1985: Protex bar soap is introduced, and today offers all-family antibacterial protection across the globe.

Protex antibacterial soap box from the 1980s with red, blue, and orange stripes, showing product name and label that reads "New - Balance Formula For the Good Health of your Skin".

1986-1987

1986: The Chairman’s You Can Make A Difference Program is launched, recognizing innovation and executional excellence by Colgate people.

1987: Colgate acquires Softsoap liquid soap business from the Minnetonka Corporation. Today, Colgate is a global leader in liquid hand soap.

Softsoap logo on a light blue background from the 1980s.

1989-1991

1989: Annual Company sales surpass the $5 billion mark.

1991: Colgate acquires Murphy Oil Soap, the leading wood cleaner in the United States. Today, its product portfolio has expanded to include all-purpose cleaners, sprays and wipes.

Image shows bottles and container of Murphy Oil Soap, a cleaning product, with two bottles, one spray bottle, and a small can.

1992-1995

1992: Colgate acquires the Mennen company, sold today across the globe. Colgate Total toothpaste is introduced.

1995: Colgate enters Central Europe and Russia, expanding into fast-growing markets. Colgate acquires Kolynos Oral Care business in Latin America and launches market-leading Sorriso toothpaste.

Woman smiling and holding a Sorriso toothpaste tube close to her face in an ad from the 1990s.

1996-1997

1996: Colgate® Bright Smiles, Bright Futures™ oral health education program expands to 50 countries, and today reaches over 50 million children annually.

1997: Colgate Total toothpaste is introduced in the U.S. and quickly becomes the market leader. Colgate Total, with its 12-hour protection, fights a comprehensive range of oral health problems.

Three smiling young girls wearing school uniforms holding Colgate toothbrushes outdoors.

2004-2006

2004: Colgate acquires the GABA oral care business in Europe, with its strength in the important European pharmacy channel and its ties with the dental community.

2006: Colgate enters the fast-growing “Naturals” segment by purchasing Tom’s of Maine, a leader in that market in the United States.

Five boxes of Toms Natural Deodorant, each featuring blue and green packaging, arranged in a row.

2011-2013

2011: Colgate acquires the Sanex personal care brand in Europe.

2013: Hill’s enters the “Naturals” segment with the launch of Hill’s Ideal Balance™.

Six bottles of Sanex protector deodorant lined up on a blue background.

2014-2016

2014: Colgate refurbishes the historic “Colgate Clock,” a landmark in Jersey City, New Jersey.

2016: Colgate® Bright Smiles, Bright Futures™ celebrates 25 years of creating bright smiles. Since 1991, the program has reached more than 1.8 billion in 100 countries, with a goal or reaching 2 billion in 2025.

Refurbished Colgate Clock in Jersey City, New Jersey with a beautiful sunset behind.

2017-2018

2017: Colgate partners with the Mexican Dental Association Foundation to support passage of a new law requiring oral hygiene regimen during each school day for every child enrolled in a public primary school in Mexico City.

2018: Colgate® Bright Smiles, Bright Futures™ celebrates 1 Billion children reached since 1991. Colgate acquires professional skin care brands PCA Skin and EltaMD, advancing Colgate’s presence in the premium global skin care category.

Colgate "Bright Smiles, Bright Futures" logo with a circular illustration of three children smiling, celebrating reaching 1 billion children helped.

2019-2020

2019: Colgate launches the first-of-its-kind recyclable toothpaste tube and acquires premium, anti-aging skin care brand Filorga. Colgate Total toothpaste and Hill’s Science Diet are relaunched.

2020: Colgate acquires Hello Products LLC, and Colgate responds to COVID-19 pandemic by donating 25 million bars of #SafeHands soap along with $20 million in health and hygiene products and pet food.

Person wearing a mask holds a red bar of hand soap labeled "HAND SOAP #Safe Hands" for cleaning and hygiene.

Present

Colgate continues to focus on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition and sells its products in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.

A man applying toothpaste to a girl's toothbrush at a sink, with plants in the background.

BRANDS

Global Reach, Local Trust

Bringing trusted brands to millions of homes around the world.

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Woman smiling while adding Colgate toothpaste to a toothbrush in a bathroom.

IMPACT

Making a World of Difference

Impacting lives, protecting our planet, building a sustainable future for all.

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INNOVATION

Reimagining a Healthier Future

We pursue innovation with purpose, collaboration, input, and diversity.

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