Blue Angel mark

A blue figure with outstretched arms inside a ring of laurel, Germany's environmental label.

Also known as: Blauer Engel, Blue figure with arms out

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Meanings

The Blue Angel, introduced in Germany in 1978, is the oldest environmental label in the world. Its design borrows the United Nations Environment Programme's emblem, which is why a national mark carries an international symbol.

Common modern usageVerified fact
Certifies a product against published environmental criteria under the German federal ecolabelling scheme.
Germany · Contexts: Packaging
Historically documentedVerified fact
Was introduced in 1978 and is generally described as the earliest environmental label of its kind anywhere.
Contexts: Packaging, History
Common modern usageVerified fact
Takes its central figure and laurel ring from the emblem of the United Nations Environment Programme, so a national certification mark is built on an international one.
Contexts: Packaging

Visual description

A blue disc containing a simplified human figure with both arms raised and spread wide, encircled by a wreath of laurel leaves open at the top.

Symmetry: vertical
Orientation: upright
Colours: blue, white

Confidence

IdentityModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

Sources

Blue Angel (certification)
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-07-31
Tertiary reference. Used for what a mark depicts, who owns it and whether a scheme or regulation stands behind it. Where a regulation is named, it is reported by this source rather than read directly, so no meaning is typed `official` on that basis alone.

Last reviewed 2026-08-01

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Environmental and ethical product marks

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Meanings

Common modern usageVerified fact

Certifies a product against published environmental criteria under the German federal ecolabelling scheme.

Germany · Contexts: Packaging

Historically documentedVerified fact

Was introduced in 1978 and is generally described as the earliest environmental label of its kind anywhere.

Contexts: Packaging, History

Common modern usageVerified fact

Takes its central figure and laurel ring from the emblem of the United Nations Environment Programme, so a national certification mark is built on an international one.

Contexts: Packaging

Confidence

IdentityModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

Sources

Blue Angel (certification)
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-07-31
Tertiary reference. Used for what a mark depicts, who owns it and whether a scheme or regulation stands behind it. Where a regulation is named, it is reported by this source rather than read directly, so no meaning is typed `official` on that basis alone.

Last reviewed 2026-08-01