Find Out If The Color Is The Culprit In This Interesting LEGO® Fact!
For decades, builders have whispered about one un-forgiving weak spot in the otherwise indestructible LEGO® universe: reddish-brown (and its darker cousins) that love to snap when you pry them up. Let’s revisit the rumor, sift the facts, and see what’s changed since LEGO® quietly fixed the flaw.
What Are The Theories As To Why Brown LEGO® Pieces Are So Fragile?
The pigment is to blame. Independent testers and AFOLs (Adult Fans of LEGO) now agree the culprit wasn’t the ABS plastic itself but the brown family of dyes. Certain reddish-brown, dark-brown, and dark-red colorants used between roughly 2012 – 2018 interacted poorly with the molten plastic, weakening the microscopic bonds and leaving bricks prone to hairline cracks.
Compatibility with existing colors. Each LEGO® colour formula has to “play nice” with 60-plus other pigments in the parts catalog. Early-2010s batches of brown were apparently less cooperative, making the finished element more brittle than, say, a trusty medium-blue wedge.
The 2010 Brown LEGO® Brick Debacle and big press. Reports snowballed on forums, BrickLink stores started flagging “fragile” parts, and by mid-2010s you could find heartbreaking photos of shattered minifig torsos and chocolate-fountain tiles everywhere. This problem was quickly diagnosed and rectified by LEGO®. However, since LEGO® makes 1,200 bricks per second, it is safe to say a few thousand faulty bricks got out and into your LEGO® bin!
Is The Fragile, Brown LEGO® Brick Real, Or A Myth?
This “myth” is very much a real phenomenon. Pre-2017, some hues and brown colors led to fragile LEGO® pieces. Don’t fret! LEGO® is more than happy to replace any pieces that snap due to the pigmentation and the molding process! Since LEGO® is more than happy to replace your bricks, it is safe to say something did indeed happen to make brown LEGO® pieces so fragile.
LEGO® Steps In: The 2018 “We Fixed It” Statement
After years of anecdotal evidence, LEGO® issued a rare quality bulletin in late 2018:
“We have been working hard to address reported issues with reddish brown bricks becoming brittle… Fixes were put in place earlier this year for colours 154 (New Dark Red), 192 (Reddish Brown) and 308 (Dark Brown).”
source: brickshow.combrickfanatics.com
Since that reformulation, post-2019 sets generally show normal durability. (Collectors who’ve built sets like the 2020-present Modulars confirm the browns behave just like other colours.) If you still crack a piece today, LEGO® will replace it free through the “Bricks & Pieces” service.
The Myth vs. Today’s Reality
- Pre-2018 sets: Yes, the threat was real—especially large plates and jumper tiles. Handle those with kid gloves or order replacements.
- Modern sets: The reformulated dye appears to have solved the brittleness issue. Breakage rates are back to the microscopic levels you’d expect from standard ABS.
- Other colours: Dark-red and even certain metallic shades showed minor fragility during the same window, but brown was by far the worst offender.
Will LEGO® Pieces Become Fragile And Brittle With Age?
Yes. So, do yourself a favor and ensure you take good care of your bricks by storing your LEGO® in a cool, dry place without any direct sunlight exposure. You can keep them away from moisture by putting them in a plastic bin.
What Is The Rarest Color LEGO® Piece Out There?
A fun bonus in this post: The LEGO® DC Stargirl Minifigure has the glitter translucent-orange, or glitter trans-orange for short, spear-tip piece for her accessory. This is the most uncommon LEGO® color deployed in the vibrant arsenal of LEGO® colors and pigmentation.
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