What Is Sustainable Eyewear?
On Earth Day, we all like to explore how we have and are impacting the environment of our world. In doing so, we do things a little differently. Some of us promise to bike to work a little more. Some of us vow to recycle more. Some of us might only make an effort to group our Amazon deliveries. Whatever each of us chooses to do, or not do, impacts our world and the future of our children and their children.
This article, however, is not meant to be a guilt trip on what any of us are doing to help or hurt our society or our planet. It is meant to hopefully elicit some thoughtful introspection and conversation.
As I travel to trade shows around the world, I speak with a lot of brands. I speak with a lot of designers. I speak with a lot of colleagues. I have noticed over the years that the term sustainable is being used more and more in eyewear, as I am sure you have as well. In this day and age of greenwashing and obfuscation, I thought today a great opportunity to talk about what is truly sustainable in eyewear and in our optical universe.
According to the UN Brundtland Commission, sustainability is defined as “ meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
To some companies, that means creating eyewear with as few waste materials as possible. That would include companies making 3D polyamide or nylon printed eyewear, like ROLF, MYKITA, MONOQOOL, LEINZ, or TPI, to name a handful. There are also companies making 3D printed eyewear out of titanium, like Hoet or Michael Young Eyewear. A number of companies make eyewear from wood, such as FEB31, Shwood, and HERRLICHT, just to name a few.
Acetate has become a bit more sustainable these days with bio-acetate. Bio-acetate is a similar material to traditional acetate without the more harmful phthalates; it is certified to break down more efficiently. Companies like ROKA, RAEN, INVU, and AM Eyewear are just a few of the companies making eyewear from bio-acetate.
There are companies making eyewear from recycled materials. A number of companies use recycled acetate, like Andy Wolf, AllSaints, Safilo, and Marchon. Sea2see makes eyewear from recycled fishing nets, as do Costa, Vallon, and Karun. Companies like Skans make eyewear from recycled stainless steel, as do Altair and Eco.
There are also a number of pioneer manufacturers, making eyewear from a variety of other recycled materials. Vinylize makes eyewear from old vinyl records. Ochis makes eyewear from coffee grounds.
While I’ve only highlighted a very small selection of brands that produce what we would consider sustainable eyewear, I’d like to offer one additional perspective on what truly defines sustainability in this space.
This idea was shared with me by an established designer from a prominent eyewear manufacturer, and it has resonated more deeply over time as I’ve continued to evaluate eyewear. Rather than chasing trends or relying solely on the latest materials, this designer focused on craftsmanship, using high-quality components and creating styles designed to endure for generations. In their view, sustainability meant longevity, with eyewear built to last a lifetime.
This is not intended to diminish the work of the many innovative and thoughtful manufacturers creating exceptional eyewear with modern, sustainable materials. Instead, it expands the conversation and offers another lens through which to view sustainability, one that may be valuable to consider when patients or customers ask about sustainable eyewear, both now and in the future.
Original link: https://www.opticaljournal.com/what-is-sustainable-eyewear/