Great Eyewear From Sustainable Sunglasses Companies
Sunglasses are made of non-biodegradable metal and plastic, with toxic paints. They can be difficult to recycle, which contributes to the environmental pollution. With the popularity of sunglasses in fast fashion, they are often cheap but not sustainable.
There is a brighter future ahead with high-quality, stylish sustainable sunglasses options that use eco-friendly materials as well as modern innovations in ethical eyewear.
Explore our selection of eight sustainable and inspiring sunglasses brands that are positively influencing slow fashion and ethical eyewear trends.
CHILDE
Childe is a contemporary rock'n'roll brand that redefines sustainable fashion and slow fashion. The eco-friendly sunglasses by CHILDE were designed in Byron Bay, Australia and handmade in Italy. They feature classic styles and bold colors.
GOOD CITIZENS
The idea for the Australian sustainable sunglasses brand Good Citizens was born out of a conversation between a father with his sons about how much plastic waste is worldwide. This led to an innovative idea: Take single-use soda bottles and make them into 100% recycled plastic sunglasses.
One 600 ml single-use plastic bottle is enough to make the frame, arms, and hinges for a pair of Good Citizens recycled plastic sunglass frames. The unique Clip Kit allows for customization with frame clips in four different colors. There are no screws or metal parts. The sustainable sunglasses by Good Citizens also include high quality sunglass lenses from Carl Zeiss Vision of Germany.
Good Citizens is committed to making products that last, never exploit people or the planet. They're also raising the eco-style stakes by creating sustainable sunglasses one at a time.
PALA
The B Corp certification is a highly sought-after and highly-coveted award that recognizes sustainable sunglasses companies. It demonstrates that they meet the highest standards in social and environmental performance, transparency and legal accountability. UK-based brand Pala has made a significant impact on sustainable eyewear in both style and substance.
Vision Aid Overseas provides continuing grants to support eye care projects in Africa. Pala also creates stylish, ethically-made sunglasses using eco-friendly materials. It exclusively uses bio-acetate for all its high-performance, durable sunglass frames. They are constantly seeking out and implementing new science technologies to improve their materials for a lower environmental impact, such as their latest non-polarized lenses made from 39.5% castor beans.
WATERHAUL
Are you looking for affordable, stylish and ethical sunglasses made of recycled plastic from the ocean? We think it sounds like smart eco eyewear.
Waterhaul is a brand created by Harry Dennis, a frustrated surfer, marine scientist and conservationist from Cornwall, UK. He took his passion about ocean preservation and made it into an innovative sustainable recycled sunglass brand. Waterhaul frames are made from the most common types of plastic found in our oceans, nets and fishing gear. This waste is sourced from remote areas along exposed coastlines and then injected moulded in a Northern Italy facility. Waterhaul uses the strongest plastic from the oceans to produce eyewear and sunglasses that are extremely durable and can last for decades.
DICK MOBY
The Dutch-born sustainable sunglasses brand Dick Moby likes to consider their bio-acetate frames the smarter, more stylish, and eco-friendly cousin of the old plastic sunglasses. They save bits and pieces from their manufacturers and can be recycled to make new, handmade, plant-based and recycled metal and acetate eyewear.
SOLO Eyewear
SOLO Eyewear is an environmentally-friendly sunglasses company that also addresses the lack of eye care access in some of the most poorest communities around the globe.
Their polarised, eco-friendly sunglasses are made with repurposed wood and bamboo frames. They also use cellulose acetate frames that are environmentally friendly. SOLO Eyewear sunglasses are 100% UV protected and come with polarised lenses. This means that your investment in sustainable sunglasses will be environmentally sound even if your sunglasses get scratched or damaged.