Santa Rita, Salento: All You Need to Know
April 26, 2024
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Are you looking for a new pair of sunglasses for your next trip? As a conscious traveler and consumer, you are probably wondering if there are ethical brands producing eco-friendly sunglasses. I recently delved deep into the world of sustainable eyewear and I was thoroughly impressed with what I discovered online. In this post, I will let you in on 15 lovely eyewear brands that are committed to reducing their environmental footprint!
Eyewear brands nowadays are pushing the boundaries. They are one of the best examples in the fashion industry that prove that you can indeed create stylish and durable products from sustainable materials.
Choosing sunglasses made from recycled or sustainable materials has many benefits. One of the most important things is a reduction in plastic waste, benefiting our oceans.
Secondly, you can be sure that the below brands have implemented ethical manufacturing processes. Workers in the factories of these brands get paid fair wages and production processes are optimized to minimize their environmental impact as much as possible.
being eco-friendly is not boring as many people argue. The versatility of the eyewear brands below is astounding. Sunglasses made of fishing nets, recycled plastic, bamboo, or even repurposed wood, nothing is too crazy and give these sunglasses a unique look and feel.
Sunski is my favorite sunglasses brand out there! They are like a breath of fresh air in the eco-friendly fashion world and offer sunglasses made from SuperLight recycled plastic.
Their designs are not only lightweight and comfortable but also have polarized lenses for high-quality eye protection.
Sunski is very dedicated to doing its best for the environment. this translates not only into fabulous sunglasses but also into their packaging, which is completely compostable, and they are a member of 1% for the Planet.
Woodzee is a brand that works on the intersection of style, sustainability, and innovation within the eyewear industry. Founded with a commitment to the environment, It’s their mission to blend the beauty of nature with the functionality of high-quality eyewear.
Woodzee crafts its sunglasses and eyewear from renewable resources such as wood, bamboo, and recycled materials. The use of these materials not only gives their sunglasses a unique, earthy look but also reduces the environmental impact on the planet.
Aside from their eco-friendly products sunglasses, they also offer a recycling program that encourages customers to return their old sunglasses. In return, you receive a discount on your next purchase!
Blue Planet Eyewear is a great addition to the eco-conscious fashion scene, combining classic designs with modern sustainability practices. Each pair of Blue Planet sunglasses and readers is made from materials such as recycled metal and plastic, as well as natural bamboo and wood.
Their ethical mission however is what sets Blue Planet apart. Through their Visualize Change Program, they donate a pair of glasses to a person in need for every pair sold. This initiative helps improve the lives of individuals with vision impairments around the world!
Also their packaging is sustainable. It is crafted from recycled materials and designed to minimize waste.
Gobi Amsterdam offers eco-friendly vegan sunglasses made from sustainable and biodegradable acetate from the cellulose of cotton. The frames are lightweight yet durable, held together by Teflon-coated screws and stainless steel hinges, allowing the shades to last for ages if taken care of properly.
The shades also offer high-quality lenses with an anti-reflective coating, keeping the eyes protected from harsh light and UV rays.
Besides on the brand’s website, you can find these shades at Loveco, a Berlin-based sustainable concept store offering a wide range of eco-friendly products from various sustainable brands.
Zeal is an environmentally and socially conscious brand with a deep commitment to sustainability. For the manufacturing of their sunglasses, they use plant-based materials for their frames and Elumme Polarized lenses that are derived from the castor plant.
Their products mainly cater to a broad range of outdoor activities like skiing, camping, and hiking. They are known for implementing innovative technology into their products including lenses that can adjust to varying light conditions, block 100% of UV light and 95% of HEV light.
Slow travel adventures with the Sunski Bernina sunglasses
Eco Eyewear was established in 2009 and can proudly say that they were the first eco-friendly eyewear brand that ever existed. They were also one of the first carbon-negative brands in the eyewear industry and they have planted over 3.6 million trees through their “one frame, one tree” program.
Their glasses and additional accessories are made from materials like biodegradable bio acetate, caster seeds, recycled metal, and ocean plastic. The transport bags for the glasses are made of cornstarch and the further packaging is also created with the environment in mind.
Otis eyewear is a B corp-certified brand that originated from the rugged and surf-friendly coast of Western Australia. Their sunglasses were created with the ethos that they don’t only need to look good but also need to last the distance and support a fun and eclectic lifestyle.
Otis eyewear stands out because their lenses are made using mineral glass instead of plastic. Mineral glass is extremely scratch-resistant, sustainable, and has optical correctness in comparison with plastic lenses.
They even offer a lifetime warranty on their sunglasses!
Pala Eyewear is a B Corp UK-based brand that distinguishes itself from fast fashion brands with its sustainable and eco-friendly practices. They use vegan eco-friendly materials like biodegradable plant-based frames and recycled acetate to create their products and prioritize small-batch production to minimize their environmental impact.
Furthermore, Pala Eyewear operates on a “giving back” model. For every pair of glasses that they sell, Pala gives a free pair of glasses to vision care projects in Africa.
Swell Vision is a sustainable lifestyle brand that was founded in 2013 by Michell Saum. It emerged from Saum’s passion for nature and led him to create products that are inspired by this passion and are also environmentally friendly.
Swell Vision not only produced eco-friendly eyewear but also watches, appeal, and other accessories. They focus on using bamboo as a sustainable alternative to more carbon-intensive conventional materials.
Proof is a pioneering sustainable eyewear brand that was established by the Dame brothers in 2010. Proof Eyewear stands out from the rest for its handcrafted sunglasses and optical frames that are made from environmentally friendly materials like sustainably sourced wood, recycled aluminum, and biodegradable cotton-based acetate.
Aside from that, they also want to do good. They donate funds on a project-by-project basis and have so far helped provide tsunami relief in Japan, reforestation in Haiti, and child soldier rehabilitation in Africa.
Palm trees and Vitamin Sea on the Caribbean coast in Colombia
Solo Eyewear has an incredible resume when it comes to sustainability practices! It was founded as a class project by Jenny Amaraneni and Dana Holliday at San Diego State University after they realized that there is a great need for eyecare worldwide.
Today, they produce sustainable eyewear made from recycled and repurposed materials such as bamboo, wood, and cellulose acetate and they donate a part of their profits to fund eye exams, cataract surgeries, and eyeglasses around the world.
Their manufacturing partners also have passed comprehensive audits regarding worker protection and safety and they work together with small communities in Guatemala providing them with fair wages and global market exposure.
Just Human is an eyewear brand founded by Craig Gonsenhauser and Stacey Gorlick in 2019. They offer seasonless, unisex sunglasses that are both stylish and sustainable. All their glasses are crafted by hand in China only using natural and recycled materials.
Their mineral-based lenses offer 100% UV and UB protection along with glare reduction, a blue light filter, and resistance to heat and scratches. Furthermore, their cases are made from pineapple leaves, and the cleaning cloth is made from recycled water bottles. The packaging is also sustainable and made from low-waste recycled materials inspired by origami.
Peep Eyewear is a UK-based, family-run business founded by Jo and Chris, a couple passionate about sustainability in the eyewear industry. Peep aims to reduce waste by recycling and restoring old vintage frames and giving them a new life by selling them with customizable prescription lenses and sunglasses tints.
The concept is pretty unique and aside from selling preloved vintage frames they also offer repair services encouraging customers to refurbish their existing eyewear instead of disposing of them. For every pair of glasses sold, they also plant a tree, in partnership with “Trees for cities”.
Mita Eyewear is a brand that stands out for its commitment to sustainability and environment-friendly designs. They offer a fashionable and ethically produced range of sunglasses that combine the lively feel of Miami with Italian craftsmanship and design.
Their sunglasses are made from recycled bottles, aluminum, and titanium while their packaging is also ethically produced and consists of biodegradable poly bags, recycled polyester pouches and cleaning cloths, and FCS paper bags.
Mita is B Corp certified and also carries the “Optic for good”-label, the first eco-responsible label in optical eyewear.
Ecotech Eyeglasses was founded by a veteran optician from the US and claims to be one of the greenest eyewear brands in the world. They run their own production line using only eco-friendly materials like biodegradable plastic and reclaimed metal hardware.
What makes Ecotech unique is that they provide a made-to-order service, allowing you to design your own unique pair of sunglasses from scratch. They even encourage people to visit the factory and encourage a close relationship between buyers and the people that work in the factory.
There you go! This was a short post about a few eco-friendly sunglasses brands out there. No matter if you travel to tropical destinations like Thailand or Costa Rica or the rather colder climates of Patagonia or the Caucasus mountains in Georgia, a good pair of sunglasses always comes in handy.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or drop me a message through my contact page.
Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously!
ENJOY!
Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click on them, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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