What’s better than a great looking pair of sunglasses? Two words: recycled sunglasses. I was super excited to find so many socially conscious companies making stylish eco-friendly sunglasses out of recycled materials, as well as bioplastic materials like cellulose acetate. When you learn about the inspiration behind some of these sustainable sunglasses brands, plus the way so many give back by supporting charitable causes, I think you’ll feel as psyched as I did when you read about them.
The Plastic Crisis
As you’re probably already aware, we’re experiencing a global plastic waste crisis. So, recycling plastic into other useful products helps to keep it out of our oceans and landfills – at least for a bit longer. It turns out that sunglasses are an ideal use for recycled materials, as they require only small pieces. As a result, product designers can create cool sunglasses from small material scraps. Consequently, we’re starting to see some innovative sunglasses made with recycled and upcycled materials. The groundbreaking companies showcased here are making recycled sunglasses out of recycled plastic waste from the ocean, as well as a host of other reclaimed materials, including skateboard decks, aluminum, wood flooring, vinyl records, and more.
We humans buy a lot of sunglasses.
People all over the world wear sunglasses, and let’s admit it – many of us own more than one pair. In 2019, Americans bought over 200 million pairs of sunglasses. (Statista.) When you combine this with the number purchased by people from other countries, you can see there’s a massive market for this accessory. After your cell phone charger, sunscreen, razor, and toothbrush – sunglasses are the most common item that you’ll forget to pack when leaving for vacation. So, what do you do? You buy a new pair.
Thankfully, recycled sunglasses and those made with other eco-friendly materials, like wood, bamboo, and bioplastic, are hitting the beaches and streets around the world. And they can’t get here fastest enough! In addition to recycled sunglasses, if you’d like to see cool shades made from other eco-friendly materials, check out my post on wood frame and bamboo sunglasses.
1. Ozeano Biodegradable Sunglasses
Australia-based Ozeano is another innovative eyewear company that’s driven by a true sense of purpose. While traveling abroad, founder Mark Cason was walking on Serendipity Beach in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.
Mark was shocked by the volume of plastic pollution and other litter that was being washed up on the beach in what would otherwise be a paradise on Earth. He involuntarily started picking up some of the trash, when a local man named Heng joined him.
Though Heng suffered badly from cataracts, an eye disease that causes blindness but which is easily treatable with proper medical care, he still wanted to help.
From this meeting, Ozeano was born – an eco-conscious, social enterprise that makes cool, totally sustainable sunglasses. The frames are plantbased and 100% biodegradable within 110 days under average compose condition.
Ozeano hand-makes their shades in Australia, so all of their frames are certified Australian-handmade in Port Macquarie in New South Wales.
Ozeano also donates 10% of revenue to the Fred Hollows Foundation, a nonprofit that helps restore vision for people in need.
In addition to being made with 100% sustainable materials, Ozeano’s shades have premium UV400 polarized lenses. They also come in 100% FSC-certified cork case and with a cloth pouch that’s made with 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton. And it gets better! Ozeano ensures that all of their shipments are carbon-neutral.
Ozeano offers a special discount for UniGuide visitors: Apply the promo code “UniGuide” at checkout and you’ll get an extra 5% off your purchase price.
2. Waterhaul Recycled Fishing Net Sunglasses
Founded by marine biologist and surfer Harry Denton, Waterhaul is named for a term that originates in Newfoundland’s cod fisheries: A waterhaul refers to hauling empty trawl nets out of the sea.
The problem is that every year, tens of thousands of tons of fishing nets are discarded or lost in the ocean. These discarded fishing nets comprise nearly half of the plastic pollution in the ocean by weight, and they cause the death of tens of thousands of marine animals every year who get entangled in them. The marine animals that are entangled in the nets attract even more marine animals, who also get entangled, dying a slow and painful death. These ghost nets also damage critical marine habitats, such as coral reefs and kelp forests.
Waterhaul’s team intercepts these nets and other plastic pollution from the ocean and turns them into durable recycled products like their cool, eco-friendly sunglasses.
Here’s a video from Waterhaul about the origins of their recycled sunglasses:
Price: $89.58
3. Sunski Sustainable and Carbon Neutral Sunglasses
Sunski is a new brand on the scene that has their values in the right place. All of their frames are made with recycled materials and they’re produced in a carbon neutral manufacturing process. Sunski also avoids plastic packaging. In addition, they donate 12% or their profits to charities and they’re a member of 1% for the Planet.
4. BioSunnies Biodegradable Frame Sunglasses
A new brand on the scene, BioSunnies makes their eco-friendly sunglasses with recycled wheat straw that is diverted from the waste stream.
5. Zeal Optics Cellulose Acetate Sunglasses
In addition to recycled plastic, today you can find some great styles of sunglasses that are made with cellulose acetate, which is a synthetic compound that is derived from plant cellulose. Cellulose is a readily biodegradable substance by organisms that use cellulose enzymes. So, cellulose acetate, depending on how it’s made and on environmental conditions, is more easily biodegradable than traditional petrol-plastic.
Zeal Optics makes a variety of cool bioplastic shades with cellulose acetate frames.
6. Eco Sunglasses by Dzim Eco Eyewear
Dzim Eco Eyewear makes cool sunglasses in a wide variety of styles, from wayfarers to aviators, mirrored lenses, and more, and the bioplastic frames 100% biodegradable and made with renewable materials. They have polarized, impact- and scratch-resistant frames. In addition, Dzim ships their eco sunglasses in a cotton cleaning back and minimalist 70% recycled and recyclable packaging.
7. Blue Planet Eyewear Recycled Sunglasses
With straightforward goals, Blue Planet pledge “to help protect the planet, change lives, and have fun.” Founded in Santa Barbara, California, the company has been hard at work since 2009 bringing socially responsible and eco-friendly eyewear to people all over the world. They don’t just stick to the basics, either. They strive to satisfy all kinds of customers, with eyewear made from a range of sustainable materials, including recycled plastic, recycled metal, wood, bamboo, and cork.
With every pair of glasses they sell, Blue Planet donates a pair to someone in need via their global sight giving partners. To date, they’ve helped over 400,000 visually impaired people around the world.
Here’s Lisa Lawenda, a VP at Blue Planet, and Matt Weinstein, the company’s brand manager, talking about Blue Planet’s Visualize Change program, which helps restore sight for people around the world.:
Blue Planet offers a variety of lenses as well. They provide standard polarized lenses and lenses with maximum UV protection for extra-sensitive eyes. In addition to their super cool sunglasses, they also make reading glasses.
Buy on Blue Planet >>
8. Norton Point Recycled Ocean Plastic Sunglasses
Unwilling to sit back and let the eight million metric tons of plastic pollution destroy our oceans, the founders of Norton Point have made it their mission to clean up the mess and recycle ocean plastic into high-quality, durable sunglasses. Their sunglasses are all made with recycled ocean plastic and plant-based materials. Based in Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, Norton Point donates 5% of their net profits to global ocean clean-up, education, and remediation practices.
Here’s a video featuring Shaun Frankson, co-founder of ThePlasticBank, an organization that helps monetize plastic waste by exchanging it for currency to help people in impoverished places. Shaun talks about how Norton Point is repurposing plastic from by ThePlasticBank into their eco-friendly shades.
Norton Point offers a large selection of men’s and women’s sunglasses, all of which come standard with solid stainless steel hinges. Their lenses feature 100% UVA and UVB protection and an anti-reflective coating, so you’ll be ready for the most intensely sunny days.
9. Proof Recycled Metal Aviator Sunglasses
A pioneer in the sustainable eyewear industry, Boise, Idaho-based Proof Eyewear has been making eco-friendly sunglasses since 2010. In addition to using sustainable materials in their products, Proof donates to charitable organization around the world. Through their Do Good Program, they donate 12% of their annual profits to these causes.
Proof integrates sustainable materials like recycled aluminum, FSC-certified wood, and recycled skateboard decks into their designs. And, they use high-quality lenses. All of their lenses are UVA and UVB protected. If you need prescription lenses, you can easily switch out their standard lenses for your own.
Here’s a video from Proof featuring their aviators with recycled aluminum frames:
10. Polarized Sunglasses with Recycled Skateboard Frames by Dex Shades
Dex Shades is another brand that’s recycling used skateboard decks and converting them into high quality shades. Each pair of their eco-friendly skateboard sunglasses is subtly colorful and unique. Plus, they’re comfortable to wear and super lightweight, weighing less than 1 oz. Dex Shades have polarized lenses and spring-fit hinges for laid back comfort. And as if you need more persuading beyond how cool these sunglasses are, Dex Shades plants a tree for every product they sell.
11. Skateboard Sunglasses by 7plis
If there’s a luxury brand of skateboard sunglasses, it has to be 7plis. They have a high price point, but these recycled shades have a sleek look that’s all their own. 7plis mixes chic design with a cool, distressed look that conveys the history of the materials. You can imagine some gnarly stunts were done on the skateboards from which these sunglasses originated. The lenses all offer 100% UV protection.
12. Skateboard Sunglasses by Sk8rings
Sk8rings is another designer that creates unique, colorful sunglasses made with upcycled skateboards. Based in Serbia, they also make a range of other recycled items, including rings, guitars, guitar knobs, and more. The lenses on their recycled sunglasses are polarized and offer 100% UV protection.
13. LaBante Reclaimed Wood Sunglasses
Famous for their eco-friendly and vegan handbags, LaBante has recently come out with a line of sunglasses made with different varieties of reclaimed wood, such as beech wood and padauk wood. There are a variety of styles, including aviator, round, cat eye, and more. For other styles of wooded sunglasses, visit my post on wood and bamboo sunglasses.
14. Upcycled Vinyl Records Eyewear by Spexwax
If you’re a music fan, these cool sunglasses made with upcycled vinyl records are a must-have. San Diego-based Spexwax reclaims unplayable vinyl records and turns them into cutting edge eyewear that epitomizes urban cool. They call their sunglasses “upcycled art for your face.” I wholeheartedly agree.
15. Recycled Records Sunglasses by Vinylize
Base in Budapest, Vinylize also hand makes great looking eyewear from upcycled vinyl records.
Price: $495.00
16. Sustainable, Recycled Sunglasses by Karün
Karün is a sustainable eyewear company based in Sweden that makes sunglasses with recycled fishing nets, recycled carbon fiber, recycled denim scraps, and other Earth-friendly materials. The company credits nature as their best “inventor and teacher.” With strong, eco-conscious values, the Karün team is focused on creating “a movement of like-minded people that trust that we can change the way we interact with our planet. We want to prove that it is possible to make the best quality products, but in a completely different way.”
To see more eco-conscious sunglasses, check out my post on:
Wood and Bamboo Sunglasses
Hey, super interesting article.
I would highlight that actually Pela Vision is not making biodegradable sunglasses or frames. Nowhere do they state they are biodegradable and only do state that each frame uses less water, emission, and waste to produce. I would argue that this is very limited in ‘sustainability’ or ‘eco’.
Hi Nick, Thanks for flagging that. I have removed them from this post. It looks like they changed their messaging. I give them credit for at least trying to be more eco-friendly than the vast majority of companies out there. However, if their sunglasses do not use recycled materials, they don’t belong in this blog post. Thanks again.
Here’s two that seem to have slipped the net ……. Parafina from Spain and Pala in the Uk – both are B Corp too
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll check them out!
Hi Christina, Thanks for your message. A brand I really like that makes shades as well as regular eye glasses is Blue Planet. Just click on their name in my comment and you can see their styles.