A Sustainable Spring

Over the years we’ve seen many trends come and go in the eyewear industry like the 90s revival in miniature frames and sport luxe designs with a high-fashion feel. In the ever-evolving fashion industry, it can be hard to keep up with the latest craze in sunglasses. One thing we can take away from momentary trends is that while fashion is fleeting, the fashion industry's environmental impact can’t be ignored. A trend we have loved seeing this year, and believe it will be here to stay, is the range of eco-friendly and sustainable eyewear collections from both new and established brands. What was once limited to wooden frames, which we agree had a moment but was not an alternative for everyday wear, has now expanded to a variety of on-trend sunglasses you would never guess are made out of recyclable materials. Let us introduce to you a few of our favourite sustainable and fashionable eyewear brands that are giving back to the planet one pair of sunnies at a time.

Zeal has combined their passion for adventure and giving back to the planet by producing a range of high-quality eyewear made out of plant-based materials. Their mission is to enhance your time outdoors while working to protect the world around us and believe that it’s the little things that have the biggest impact. Zeal lenses are not only made out of a unique plant-based polymer that provides brilliant colour clarity and contrast but are also manufactured with Zeal’s signature Ellume Polarised technology. The brands exclusive Z-Resin material used to produce their frames are made from castor plant material that replaces the need for traditional plastics due to their strength, durability and environmentally conscious properties. There’s a lot to love about Zeal Optics with their range of premium eyewear for men and women who love the planet as much as they do exploring it.

Everyone’s favourite fashion-forward and affordable eyewear brand, Le Specs, has released a new sustainable collection called Le Sustain. Driven by a desire to make eyewear more sustainable, Le Sustain was produced to implement meaningful and ethically conscious practices to reduce environmental impact across all steps of production. The collection includes three trendy and easy-to-wear styles designed to suit a range of customers looking to shop sustainably while looking their most fashionable. The sunglass frames from the Le Sustain collection are made from 77% recycled plastic and 23% meadow grass resulting in attractive eyewear with minimal environmental impact. Le Specs challenges the way we live and consume for a more sustainable future while maintaining that essence of expression and individuality the brand is renowned for. With the attention, the exclusive collection is gaining, and quickly, we can expect to see more styles added to Le Specs Le Sustain collection.

Szade Eyewear is the new kid on the block who is making waves in the eyewear industry through a unique approach to creating trendy, affordable eyewear that is completely recycled. It’s not hard to see why the Melbourne brand’s stylish, sustainable and gender-neutral sunglasses are gaining a lot of attention. From angular cat-eye shapes to slim rectangular styles available in a variety of contemporary colourways, Szade is determined to break the cycle of waste and excess in the fashion industry by creating fashion-forward frames from completely recycled materials. Szade not only use sustainable materials to create their hand-assembled and perfectly polished eyewear but are also proudly plastic free meaning you won’t find any wrapping, stuffing or packaging of any kind that are made of single-use plastics. Szade has made an impressive first impression in the eyewear industry through their innovative approach to creating fashionable eyewear for everyone, making this brand one to watch.

Fortunately, it doesn’t stop there. The following established brands are doing their part to reduce their carbon footprint. In 2019, Dragon Alliance released their collection of eco-friendly, bio-resin eyewear made from castor bean oil that has maintained the relaxed, performance eyewear style the brand is known and loved for. Already debuted in the US but on its way to Australian soil is Dragon’s most recent environmental eyewear range, the Upcycled Collection. By upcycling single-use plastics, each pair of sunglasses represents five 100% recycled water bottles moulded into durable frames. 2019 also saw OTIS Eyewear take an environmentally-friendly step towards manufacturing by producing their Eco-Acetate Collection which underwent vigorous tests to be declared 100% biodegradable, 100% recyclable and 100% eco-friendly. Costa Del Mar’sBio-Resin Raw Material Process is part of their Kick Plastic Initiative to reduce their carbon footprint resulting in frames that are durable and lightweight while holding their shape under the harshest conditions.SIN Eyewear has followed suit by releasing their stylish and recyclable The Game Changer sunglasses which are made from discarded plastic bottles that wind up in our oceans and bins.

We’re excited to see more sustainable eyewear collections in the future as we believe that giving back to the planet is just as important as protecting your eyes. Check out the entire range of eco-friendly sunglasses online at Just Sunnies, because sustainable looks good on you.