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When it comes to being zero waste, even the smallest things matter, like the sunglasses you wear every day. As someone who has lived in different parts of the world, I know the importance of having sun protection at all times. But it’s not just about protecting your eyes from the sun’s rays – it’s also about being mindful of the environmental impact of your eco friendly sunglasses.
As a minimalist, I don’t believe in owning multiple pairs of sunglasses for different occasions. Instead, I prefer to invest in high-quality, eco-friendly sunglasses that are designed to last and can be worn in any setting.
Indeed, those sunglasses used to cost a whopping $700, and unfortunately, I lost them in the vast expanse of the Sri Lankan sea. But that was back in the day when I wasn’t yet on my zero waste journey.
These days, I’m the proud owner of just one pair of sunglasses – a trusty set of Sunskis that have been with me for a full year now. Recently, the lenses started to show some wear and tear, but Sunski’s customer service team quickly responded and sent me replacement lenses. It’s heartening to see a company that cares about its customers and the environment, and I’m happy to continue supporting them.
Sure, the point is not to have to replace your lenses, but most of the time, you can’t even do that. I like that they offer replacement lenses, so you don’t have to get a new set.
This blog post will show you some cool, new, and innovative eco-friendly sunglass brands. But don’t be fooled because, let’s face it, one way or another, these glasses are going to end up in landfills unless you make sure to send them to Terracycle. They have a zero waste box to collect your broken specs, or the company offers a recycling program.
What are eco friendly sunglasses made of?
Eco-friendly sunglasses can be made of recycled ocean plastic, recycled materials such as recycled aluminum, or biodegradable materials, such as wood, cork and bamboo.
What to Look for When Shopping for Sustainable Sunglasses
When shopping for sunglasses online, look for sustainable ones made from biodegradable materials. You can also consider buying sunglasses manufactured from sustainable materials and sustainably produced in an environmentally and socially responsible fashion. Below we have the best brands of sustainable sunglasses on the planet.
There are a few key aspects that we at zerowasteman look for in a company that claims to make eco-friendly sunglasses.
Do they show any proof of their sustainable actions on the website?
Are they members
of reputable organizations such as 1% for the planet member or the B Corp?- Alternatively, do they have a give-back program?
- Are the materials that they use recycled materials,
or do they come from renewable resources?
How are they made?
The best eco-friendly and sustainable sunglasses in 2022!
1. Sunski
Sunski is, so far, one of my favorite sustainable sunglasses brands. Not only because I own a pair and love their customer support but also because they are timeless, look good, and give me the polarized lenses that I need for living near the ocean.
But also because the price is right. Getting a nice pair of sunglasses made from recycled materials doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg. Plastic, in this case.
Material: Recycled Plastic, polarized lenses
Gives Back: 1% member for the planet
Value: Lifetime Warranty, replacement lenses for $18
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $48-$98
2. Waterhaul
The story behind Waterhaul is inspiring one, and since I live near the ocean and kitesurf or surf, I couldn’t help but see the ghost gear discarded on beaches or entangled with our marine life.
Founder Harry Dennis took it upon himself to turn ghost gear into stylish-looking sustainable sunglasses; this is where we are today.
Material: 100% recycled fishing nets
Lens: Barberini mineral glass lens, sustainable lenses
Gives Back: 1% member for the planet
Value: Lifetime Warranty, replacement of frames or recycling of frames forever.
Packaging: cork and cotton
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: $90
3. Sea2sea
These high-quality sunglasses are made with 100% recycled ocean plastic; the cases come in cork with recycled PET cleaning cloths.
Sea2Sea has been actively contributing to reducing ocean plastic and has been a part of 6 of the 17 Sustainable development goals formally adopted in September 2015 by the UN General Assembly with the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
These guys are up for the task if you want to wear outstanding eyewear and give back.
Material: 100% recycled fishing nets, 1 frame = 1kg of marine plastic
Gives Back: B Corp, Carbon Negative
Packaging: cork and recycled PET cleaning cloth
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: Euro 98-160
Colorful standard, a slow fashion company, has a line of sustainable eyewear. They primarily use cellulose acetate frames which they claim are 100% biodegradable and fully compostable. I always cringe when I read such a big claim because, most often, the case is that it requires a composting facility which not everyone has near the city you live in.
Material: 100% recycled fishing nets, 1 frame = 1kg of marine plastic
Gives Back: B Corp, Carbon Negative
Packaging: cork and a recycled PET cleaning cloth
Shipping: Worldwide
Cost: Euro 98-160
5. Skrap
Skrap is a small business coming out of Canada. They are using old skateboards and upcycling them into stylish and unique sunglasses.
Gotta love to support the circular economy by sticking with small companies such as this one. Proudly handcrafted in Ottawa, Canada, from 100% reclaimed skateboard decks. Each pair has brilliant and totally unique layers of colored maple wood veneer from a skateboard deck with a backstory. Each is fitted with stainless steel spring hinges, has UV400 Polarized lenses, and water resistant finish.
Material: 100% recycled skateboards
Gives Back: No, but you support a small business.
Packaging: Reclaimed material
Cost: $100-125 CAD
6. Good Citizens
This highly customizable pair of sunglasses is made from 1 post-consumer plastic bottle and turned into 3 different styles. The arms are interchangeable and you can even choose different colored hinge clips.
Made in Sydney, it took this family business 752 days and 2500 failed attempts until they had created the final result.
Material: 100% recycled plastic bottles
Lenses: Carl Zeiss UV 400 CAT 3 polarized and non-polarized
Gives Back: Resea Project (removing ocean plastic), C2zero (offsetting carbon)
Packaging: recyclable cardboard box
Cost: $100-169 for prescription glasses AUD
7. Ballo
Ballo has been making stylish sunglasses since 2013 out of cape town, Africa. The glasses are all handmade and create lots of jobs. Alistair Barnes, the founder previously worked for a wooden sunglass firm that claimed to be in the US but was actually making their products in China.
He started Ballo to be authentic and sustainable; the results are amazing.
Material: upcycled and recycled sustainably sourced materials.
Lenses: Scratch-resistant lenses CR 39
Gives Back: 1% member for the planet, greenpop (planting trees) and supporting communities and educating people.
Packaging: recyclable, sustainable packaging.
Cost: $108-168 USD
8. Bureo
Bureo makes high-quality glasses out of discarded fishing nets. Reducing plastic pollution in our oceans and turning them into high-quality frames.
Bureo has also partnered with Patagonia and is supplying their NetPlus material made from post-consumer recycled fishing nets. Together they have created a line of some of Patagonia’s best jackets, board shorts and more. You can find that here.
Material: recycled fishing nets
Lenses: Costa’s patented 580 Lightwave® Glass lenses
Gives Back: 1% member for the planet
Cost: $206-226 USD
9. I Want Proof
Proof was founded in 2010 by three brothers in a garage. It quickly made a name and pioneered the movement around sustainable sunglasses.
Today their headquarters are in Idaho but you can get their glasses anywhere in the world.
Material: recycled aluminum, sustainably sourced wood, biodegradable cotton-based acetate.
Lenses: Polarized anti-reflective lens | UVA/UVB 400 protection
Gives Back: restoring vision, planting 5 trees for each frame sold.
Cost: $75 – 125 USD
Why Choose Sustainable Eyewear?
Conventional sunglasses are made from virgin plastic, which requires much more energy than recycled plastic. Sustainable eyewear has the potential to revolutionize the industry by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water usage while offering customers an environmentally friendly option that they can be proud of wearing every single day.
Since the rise of eco-friendly products and more companies opting for sustainable solutions, eyewear is also becoming more eco-friendly.
Yes, most sunglasses made from recycled materials are still plastic, but we are talking recycled plastic. Companies like Sunski have options only to buy a new set of polarized lenses when your old ones are damaged or scratched.
A few companies use fishing nets that have been collected through ocean clean-ups. In fact, the Ocean Cleanup Project made a pair of eco-friendly sunglasses from the ocean plastic they collected in the great pacific garbage patch. If you would like to know more about what ocean cleanup is to read this article.
Sadly they won’t make another pair of sunglasses so you can only admire them here.
What are the best-recycled materials for eco-friendly sunglasses?
The best materials for eco-friendly sunglasses are materials that can be definitively recycled, like aluminum or glass. But sustainably sourced wood often makes good solid frames for glasses.
Can You Recycle Acetate Sunglasses?
You may have come across some sunglasses that claim to be biodegradable and or eco-friendly and say they use bio-acetate frames. After doing my research, I came up with this conclusion.
Acetate is a human-derived, semi-synthetic material. It is made from wood pulp mixed with chemicals like acetic acid (vinegar), acetic anhydride, and sulphuric acid. It is then spun into fibers and sometimes mixed with other materials until it is turned into sheets or molded into shape. You can find it used as a fabric in curtains, etc or molded into frames for sunglasses.
And because it’s thermoplastic—meaning it can soften when heated and return to a hardened state when cooled—it is very popular in the eco-friendly sunglasses market today.
But, and this is a big but, it can only biodegrade depending on where and how it was discarded. So don’t assume you can throw it in your compost bin.
Additionally, the chemicals used to make acetate have been linked to reproductive health issues and more. On top of that, it also breaks down into microplastics, further damaging our environment.
Microplastic, what is that? Learn all about what microplastic is and how you can avoid it here.
So, yes, it is better than virgin plastic, but you are still going to buy a product that doesn’t easily break down, uses chemicals that harm people and the environment, and leaves microplastic behind.
End note:
Some of the eco-friendly sunglasses we mentioned here use either bio acetate or are made from some form of synthetic polymer that may be mixed with something natural, like corn or sugarcane. But remember, if it doesn’t fully biodegrade in your home compost, it will impact the environment, and that is just the way it is. So rather than becoming a collector of sunglasses, keep it minimal and own one nice pair of sunglasses for a long time.
Do you want to know who actually makes your glasses?
