Remember the days when sunglasses were just a trend? Now, sunglasses define more than just your personality. They can represent a responsible choice. Think about it: from summer sun to winter snow, sunglasses are essential for any season. A good pair of sunnies should always be close on hand.
The good news is that you don’t have to choose between style and contribution. There are a number of stylish sunglasses brands out there who are also making a positive impact.
We’ve compiled a list of ten brands of sustainable sunglasses that will leave you feeling good not only about how you look, but also your effect on the planet.
The best sustainable sunglasses brands:
- Proof Eyewear
- Panda Sunglasses
- Pala Eyewear*
- Dick Moby
- Swell Vision
- WaterHaul
- Solo Eyewear
- Elk
- Komodo
- Amour Vert
Benefits of Buying Sustainable Sunglass
They are Environmentally-friendly
You make a conscious choice to save the environment by choosing to buy environmentally-friendly products. Every time you replace a plastic product with a product made of a biodegradable material, you reduce your environmental impact, thereby saving the planet one step at a time.
They don’t contain Harmful Substances.
Wood and other biodegradable materials used to make sunglasses are naturally durable. They, therefore, don’t require much processing.
Wood is also a natural hypoallergenic material; hence it doesn’t cause any allergic reactions or other health issues.
They are very durable
Nobody wants to go sunglasses-shopping every few weeks. Sunglasses made from wood, acetate, and other recycled materials are very durable.
Sunglasses from reputable brands, like the ones we discussed below, have high-quality frames that provide superior strength and durability. In fact, sunglasses made from bamboo offer more durability than those made from plastic and metal since it has higher tensile strength than steel.
Also, unlike plastic sunglasses, sunglasses made of wood have a special coating that protects them from damage by UV rays.
Check out these 10 awesome eco friendly sunglasses brands:
1 – Proof Eyewear
Proof Eyewear is the brainchild of three brothers who saw the need to create stylish environmentally-friendly sunglasses and do some good in the world while at it. So, they founded the company, now located in Idaho.
All their sunglasses are handcrafted from recycled aluminium, sustainable wood, and cotton-based acetate. In addition to ensuring that all their sunglasses are eco-friendly, proof eyewear also donates part of its profit to humanitarian causes like cataract operations for people who can’t afford it.
2 – Panda Sunglasses
The people behind Panda Sunglasses saw the rising effects of environmental pollution from plastics and other non-biodegradable materials, so they decided to create a brand that took a different approach towards its manufacturing practices and materials. And thus, panda Sunglasses was born.
Panda Sunglasses are made of bamboo. Unlike most trees out there, bamboo grows very fast, produces lots of oxygen, doesn’t require any fertiliser to grow, and to top it all off, it is biodegradable.
The team behind this brand believes in fashion with a purpose. Apart from creating stylish designs, they have also teamed up with multiple non-profit organizations that work towards helping the Earth and the people in it.
3 – Pala Eyewear
Pala Eyewear* is an environmentally-conscious sunglasses brand that not only produces eco-friendly sunglasses but also gives back to the world.
All Pala sunglasses are made from recycled acetate and other bio-based materials. To top it all off, all their packaging is biodegradable to ensure minimal effect on the environment.
The brand partners with Vision Aid Overseas, a charity which is dedicated to providing essential eye treatment services and glasses to developing countries like Ethiopia and Zambia.
It also partners with Care4basket, an organisation in Ghana that works with local weavers and artisans in rural villages. Care4basket makes traditional woven items, some of which are used as cases for Pala sunglasses.
4 – Dick Moby
In 2012, the team behind Dick Moby went on a surfing trip that would ultimately change their view of the world forever. The beach they went to was littered with plastics, and if you know anything about marine biology, plastic is the number one killer of marine life. So, when they went home, they decided to do something about it.
The result of their decision was Dick Moby, which is among the most reputable brands when it comes to manufacturing stylish and unique sustainable sunglasses.
All Dick Moby sunglasses are made from recycled material, so instead of polluting the environment, they’re cleaning it up. Apart from being sustainable, their sunglasses have stylish, timeless designs that are compatible with any head shape and outfit out there.
5 – Swell Vision
Swell vision sunglasses have a bamboo frame that is sourced from sustainable sources. Apart from having eco-friendly frames, the makers of Swell Vision sunglasses also pride themselves in incorporating an anti-reflective coating and multi-layer polarized lenses into their design, which makes the sunglasses super comfortable and functional.
The family-owned brand has a simple mission: creating sustainable sunglasses that also give back. For this reason, the brand offers free tuition to underprivileged Balinese children through a partnership with the Green School, a world-renowned sustainable education program.
6 – WaterHaul
Waterhaul sunglasses company was founded by a marine biologist and surfer who saw the detrimental effects of ‘ghost nets’ or discarded fishnets on marine life.
In his research, the founder discovered that up to 640,000 tons of fishnets are discarded every year in the world’s oceans. Since fishnets are designed to catch fish, and they don’t disintegrate, they keep doing it indefinitely, thus needlessly killing millions of marine animals in the process.
Waterhaul partners with local fishermen, various community groups and NGOs to remove ghost nets and other plastic gear from the ocean and beaches.
The recovered plastics are shredded and molded into stylish frames. To top it all off, the lenses are also made of recycled mineral glass. As if that’s not enough, the packaging is also made of 100% biodegradable materials.
7 – Solo Eyewear
Solo eyewear believes that one person can change the world, and the two girls behind this brand have made a positive impact on the world.
It all started at San Diego state university when two girls, Jenny Amaraneni and Dana Holliday, took a class project that pushed them to make a difference.
The brand produces stylish and sustainable environmentally-friendly sunglasses that offer an excellent alternative to plastic sunglasses. Most importantly, the brand focuses on restoring the vision of thousands of people around the world.
All Solo Wear sunglasses are manufactured from repurposed materials such as bamboo, cellulose acetate, and repurposed wood, all of which are biodegradable materials.
They are very transparent in what they do, so you can see exactly what each pair of sunglasses is made and what it is made of. All you have to do is visit their website and be amazed by how much a single idea can change the world.
8 – Elk
Elk is a pioneer of independent Australian design. It was founded in Melbourne in 2004 with the aim of making Eco friendly sunglasses. They are committed to transparency and publish details of their goals and current status.
Elk creates stylish and unique designs and releases bi-annually as part of its collection. All the frames are made from plant-based biodegradable materials, and like all other brands on our list, Elk also gives back to the world through various humanitarian causes.
9 – Komodo
Komodo is a manufacturer of sustainable products that range from sunglasses to clothing. The London-based company produces sunglasses designs with just the right balance of contemporary and timeless style.
Komodo sunglasses are made from recycled materials and bamboo, which goes a long way in conserving the environment. Komodo gives back to the community by sticking to a supplier code of conduct that ensures fair labor and payment of a living wage.
Although the fair wage doesn’t have a direct influence on people not working for the company, it ensures that all its employees and their families are properly taken care of.
10 – Amour Vert
Amour Vert is a well known sustainable brand, with products ranging from clothing to sunglasses. They address all aspects of its business operations, from the production process, how workers are treated, and recyclability.
All Amor Vert sunglasses are made from 100% recyclable and biodegradable materials. To top it all off, all their designs are quite fashionable, and there’s a design for every head shape and size to ensure nobody misses out on the good stuff. The packaging is also made of biodegradable materials to protect the environment.
Amour Vert also treats all its workers with respect and pays them a living wage.
Final Verdict
The fate of our planet rests on each of us. The choices we make – no matter how seemingly insignificant – can make or break this planet. If all of us were to make more informed decisions, such as recycled and eco friendly sunglasses, we would see a major change in the environment so future generations can enjoy this world’s beauty as our forefathers did.
*Disclosure: We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own (denoted by *). This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission. See our full disclosure policy here
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