Sunglasses is one of the ultimate summer accessories, it can change a whole look, and save your day if you had one or two many Aperól Spritz at Yesterday’s grill party.
It’s the yang to your sustainable summer dress. But what you might not know about these sun-protecting wonders is, that most of the cheaper ones you find in the stores have a long (quite) polluting past.
So why not choose a more sustainable option? Because there is a way you can “look good for the planet” and not choosing the polluting way. Who says style and sustainability can’t go hand-in-hand? That person would indeed be wrong though.
Look good for the planet
Be the change you want to see in the fashion industry
Top 10 Most Fashionable & Sustainable Sunglasses
Down below I have made a list of the most fashionable eco-friendly sunglasses for the eco-conscious women, who have an eye for style. Does it sound like you? Then take a look at these 10 sustainable sunglass brands, that all take “fashion with a purpose” serious and give back to the earth without expecting anything in return.
Solo Eyewear
Eco materials: Repurposed bamboo, repurposed wood, cellulose acetate
Mission: To help restore visions around the world, while making stylish eco sunglasses
SOLO Eyewear believes that one person is enough – Enough to make a difference, enough to change the world. And the two girls behind this sustainable sunglass brand has definitely made an impact in the world.
Not only do they offer a stylish and eco-friendly alternative to classic plastic sunglasses, but they are also on another mission. They want to restore the vision of people in the world. they have already come along way on this journey and SOLO eyewear has restored vision for more than 15.000 people across 32 countries to this date.
On top of that they only use recycled and repurposed materials in their sunglasses such as bamboo, repurposed wood, and cellulose acetate, which is a biodegradable material. So they are clearly one of my favorite sustainable sunglasses brands!
On their website you can see exactly how each pair of sunglasses are made and what they are made of – transparency is one of the best signs of sustainability, and SOLO Eyewear really allows you to get behind the scenes! Check out all their sustainable sunglasses on their website.
Website: soloeyewear.com
Zeal Optics
Eco materials: Plant-based, reneuable materials
Mission: Create sunglasses that enhance your time outdoors while protecting the world
If you are the outdoor type who spends the weekend hiking, bicycling, running, climbing, or whatever activity you may find entertaining then Zeal Optics is your sustainable sunglass brand. Their goal is to enhance your time to spend outdoor while reducing environmental impact and they have created some revolutionizing styles.
Their technical sunglass, Ellume Polarized, lets you see the world in brighter, more crispy colors while polluting less. The eco sunglasses lenses are made from petroleum-based materials and the result is sunglasses with high-quality lenses, which give you a cleaner, more colorful sight filled with contrasts and high protection.
You can read more about all their sustainable sunglasses and their sunglasses technology on their website.
Website: zealoptics.com
Parafina
Eco materials: recycled plastic, -tires, -cork, -bamboo, -canes, HDPE, bio acetate
Mission: To create eco-friendly, social, radical sunglasses
Parafina has joined the industry to make an impact, cause they believe that small voices can make a difference. Their collections are inspired by nature to show that eco-friendly materials, functionality, and style can go hand-in-hand.
All their sustainable sunglasses are made of 100% recycled materials such as recycled plastic, -tires, corks, bamboo, and cans, which would have ended up somewhere in nature, polluting the oceans, atmosphere, and land, if it wasn’t recycled.
But these materials are given a new life and have gone from trash to stylish eco-friendly sunglasses. The sustainable sunglasses brand doesn’t stop at recycled materials, they want to do more.
So 5% of their income is donated to their social project, Parafina Social Project, where kids in Paragua are given access to primary schools. You can read more about their use of materials, social projects, and stylish ethical sunglasses on their website.
Website: parafina.eco
Grown Eyewear
Eco materials: Bamboo and hardwoods
Mission: Wildlife rescue
The Australian based eco sunglass brand is on a mission. They want to rescue and protect the wildlife of the world – especially in their home country Australia. To do so GROWN has teamed up with WIRES, and for every purchase you make, an orphan or injured Australian animal is given a new life.
To make sure the rescued animals have a natural habitat to go back to, GROWN also focuses on protecting the earth and nature. All their products are made of renewable, organic materials that are all free from toxins and harmful elements. Because their sunglasses are made of wood and bamboo every single piece is unique since the natural structure of the material always has a unique pattern – therefore not a single pair of sustainable sunglasses are alike. You can read more about the brand on their website.
Website: growneyewear.com
Dick Moby
Eco materials: Wood pulp, recycled glasses, recycled metal
Mission: Create stylish recycled sunglasses
In 2012 the creators of Dick Moby went on a surfing trip that would change their life. The beach they went to was flooded with plastic so the went home and decided to do something about it. The sunglass brand Dick Moby was the result, and today they make stylish and unique sustainable sunglasses that will make you “look good for your planet” as they put it.
The eco-friendly brand creates sunglasses in a timeless design that is built to last made by recycled materials, so the impact on the environment will be as minimal as possible. At their website, you will find sustainable sunglasses that indeed are stylish and not only will make you look good but make you look good for your planet.
Website: dick-moby.com
Blue Planet Eyewear
Eco materials:
Mission: Restoring sight to people in need and forest restoring
Blue Planet Eyewear creates fashionable sustainable sunglasses of high quality to great prices. If you are looking for a more budget-friendly eco sunglass brand then this is your brand. They create polarized sunglasses that don’t just look great but are environmentally friendly too.
Blue Planet Eyewear also contributes to “giving back” programs such as their “visual Change” program that helps people in need getting new glasses, and thereby changing the lives of many people. They have also partnered up with “Trees For the Future” where they help plant new fast-grown trees in South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. You can read more about their initiatives and shop their sustainable sunglasses on their website.
Website: blueplaneteyewear.com
Stick and Sparrow
Eco materials: Bamboo and Cork
Mission: Create a awareness about sustainable materials and minimize waste
If you want fashion statement sunglasses Stick and Sparrow is your brand. They make 100% UV protected, scratch-resistant lenses, in design that will blow your mind. These sustainable sunglasses are designed to last and is for every woman who has an eye for style and wants to is conscious about her choice of products.
The sunglasses have an envy-worthy design and are for any fashionista who loves big sunglasses inspired by nature. If you feel like that sound exactly like you, then check out all their stylish items on their website, where you also are able to find out more about their approach towards the environment.
Website: sticksandsparrows.com
Pela
Eco materials: 100% compostable materials
Mission: Create a waste free future
At Pela they don’t want to recycle plastic, they want to stop it from ever being made. Their mission is to stop the production of wasteful products and instead create a future where only biodegradable and environmentally sensible materials are sued in the products we surround ourselves with.
They believe that businesses can be sustainable and eco-conscious and that fashion and style can go together with an environmental lifestyle. By taking responsibility for their products both companies and consumers can reduce their carbon footprint on the earth.
Their biggest concern is enormous amounts of plastic that keep ending up in the ocean, and they are donating a part of their income to help keep the oceans and the coastlines clean. You can read more about their initiatives and their styles on their website.
Website: pelasecase.com
Waterhaul
Eco material: Recycled fishing nets
Mission: Remove fishing nets and other fishing gear from the ocean
Waterhaul is a social enterprise based in England. Their mission is to remove old fishing gear from the oceans and instead turn what they see as resources into brand new, stylish sunglasses. They intercept plastic from the oceans and turn it into high-quality and sustainable sunglasses, because as they put it: Waste is simply a misallocated resource.
By upcycling all this plastic Waterhaul both clean up the oceans around the world and makes sunglasses that can last a lifetime. Every product is produced from 100%recycled fishing nets and each pair contributes to the removal of ghost gear and old marine plastic from the oceans. So help clean the oceans by looking stylish.
Website: waterhaul.co
Panda Sunglasses
Eco materials: Bamboo
Mission: Giving back through multiple charities
The team behind Panda Sunglasses decided that there were enough cheap plastic shades out there pollution the oceans and the atmosphere, so they decided to create a brand, that did the opposite – gave back to the earth instead of polluting and stealing from it.
All their sustainable sunglasses are made of bamboo, because this type of wood grows faster, takes up less space, requires less replanting, and produces more oxygen than regular woods. But the team behind Panda Sunglasses thinks that “fashion with a purpose” is about much more than using sustainable materials.
It is also about giving back. They have teamed up with multiple non-profit organizations all dedicated to helping the earth and the people on it. This is organizations such as 1% for the Planet, One Tree Planted, and Kiva. See all their partners and their stylish eco sunglasses on their website.
Website: wearpanda.com
Last Comment
I hope that you liked the list of sustainable sunglasses and would consider buying from one of the brands in the future!
If you liked the article don’t forget to check out some of our other articles on sustainable fashion such as this one containing a list of sustainable dresses. You can also check out some of the other articles on our article page. Feel free to leave a comment down below if you have any other suggestions on sunglasses!
Love,
Anna
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