VisionPlus Arabia

RECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLES Making eyewear from recycled plastic found in ocean debris is another way of making eyewear and thus helping clear marine waste and in the process enrichening marine lives. Today brands like Sea2See and Oceanides, a Spanish startup, are doing some great work making eyewear out of marine waste. NATURAL PX AND NATURAL 3D NaturalPX and Natural 3D are both bio based plastics made from renewable castor oil, opposite to non-renewable petroleum-based resources that are damaging to the environment. At the moment, biobased plastics only make up 0.5% of all manufactured plastics world-wide. So it’s obvious that there’s still a long way to go in developing and utilising materials that do not deplete the planet’s precious mineral resources. Brands like NEUBAU are known to use Natural PX & Natural 3D to make their eyewear. TITANIUM Titanium can also be considered as a sustainable material, because it does not deteriorate, it can be used forever and is easy to recycle. Due to its high strength and low density, products can be made small and light which avoids the unnecessary use of energy resources. OTHER MATERIALS Wood and bamboo are also considered as sustainable materials, but they require some processing to take on the qualities usually looked for in frames. Other natural materials require less processing but also run into problems. German brand Hoffmann Natural Eyewear is known for its use of horn and values the animal product for its sustainable qualities alongside its heritage as one of the oldest frame materials in the world. Like most horns used in frames Hoffmann FIBROUS RESIDUES Fibrous residues come from plants such as hemp, flax, rice, and straw. When combined with post- consumer recycled plastic, it reduces waste and CO2 output. These materials have also enabled organisations to work in partnership with farmers and waste management crews to find alternatives to disposable materials. RECYCLED STAINLESS STEEL Metal frames made from recycled stainless steel are durable, anticorrosive, and light while providing a sophisticated, timeless look. Botaniq a well-known European brand, has many sustainable materials and uses recycled stainless steel as a product to make metal eyewear. WOOD AND BAMBOO ARE ALSO CONSIDERED AS SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS, BUT THEY REQUIRE SOME PROCESSING TO TAKE ON THE QUALITIES USUALLY LOOKED FOR IN FRAMES IMAGE COURTESY : WWW.SEA2SEE.ORG 46 VISION PLUS ARABIA EDITION