VisionPlus India

AMITAVA MENDONCA, DIRECTOR, LAWRENCE & MAYO “EVERY SUSTAINABLE FRAME WE OFFER IN 2026 IS A PROMISE — TO BETTER VISION, BETTER CHOICES, AND A BETTER FUTURE. SUSTAINABILITY IN 2026 IS NO LONGER OPTIONAL — IT’S EXPECTED. CUSTOMERS NOW EVALUATE EYEWEAR NOT JUST BY DESIGN, BUT BY ITS ENVIRONMENTAL AND ETHICAL IMPACT. FOR OPTICAL RETAIL, THIS SHIFTS THE ROLE FROM SELLER TO CURATOR OF CONSCIOUS CHOICES. TRANSPARENCY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND LONGEVITY REDEFINE WHAT 'PREMIUM' TRULY MEANS. THE ERA OF SUSTAINABILITY AS A MUST-HAVE HAS ARRIVED — AND IT WILL SHAPE THE FUTURE OF VISION CARE.” RAMACHANDRAN PARTHASARATHY, EYEWEAR EXPERT “SUSTAINABLE EYEWEAR, INCLUDING PACKAGING, CAN BE A POWERFUL DIFFERENTIATOR BECAUSE IT COMBINES FUNCTION, FASHION, AND PURPOSE IN A SINGLE PURCHASE DECISION. FRAMES MADE FROM ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIALS, DURABLE LENSES THAT LAST LONGER, AND RESPONSIBLE MANUFACTURING PRACTICES SIGNAL QUALITY, TRUST, AND LONG-TERM VALUE RATHER THAN SHORT-TERM CONSUMPTION. FOR CONSUMERS, THIS REDUCES GUILT, ALIGNS THE BRAND WITH PERSONAL VALUES, AND CREATES AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION BEYOND PRICE OR STYLE. FOR EYEWEAR BRANDS AND RETAILERS, SUSTAINABILITY SHIFTS COMPETITION AWAY FROM DISCOUNTS TOWARD CREDIBILITY, LOYALTY, AND RELEVANCE, MAKING IT A STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE RATHER THAN JUST A COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENT.” PIA NAG, DIRECTOR, OMNI ASTRA PVT. LTD “WE ARE ALREADY IN A TIME WHERE SUSTAINABILITY IS NO LONGER AN OPTION - AND SPECIFICALLY IN SPECIFIC TO OUR INDUSTRY OF EYEWEAR, IT IS NOW A DIFFERENTIATOR—SOON BECOMING AN EXPECTATION AS IN OTHER INDUSTRIES WORLDWIDE. CONSUMERS NOW ACTIVELY LED BY AN ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS SEGMENT, ARE SEEN CHOOSING BRANDS THAT DEMONSTRATE SOME LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY, EITHER WITH SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING PRACTICES, RESPONSIBLE MATERIAL CHOICES OR EVEN RESPONSIBLE AFTER-SALES CARE. POWERHOUSE BRANDS ARE NOW CURATING ECO-FRIENDLY COLLECTIONS, ELIMINATING WASTEFUL PACKAGING, AND EVEN INTRODUCING REPAIR OR TAKE-BACK PROGRAMMES. SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS ARE ALSO SHAPING THE CREDIBILITY OF THE RETAILERS WHO OFFER SUCH OPTIONS. FOR OPTICAL RETAILERS, WE ARE NOTICING LEAD PARTNERS INVESTING IN ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES, AND IN MY OPINION, THOSE THAT EMBRACE THIS BEST WILL MOST CERTAINLY EMERGE AS A BENCHMARK FOR THE FUTURE OF (OPTICAL) RETAIL IN INDIA, AS THE MUST-HAVE (SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT) ERA HAS ARRIVED AND IS HERE TO STAY!” 51 VISION PLUS INDIA EDITION