Plastic is undoubtedly one of the most prevalent types of waste. Since the turn of the century, global production and use of this cheap but ecologically harmful material have substantially increased. To date, Statista notes that plastic production is up to nearly 400 metric tons a year.
Meanwhile, humans create up to 350 million metric tons of plastic waste annually. While the average lifespan of these plastics typically maxes out at 10 years, it can take up to 500 years to decompose.
As such, environmental specialists underscore the importance of not only adopting better disposal solutions but also ways to make the most of these materials before they end up in landfills or waterways. Unfortunately, only about 10% of all plastic is currently being recycled. With this in mind, the eyewear industry is fast emerging as one of the biggest champions for the use of recycled plastic. This is a telling turn of events, given that the eyewear sector is historically a well-known waste offender.
Credit: @eyebuydirect on Instagram
How eyewear is giving new life to recycled plastic
According to Eastman Research, real green fashion starts at the source. This means that rather than just taking on green initiatives across its manufacturing, shipping, and marketing processes, the core materials must align with sustainable practices. For the eyewear industry, this is being done by reusing plastic waste to produce new frames. One such glasses retailer doing this is Eyebuydirect. Known for providing high-quality and affordable eyewear along with their adoption of online shopping technologies, like virtual try-ons, their selection of products features several made from recycled plastic. Most notably, they have their 5 To See line of optical and sun specs. Each frame here is made using five recycled plastic bottles, with the intent of keeping said waste from making it into oceans. The packaging of these items is also sustainable, with as little plastic used as possible, so consumers can ensure their entire purchase journey is eco-focused.
Meanwhile, chain store Walmart has also begun using recycled plastics in its eyewear offerings. Through its Walmart eyecare services arm, the company recently launched Karün. Dubbed their first line made from traceable materials, recycled plastic waste from discarded items, such as fishing nets, is used as the primary frame material. Designed to prove that living mindfully doesn’t have to come at a high price tag, this collection addresses many consumers’ concerns that sustainable products are often inaccessible for most demographics. Overall, these two instances prove that eyewear providers are taking plastic recycling more seriously and integrating more meaningful solutions from the get-go.
Credit: @eyebuydirect on Instagram
Green eyewear: just a fad or a long-term mission?
While some critics may argue that the eyewear industry is attempting to greenwash the reality of its eco-impact, there’s no sign that these initiatives are only passing fancies. If anything, current consumer and market trends indicate that sustainable eyewear and the use concentration on recycled plastics aren’t going away any time soon.
For starters, reports prove that there is growing awareness around sustainable fashion as a whole. Whereas the past decades saw most shoppers willing to turn a blind eye toward the environmental impact of fashion, most now know that up to 20% of global carbon emissions come from this industry. As a result, there is now a larger market for things like renewable textiles, secondhand products, and the emergence of sustainable brands. With this direct support from consumers and their purchasing power, there is more incentive for eyewear retailers to supply this demand.
Additionally, eyewear brands are likely to maintain this drive towards more eco-efforts extending past recycled plastic, given their own sustainability responsibilities. Although many entities may prefer to sweep it under the rug, the reality is that the eyewear industry does bear an obligation to do better. As mentioned earlier, this industry produces quite a bit of waste. For example, in terms of plastic, manufacturers usually see around 75% of acetate going to waste, per Common Objective. Consequently, while adding on more sustainable eyewear lines will not directly negate the original problem, it does positively impact the overall status quo. This also helps create further public awareness, which can help sway other manufacturers to follow suit similarly.
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