By Daisy Wallis
Summer is finally here! So whilst we have already shared our sustainable summer wishlists, we thought we would dedicate a style edit to one of our favourite, and most essential, accessories – sunglasses!
We have put together a list of our favourite sustainable sunglasses brands that are creating some of the most stylish and environmentally friendly styles that give back to communities across the world.
1. Neubau Eyewear
Austrian brand, neubau eyewear pays tribute to the coolest creative urban areas around the world by creating chic glasses and sunglasses. Using plant-based alternative materials, such as naturalPX and natural3D, neubau sunglasses are as stylish as they are sustainable.
Their latest collection, Côte du Soleil, is inspired by French cult cinema classic, La Piscine and is a sustainable tribute to an endless summer. Made from the brand’s bio-based material natural3D, the collection features three chic unisex styles that we think could be straight from the movies!
2. KAMO International
KAMO International features a collection of Scandinavian-inspired styles with a distinctive twist.
Their black frames are made from 97% recycled acetate, with the other 3% coming from black ink. And their wide range of coloured frames are sustainable too! Made from bio-based acetate, KAMO has a wide range of cutting-edge shapes and colours to suit everyone’s style.
KAMO is dedicated to creating stylish glasses that don’t pollute the earth.
3. PALA Eyewear
Designed for the conscious consumer concerned with the future of the planet, PALA eyewear is stylish and gives back to the environment and communities around the world. As well as using recycled acetate and bio-based designs for their frames, PALA uses eco-friendly packaging and carbon offset shipping.
The brand works closely with Vision Aid Overseas, an organisation dedicated to providing eye tests and glasses in developing countries like Zambia and Ethiopia. PALA has also partnered with Care4basket in Bolgatanga, Ghana. The organisation works with artisans and weavers from rural villages in the area making traditional woven items, including the PALA sunglasses cases!
4. Peep Eyewear
Giving vintage sunglasses styles a new lease of life, Peep Eyewear saves vintage frames from landfill. The Peep team find the very best of unwanted vintage glasses and restore them for modern fashion lovers. Their vintage glasses each have their own story to tell!
The brand also has a glasses and sunglasses restoration service. Covering all services from polishing to removing scratches, Peep eyewear is all about saving your favourite frames!
5. Bird Sunglasses
Described as sustainable eyewear with a social purpose, Bird is a brand that aims to drive change through creating beautiful glasses that look good and do good too. Using certified woods, bio-based acetates and repurposed aerospace aluminium, Bird creates classic unisex styles in a range of colours and shapes.
And every pair of glasses sold gives back too! Through Bird’s Share Your Sun partnership with SolarAid, the brand donates a solar lamp to families in remote communities in Africa. One lamp equates to £145 saved in fuel and 1.1 tonnes of CO2 emissions being averted!
6. Monokel Eyewear
This unisex sunglasses label from Stockholm creates timeless styles in a variety of cool and chic patterns and colour combinations. Each pair is handmade from premium plant-based acetate and their stylish black frames are crafted from recycled acetate.
Mixing Scandi minimalism with sustainable values, Monokel sunglasses are the perfect addition to any summer capsule wardrobe! For instance, pair the Moon glasses in brown tortoise with a white linen shirt and a blue jean for an instant chic summer look.
7. Ozeano
Inspired by the devastating effect of plastic pollution on the world’s oceans, Ozeano sunglasses are made from eco-friendly materials and come in a range of cool wearable styles.
For every pair of Ozeano sunglasses sold, the brand fund the removal of a 12kg of plastic and marine litter from the ocean through a partnership with Seabin Project. Equivalent to over 900 plastic bottles! As well as this, 10% of every purchase is donated to The Fred Hollows Foundation who work in over 25 countries to eliminate avoidable blindness.
Ozeano are creating classic styles that look great and help the environment and those in need!
8. Dick Moby
Based in Amsterdam, Dick Moby is committed to creating unique glasses and sunglasses made from recycled and biodegradable materials. As well as using recycled acetates and metals in their shades, the brand also uses a biodegradable acetate for many of their styles.
Made from wood pulp, the Dick Moby biodegradable acetate glasses biodegrade in 115 days when if buried in soil and still look super stylish!
Our Dick Moby favourites are the Madrid pink shiny rose sunglasses – perfect for anyone looking for a retro-inspired pair for the summer!
We hope you get some summer inspiration from our pick of sunglasses brands! For more summer sustainable brands check out our other style edits or head over to our latest Ethical Wardrobe Challenge!
What are your favourite summer accessories? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Instagram page!
Daisy Wallis
Daisy is a pop-culture addict, with interests in fashion, film, and literature. She graduated from the University of York in 2019 with a degree in English Literature and is now back in London to begin a career as a fashion writer.
