Recycled Metal Sunglasses - From Waste to Wearable
This post was last updated in 2023
Metal sunglass frames are popular for a couple of reasons – they are lightweight, high strength and last longer. And if you are a fan of the aviator style of glasses, you are going to want metal frames – no other material would look as good.
Metal sunglasses are typically made from nickel, stainless steel, aluminium and titanium. And like most things in the world, they are typically made from virgin materials.
There are several issues with the use of virgin metals, including physical disturbance to the landscape they are extracted from, soil and water contamination, air pollution and issues around public safety. Recycled materials provide a way around these issues.
Sunglass frames can be made from recycled metals such as recycled steel and aluminium. These frames offer the same advantages as those made from virgin materials but they have less impact on the environment. There aren’t many brands that use recycled metals but the few that do are listed below.
In this blog post you will find the answers to the following questions:
One thing was clear when researching this – unlike the market for recycled plastic sunglasses, the recycled metal sunglass market is a very small one. The number of brands using recycled metals can be counted on one hand.
Also, all are international brands – there are no Australian companies that make sunglasses from recycled metals. There is one brand that has retail partners in Australia and all ship internationally, so it is still an option for Australian shoppers.
What types of metals are used in recycled metal sunglasses?
Since the recycled metal market for frames is so small, there is limited information about the exact type and source of recycled metals used in sunglass frames. But a review of the few brands that do sell these products revealed that recycled metal sunglasses are made from two sources of readily available metals:
- recycled stainless steel and
- recycled aluminium alloys
Stainless steel frames are lightweight, low tox and typically nickel-free and thus hypoallergenic. Stainless steel is a mixture of metals – not just pure steel. And the mixture can vary depending on the manufacturer. Most stainless steel contains anywhere from 10 to 30 per cent chromium, which provides excellent resistance to corrosion, abrasion and heat.
Frames made from aluminium are lightweight and highly corrosion-resistant. Pure aluminium is soft and weak, but when mixed with other materials such as silicon and iron, it becomes hard and strong. Since frames need to be strong, alloys of aluminium (aluminium that has been mixed with other metals) are used to make sunglass frames.
It is surprising there aren’t more brands making use of two of the most recycled metals in the world – they are widely used materials and easily recyclable. Furthermore, recycling metals can be done without compromising the strength and integrity of the resulting product. This is true for steel as well as aluminium.
Perhaps the reason it is not readily used is that the materials need to have a certain composition to be suitable for use as sunglass frames. Both steel and aluminium are not used in their purest form when made into sunglass frames – steel is combined with other metals to make stainless steel and aluminium is combined with other materials to make a durable alloy. While recycled steel and aluminium also contain a mixture of materials, they may not be the right composition for sunglasses.
Still, as shown below there are companies out there showing that it is possible so let’s hope there are new innovators in this area and the use of recycled metals increases.
Are recycled metal sunglasses sustainable?
Compared to sunglasses made from virgin materials, recycled metal sunglasses are a more sustainable option. Studies have shown using metals already in existence has a much lower carbon footprint and also leads to less water and energy consumption when compared to using metals taken from the earth.
The basis of this opinion is a life cycle study conducted by independent researchers engaged by Dick Moby, one of the eco-friendly companies noted below.
Their analysis looked at the water usage, carbon footprint and energy consumption associated with frames made from virgin titanium, aluminium and stainless steel compared to frames made from scrap surgical-grade stainless steel. The results from the study are shown below:
It shows that recycled stainless steel has a much lower carbon footprint when compared to frames made from virgin products and it consumes fewer resources to make them as well.
However it should be kept in mind that the comparison is between virgin materials and the use of scrap metals – these scrap metals are pre-consumer metals, which often contains less impurities. If the frames were made from post-consumer recycled metals, which contains more impurities, the carbon footprint and energy consumption will likely be higher.
Regardless, the difference is unlikely to be significant. Much of the energy savings come from the fact that no new iron ore is mined, crushed and processed to make new sunglass frames. It is those steps in the production of traditional frames that contribute towards its resource consumption and carbon footprint.
Another interesting study is one conducted by researchers engaged by Karun, another one of the sunglass companies mentioned below.
Their life cycle analysis looked at the carbon footprint of four different sunglasses – frames made from recycled polycarbonate, recycled metals, recycled metal and nylon and recycled nylon alone. The researchers conducted a full life cycle analysis and considered the carbon footprint associated with the raw materials, the transportation of the waste, recycling of the waste and manufacturing of the glasses. They also added the carbon footprint of the packaging used contain the sunglasses.
They noted on their website that the average sunglass has a carbon footprint of 3.72 kgCO2e. It was not clear on their website, but it appears this relates to plastic sunglasses.
This shows that recycled metal frames have a much lower carbon footprint than your average sunglasses – pretty much half. It even has a lower carbon footprint than sunglasses made from recycled polycarbonate.
Their comparison did not focus on recycled metals vs virgin metals, so no conclusions can be drawn there. But it shows frames made from recycled materials are a much more sustainable alternative when compared to traditional sunglass frames.
Which is no surprise! But it is interesting to see this play out in the data noted above.
The benefits associated with recycled metals is widely noted.
When it comes to steel, the US EPA provides some interesting figures around the benefits of using recycled steel over virgin steel:
When it comes to aluminium, Aulpro (a UK non-profit encouraging aluminium recycling) found the following:
A lot of the energy savings come from the fact that you avoid mining, crushing and grinding iron ore or mined bauxite to produce steel and aluminium.
And the last point mentioned above is an important one – metals are infinitely recyclable, so the benefits of recycling extend beyond this one-time use – provided the frames are returned to the manufacturers for recycling.
Besides less energy consumption and less greenhouse gas emissions, there are other benefits associated with using recycled materials over virgin materials. Some of the benefits include:
- Avoiding the devastating impacts of mining which can include the destruction of delicate natural habitats
- Prevention of toxic runoff associated with mining activity that affects surrounding waterways, long after mines have been shut shown
- Reduction of air pollution (via a reduction in greenhouse gases). The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) reports that recycling metal may cut greenhouse gas emissions by 300 million to 500 million tons.
- Positive impacts of diverting waste from landfill
Of course, recycling metals consumes energy and resources to convert scraps into something usable. And overall sustainability can vary depending on how efficient the recycling process is.
Regardless energy consumption and waste production are much lower than the alternative. There are very few negative impacts associated with recycled metals, other than the matter of cost and time to produce and the fact that this industry employs fewer people than the mining industry.
Where can I buy recycled metal sunglasses?
Eco Eyewear has been around since 2009 and claims to be the first sustainable eyewear brand in the world. They offer several eco-friendly products – metal sunglass frames being one of them.
Their recycled metal frames are made from 95% recycled stainless steel, verified by UL Environment Validation™. This certification verifies the use of recycled metal materials.
They have the largest range of products and frame colours that go beyond the standard gold, silver and black.
Eco Eyewear glasses are sold through various small retailers in Australia. You can find a list of the retail partners here: https://eco-eyewear.com/pages/find-a-store
Otherwise, they do ship internationally. Items can be returned as well if not suitable.
Average retail price: 99 euros
Check out their range here: https://eco-eyewear.com/collections/sunglasses
Dick Moby is an eco eyewear company that started in 2012 and is based in The Netherlands. It’s on a mission to reduce waste in the industry, while not compromising on style and quality.
They only use recycled and biodegradable materials to make high-quality and stylish eyewear. This includes a range of recycled metal sunglasses.
Their recycled metal is sourced from waste produced by other eyewear production processes, where slivers of surgical-grade stainless steel are salvaged to make new frames. So the frames are made from pre-consumer waste products, which is a common source of materials in metal recycling.
They offer free shipping (it appears this extends to international shipping). Items can be returned if not suitable.
Average retail price: 235 euros
Check out their range here: https://www.dick-moby.com/search?type=product&q=metal
Bird Eyewear is the first eyewear brand in the UK to obtain BCorp certification. They make sunglasses from a variety of materials such as FSC-certified wood, bio-based acetate, renewable cork and recycled aluminium.
Their recycled aluminium frames are made from recycled aerospace alloy – the same material used to make CubeSat satellites.
They offer international shipping and you can return items if they are not suitable.
Average retail price: $150 Australian
Check out their range here: https://findyourbirds.com/collections/sustainable-sunglasses
Based in Patagonia, Karun is focused on producing high-quality eyewear, produced under a circular and regenerative production model. The use of recycled materials is core to their business.
Their website does not detail what metals are used in their recycled metal range but they note they have two types of metal glasses for sale – pure metal frames and frames made from a combination of recycled metals and recycled nylon (Econyl).
This company does not ship to Australia. They ship to the European Union and the UK.
Average retail price: 69 euros
Check out their range here: https://karuneyewear.com/collections/recycled-metals
Two other companies that once sold recycled metal frames include Parafina and Proof. At present, they have no recycled metal sunglasses in their collections. They may restock in the future. For that reason, links to their websites have been provided below:
- Parafina recycled aluminium sunglasses https://parafina.eco/en/store/ecofriendly-sunglasses/recycled-metal-ecofriendly-sunglasses/
- Proof recycled aluminium sunglasses https://www.iwantproof.com/collections/aluminum-collection
And that’s it. An overview of recycled metal sunglasses – where to find them, the materials used to make them and whether they are a sustainable alternative when compared with traditional products.
As I have mentioned, this market is very small and it does take some digging around to find a brand that makes recycled metal glasses. But with this blog post, you have the links and information needed to support a more sustainable market.
xxx Tahsin
After more information? You may be interested in....
Don’t Throw Them Away – Practical Uses for Your Old Glasses – if you have old eyewear, don’t trash it! Explore this guide, which covers options to repair, reuse and recycle glasses.
Sustainable Sunglasses – Know What to Look Out For – learn about the different options available to make your sunglass purchase a sustainable one.
9 Sustainable Sunglass Brands Worth Checking Out – for a list of Australian brands making sunglasses from sustainable materials and a summary of the pros and cons of each.
Sustainable Choices for Your Eyewear – Your Options Covered – for information on reusing old frames and lenses and where to get glasses second-hand.
Replacing New Lenses in Your Old Frames – Is it Worth it? – for further information about getting new lenses into your existing frames, in particular, how much this will cost
7 Sustainable Eyewear Brands Worth Checking Out – for a list of Australian brands making prescription glasses from sustainable materials.
Plant-Based Sunglasses – What Are They Made From Really? – read this if you want to know what “plant-based” sunglasses really mean and what makes them a sustainable option.
Recycled Plastic Sunglasses – Innovations Worth Supporting – learn about the types of recycled plastics used in sunglasses and the different brands that sell this sustainable option.
A Close Look At Bamboo Sunglasses – Sustainable or Not? – for a great overview of bamboo as a material source, allowing you to judge whether it is a sustainable option or not.
