Recycled Plastic Sunglasses
- Innovations Worth Supporting
This page was last updated in 2023
The majority of the sunglasses out on the market are made from two materials – plastic or metal. And it’s mostly plastic out there, being durable, versatile and available in a wide variety of shapes and colours.
And we are all aware of the problems with plastics since it involves the use of fossil fuels and it is not biodegradable at the end of its life. Added to the fact that over 700 million sunglasses are sold worldwide each year and most people are buying sunglasses because their original pair is either lost or broken – that’s a lot of virgin plastic floating around out there in the world.
So the industry needs to adopt more sustainable alternatives – and the use of recycled materials is one way forward.
Sunglasses can be made from recycled plastics and in fact, some companies have been doing this for over 10 years now. Unfortunately, only sunglass frames can be made from recycled plastics since at present there is no way to make lenses from this material.
If you want to know more about sunglasses made from recycled plastics I cover:
And for those of you interested in buying some recycled plastic sunglasses, I have you covered here:
What types of plastics are used in recycled plastic sunglasses?
Recycled plastic sunglasses can be made from plastics collected from oceans, bottles from plastic recycling streams, post-industrial waste and automotive parts. They can even be made from discarded sunglasses – showing that circularity in the industry is possible.
This is not a complete list of source materials used in the recycled plastic sunglass industry, as the potential is endless considering the amount of plastic waste out there. But it does summarise where current brands are sourcing their plastic waste from.
The types of plastics extracted from these waste streams that are then used in recycled plastic sunglasses are as follows:
(1) Nylon – this comes from ocean plastics such as fishing nets and fishing gear. It can also be sourced from discarded plastic sunglasses (as many sunglass frames are made from nylon).
Econyl is a commercially produced recycled nylon product you might find in some recycled plastic frames. When you see Econyl as the material source then that means recycled nylon.
(2) Polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) – this can come from ocean plastics such as plastic bottles and fishing gear like ropes and trawl nets. HDPE is a common plastic found in oceans.
These materials can also come from land-based plastic recycling streams, from products like shampoo and detergent bottles (typically HDPE).
(3) Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – this comes mainly from land-based plastic recycling streams, from products like plastic water bottles.
(4) Polycarbonate – this material is currently being used by a brand that sources this from discarded headlights from cars.
On the whole, nylon and polyolefins (HDPE and PP) are the most common materials you will find in recycled plastic sunglasses, as these are the types of plastics most commonly found in ocean plastics. And ocean plastics seem to be the most popular source for recycled plastics used in sunglasses.
How are recycled plastic sunglasses made?
Recycled plastic sunglasses are made through the following steps:
- Collection – plastic waste is sourced from the ocean or land-based recycling streams
- Pre-processing – involves sorting, cleaning and drying
- Re-processing – through the addition of chemicals or virgin plasticisers to improve the quality of the plastic
- Manufacturing – the plastics are granulated, melted then moulded or cut
- Distribution – they are then sent to sunglass brands who then sell them through their retail channels
Many noted very similar processes across the board and it isn’t too different from the general plastic recycling process shown below:
Of course, the specifics can vary from brand to brand, depending on where they source their plastic waste and what type of plastic they use. And not all brands control all aspects of the process – some directly engage people to collect the raw material and are in charge of the whole operations. Others outsource every step and are only involved in the design and distribution stages.
So this process is very generalised.
But this does give you some idea of what is involved.
And you can use this to understand some of the claims sunglass companies make, allowing you to assess for yourself the benefits and drawbacks of the processes that they adopt.
Not all plastics will maintain their quality through continuous recycling. It’s a well-known fact that the quality of plastics degrades each time it is recycled.
It is for this reason that manufacturers usually add virgin plasticizers to improve the integrity of the recycled plastic. So in a way, there is no such thing as a 100% recycled plastic product – they will all have some virgin materials a part of it.
Are recycled plastic sunglasses sustainable?
When compared to sunglasses made from virgin materials, recycled plastic sunglasses are a more sustainable option. Using plastic already in existence has a much lower carbon footprint when compared to plastics that need to be made directly from fossil fuels extracted from the earth.
This is the case even when the carbon footprint of re-processing plastic waste is taken into account.
The basis of this opinion is a life cycle study conducted by Karun, a sunglass company based in America.
Their life cycle analysis looked at 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 for the sunglasses.
They look at four products and found the following:
| Material Type | Carbon Footprint kgCO2e. |
|---|---|
|
Recycled nylon |
1.565 |
|
Recycled metal |
1.562 |
|
Recycled nylon + metal |
1.564 |
|
Recycled polycarbonate |
1.815 |
Their recycled nylon came from Econyl, the recycled metal from sources unknown and the recycled polycarbonate was from used car headlights.
The carbon footprint associated with each of the raw materials used in the frames was the main difference between all four, while the carbon footprint associated with transportation and packaging was the same across all four products.
Of interest, they noted on their website that the average sunglass has a carbon footprint of 3.72 kgCO2e.
So these all recycled products roughly have less than half the carbon footprint of traditional sunglasses.
And within the recycled plastics space, it appears that recycled nylon (at least those from Econyl) have a lower carbon footprint than recycled polycarbonate.
I could not find a comparable life cycle analysis for glasses made from recycled HDPE, PP or PET. As these plastics are known to be easier to recycle compared to nylon, which requires a significant amount of cleaning and treatment to get to a usable product, it is possible sunglasses made from these other recycled plastics have less of a carbon footprint compared to recycled nylon sunglasses. Although that depends on a whole host of factors such as who is recycling the plastics and what energy source they rely on in their processes.
There are limitations on plastic recycling that need to be kept in mind.
Plastics can only be recycled a limited number of times. This is unfortunately one of the downsides of any plastic product – no matter how they are originally sourced.
So while recycled plastic sunglasses have a lower carbon footprint compared to those made from virgin plastics, you may not agree with plastic as a raw material source – recycled or not – and you may be inclined to look for an alternative that does not rely on plastics.
I think there are no right and wrong answers here and people are certainly free to make their own decision in matters like this 
Australian Brands that sell sunglasses made from recycled plastics
Three Australian brands of note use recycled plastics in their sunglass frames and they are all pretty awesome companies:
Good Citizen is a family-owned business that takes used plastic bottles and turns them into 100% recycled sunglass frames. They process the raw materials and manufacture the sunglasses all in one location.
For more on what’s to like and what’s not to like about this brand check this out: 9 Sustainable Sunglass Brands Worth Checking Out
Szade’s uses old sunglass frames from China that were destined for landfill and uses this to create their recycled sunglass frames. They are showing that circularity is possible in the industry (if we ignore that small issue of virgin plasticisers being used to strengthen the recycled plastic waste!).
For more on what’s to like and what’s not to like about this brand check this out: 9 Sustainable Sunglass Brands Worth Checking Out
Quokka sunglasses are made from recycled ocean plastic. They offset the carbon footprint of the glasses, so your glasses will be 100% carbon neutral. However, they have a very limited range and the few products they do have are quite expensive. However, this is an option you may want to check out.
Other brands that sell sunglasses made from recycled plastics
Here is a list of some pretty impressive brands that have been taking plastic waste and turning them into high-quality sunglasses (going by customer reviews):
Based in Patagonia, Chile, Karun is working hard to build their entire value change under a circular and regenerative model.
They rely on Econyl, which uses ocean plastics, post-industrial waste and waste fabric to make recycled nylon. Karun also sources recycled polycarbonate from used car headlights. Their plan is to one day use the lenses from the products they sell (made from virgin polycarbonate out of necessity) in these recycled frames.
Waterhaul founders were marine conservationists, frustrated with the growing piles of marine waste they had collected over time.
Waterhaul works with partner organisations to collect fishing nets from the coast of England and Wales. They recycle the polyethylene and polypropylene ropes and trawl nets at a processing plant in Europe while nylon gill nets are collected and recycled in Cornwall.
Eco Eyewear has been making sunglasses from recycled plastic since 2009, using plastic sourced from the NGO Waste Free Oceans. They work with local fishermen who collect used plastic fishing nets, ropes and trawls from the ocean.
Sea2See uses ocean plastics that they collect and recycle themselves, creating a proprietary product UPSEA plastic. They then use this in the sunglasses they sell.
Clean Waves uses recycled plastics provided by Parley for the Oceans, which sources plastic waste from the oceans. Clean Waves donates all its money to the protection of remote islands.
Norton Point uses plastic from ocean waste and innovations in moulding techniques, creating the first line of eyewear made from recovered high-density polyethlebe (HDPE).
Parafina uses several recycled materials in their frames – not just plastic, so they have a wide product range.
In their plastic frames, they use either terephthalate (PET) from plastic bottles or high-density polyethylene from shampoo and detergent bottles.
Sunski makes their frames from polycarbonate plastic which they obtain from post-industrial waste.
And that’s an overview of recycled plastic sunglasses – the materials used, how they are made, whether they are sustainable and some brands that have made use of this in the sunglasses they sell.
If this is an innovation that interests you, I am sure you will find sunglasses to suit your needs because there are some great brands making use of something that is ordinarily considered waste.
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.
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.
Recycled Metal Sunglasses – From Waste to Wearable – discover the unusual source materials used in recycled metal sunglasses and the studies that show they are a sustainable option.
