Now, whether you simply use sunglasses as an everyday accessory or have sensitive eyes and enjoy the relief the shade brings you, we all have to agree that sunglasses are a beach trip must. Because of this, I am going to share with you 5 amazing companies to purchase your summer eyewear from. 
SOLO Eyewear
First, starting off with SOLO Eyewear. This company is one that originally started as a class project idea at San Diego State University until Jenny Amaraneni made this idea a reality. At the time, Jenny was completing an international entrepreneurship course where she read Paul Polak’s “Our of Poverty”. It was through this piece that Jenny discovered the need for eye care around the world. Following this realization, Jenny decided to dive deeper into the world's eye care problem where she found that 1 billion people do not have access to eye care even though 80% of the world's blindness is preventable. Since then, Jenny’s motto has been, “One idea. One person. One action can change the world.” Jenny recently partnered with Dana Holliday when they discovered that their goal is to inspire individuals to go out and do amazing things. Since their establishment, SOLO has restored over 15,000 in need across 32 countries. Furthermore, SOLO is dedicated to establishing sustainable practices such as making 100% of products with repurposed bamboo and recycled plastics in order to reduce their carbon footprint. While this company was founded in California, their products can be found online and in many retail stores across the world — make sure to check them out!
Woodzee
This next eyewear company was founded by Luke Winter as a way to fill his Sundays off and satisfy his need to create and design. The company started with a mere three designs and now measures in the thousands. Woodzee’s goal is to promote style and nature and create long lasting products that won’t end up in landfills. Some of their sustainability efforts include a recycling program where all sunglasses are made out of recycled materials. This program allows Woodzee to reduce their waste while also promoting sustainability in the process. Additionally, the company packaging includes paper stock and natural plant based plastics. Woodzee is based out of California but can be found online at any time.
Zenni
Founded back in 2003, Zenni still appears as one of few online-only eyewear stores. Zenni once began as a small, local business but over the past two decades, has grown into a company with more than 50 million frames. The company goal is to produce affordable glasses while still remaining sustainable. Zenni has made many sustainable implementations since opening, one of which is their ReMakes by Zenni program where glasses are made with recycled plastics and bio based materials. In addition to this, Zenni has donated over 1.2 million pairs of glasses, awarded 326 vision screen and academic scholarships, and donated 2.1 million personal protective equipment kits. Overall this company is a great one that you should take time to check out.
Pala
Next up we have Pala. Pala was created by founder John Pritchard after traveling to Africa and discovering that many people lack access to eye care. Pritchard created Pala in hope to be able to give back to the world. The company is based on the phrase “see the world better” which showcases their efforts in funding eye care projects all across Africa. In addition to giving back, another one of Pala’s priorities is sustainability. All company frames are made from plant based bio-acetate and the lenses are made from eco friendly materials. Furthermore all cases are woven from recycled plastic and each case is made from over 50 strands of plastic and used 6 discarded water sachets. Pala is based out of Southern California but can be found online and in many retail stores around the world so make sure to keep this awesome company in mind.
Quince
Last but not least we have Quince. The company was founded by Sid Gupra who commonly worked for luxury brands but quickly realized they could not purchase high end products like their coworkers could. They value their long standing goal of creating high quality products at an affordable price. Quince frequently tests materials to ensure that they last long and serve a purpose. Additionally, the company has enacted sustainable practices such as utilizing organic materials, environmentally conscientious packaging, and ethical business standards. Quince also uses eco-friendly dyes and materials which include cashmere, alpaca wool, organic cotton, organic linen, and 100% recycled polyester. To ensure they keep their carbon footprint at a minimum, Quince ships products directly from the manufacturer and are currently working towards 100% compostable packaging and recycled mailers. While Quince is based out of San Francisco, the store can be found online at any time so make sure to check it out.
Comments