Zeal Optics Launches World’s First Sunglasses Made of Recycled Plastics and Grasses

PLASTIC BOTTLES + GRASS FIBER + BIO GAS = SUNGLASSES REIMAGINED.

Boulder, Colorado’s Zeal Optics has long prided itself on reducing the impact of its products. The brand was the first to shift its entire sunglass collection to plant-based materials. It was the first sunglass company to launch biodegradable acetate sunglasses and now they’re the first to launch a collection made from recycled plastics and grasses.

The new See Grass Collection is crafted from a proprietary blend of natural grasses and recycled plastic bottles, which come together for a unique look and feel in stylish and incredibly durable frames. Made from ‘true grasses’, which are agricultural waste fibers including hemp, flax, rice and straw, this fibrous base is combined with post-consumer recycled plastics to reuse waste material and keep it out of landfills.

Biogas powers the production of the See Grass raw materials, which are then used in injection molds to create frames that are more sustainable, incredibly durable and long-lasting. See Grass frames allow Zeal, which is also a member of 1% for the Planet, to partner with multiple organizations including farmers, manufacturers and waste managers that are focused on finding alternative uses for what was previously considered trash.

“The launch of our new See Grass frames represents years of design, research and development and scouring the globe for unique materials that can be recycled and reimagined,” said Mike Lewis, director of marketing at Zeal Optics. “We’re so excited with the final results. Each pair is slightly different based on the composition, providing a unique look and feel that our customers can wear with pride knowing they’re voting with their dollars to reduce the impact of their purchases.”

The Zeal Optics See Grass collection features two styles – Divide and Aspen – with more to come in 2021. The frames are made from Zeal Optics’ See Grass material, and lenses are plant-based Ellume Polarized lenses for unrivaled color, clarity and contrast. Both are available in four colors: Black Grain, Midnight, Pine and Smolder. MSRP $169 

Divide: A square frame that bridges the gap between fashion, function and sustainability. 

Aspen: A frame as timeless as the fashionable and sustainably-minded Colorado town it’s named for.