Green and Eco Optical Companies

As I was browsing the web- I came across this posting from Green Girls Global about contact lenses and the environment. 

So I thought I would do a post on who’s doing what in the Optical Environmental Arena. By nature, the process of manufacturing contacts and eyeglasses take a lot of water and energy. In addition many if not most Eyeglass Frames are now made in China (more shipping energy, plus China is not known as being the most environmentally friendly country).  The plastic used is recyclable, but still millions of glasses (cheap and otherwise) readers and sunglasses go into landfills every year. 

The following companies have made sustainable and eco commitments to the environment. 

1. Essilor- Commitment to Environment and Social Responsibility. The company as a whole has environmentally friendly workstations and chairs, all certified by Greenguard. They installed motion sensitive water faucets in lavatories, reducing water consumption by 70%. Ceiling tiles are are made of 405 recycled contents. Their energy saving conservation program has saved over 7 Million KWH in 2006 (North America)   Essilor is a international company that 1.) manufacturers lenses,coatings.and contact lenses  2.) Owns hundreds of laboratories internationally that grind lenses. 
2. Amy Sacks Masa bamboo eyewear collection has added three new colors: Cherry, Marine and Tangerine. These new colors combine stained bamboo temples to match the textured acetate front of our best seller ‘ALEX’. Available as reading glasses, reading sunglasses, sunglasses or optical frames.
3. Equation- which resells (reuses) old eyeglasses and readers. 
4. Gold and Wood– Use precious and exotic woods, taken from authorised and supervised plantations from different African countries, Brazil and Canada. Other models are made from genuine buffalo horn, a by-product from cattle farming. The animal is not hurt in the operation, and the horns can regrow. (They do not mention any eco in their website) 
5. West Coast Lens– (Huntington, CA) was founded by a green perspective. They are a lense grinding laboratory. 
6. ICU– Offer Recycled Sun Readers-  
7. I Wood Design– iWood ecodesign uses exotic veneers made available by today’s global economy.  Each pair of iWood ecodesign wooden sunglasses is designed with the environment in mind, using the highest quality, eco-sustainable, exotic wood veneer.  
8. Nouveau Eyewear- Eyeglass Distributor who in a partnership with American Forest now offers a collection called “Global Releaf’ . Nouveau Eyewear will plant a tree for every Global Releaf frame sold through the American Forests Global Releaf program. Merchandising pieces are printed with eco ink and recycled paper 
9. Kenmark Optical – Jlanes Barnes Collection (Eyewear) Not much is said on the site-  but according to press releases Jlanes Barnes just released Eco Friendly Eyewear 
10. Vision Ease– (Lense Manufacturer) Came up with a new logo, goes with their corporate long term commitment to being more eco- minded.  
11. Link Skin– Eco Friendly Eyewear – Products made from Recycled Materials 
12. Vision West– Vision West (Buying Group) launched the first ‘reusable bags’ promotion. The bags were supported by Hilco,(eyeglasses, supplies)  WileyX, (Performance Sunwear) Odyssey, Essilor, Clearvision (Eyewear) , Empire Optical (Laboratory, CA) , Carl Zeiss Vision (International-Lenses, Labs, Equipment) and Rudy Project USA  (Performance Sunwear)  To follow up Vision West also launched a Energy Challenge last summer. 
13. Zeal Optics Three of latest frames: Flyer, Emit and Swap Itfeature up to 30% in recycled frame materials. Cases are made from recycle materials. Zeal recycles used Zeal eyewear and upgrade eyewear to charities that need eyewear. It is a perfect way to create less waste and give more.
14. McGee Group- offers the  Ducks Unlimited  an Eyewear collection that conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North American waterfowl. A portion of the proceeds from all Ducks Unlimited Eyewear sales are used directly to reclaim and protect important wetland habitats in the U.S. and Canada. 
15. Cazal-  Cazal’s Eyewear  manufacturing and practices are on the sustainable and responsible treatment of the planet and its resources. Using biomass heating, eco friendly paints, renewable energy, reclaimed waters are important parts of their environmental commitment. T
16. Eco Lite- Lightbulbs- 

To Recycle Your Glasses 

• The Lions Club program—Lions Recycle for Sight—hosts domestic and international eyeglass donations that benefit children and adults.

• Goodwill Industries collects eyeglasses for donation.

• LensCrafters collects used specs and offers special free eye exams to the homeless.

• New Eyes for the Needy sends new and donated glasses to developing nations.

• Unite For Sight donates glasses and provides vision screenings in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

• Give the Gift of Sight provides free vision care and eyewear in North America and in developing countries.