Eyewear brand Sea2see has been awarded carbon negative status by sustainability experts. The firm has eliminated twice its carbon footprint over the whole life cycle of its optical glasses and sunglasses.
The company’s products are made from 100 per cent recycled plastic, recovered from the sea. They are 86 per cent less contaminating than cellulose acetate, 79 per cent less than TR90 grilamid frames and 61 per cent less than virgin nylon 6 sunglasses, according to sustainability experts Dcycle.
“Our investment and purchase of carbon credit has allowed us to become carbon negative,” said François van den Abeele, founder and chief executive.
The firm is supporting renewable energy in Mexico, investing in wind technology to power 700,000 households. The project delivers emission reductions and other sustainable development activities, including educational and reforestation projects.
“Our life cycle survey is a vertical analysis of all the steps from waste collection to the delivery of the product to the final consumer. It highlights Sea2see’s low environmental impact compared to the use of cellulose acetate, TR90 and virgin nylon,” added Mr van den Abeele.
Raw materials such as cellulose, grilamid and nylon require energy-intensive manufacturing processes, creating high carbon dioxide emissions and consumption of fossil fuels, compared to recycled marine waste.
Sea2see aims to highlight plastic contamination of the seas and has led the use of marine waste in the optical industry. The brand works with coastal communities in developing countries to collect marine waste, providing people with a source of income. Plastic is then recycled to produce 100 per cent of their frames, as well as watches.