One thing I’ll never leave the house without is a pair of sunglasses. I have two pairs of sustainable sunglasses that I switch between – a brown-rimmed, retro style pair, and a black-framed, dark lens pair. While I don’t need eyewear for daily use – 20:20 vision baby! – sunglasses are an essential to protect my eyes and keep me looking a little cooler than I probably am…
If you’re looking for sustainable sunglasses or eyewear, there are six key areas to consider, which I’ve listed below. I wanted to write this guide after weighing up different aspects that led me to my two pairs, and by following this guide, hopefully you’ll also be able to get the best combination of style, sustainability, and functionality too. On top of that, I’ve listed the best ethical sunglasses and eyewear brands in the UK at the end of this guide.
What To Look For In Sustainable Sunglasses & Eyewear
Ok, just like I do with all my sustainable shopping guides, I want to preface this by asking: do you really need a new pair of sunglasses? The most sustainable items are the ones we already own, and by refusing to over-consume you’re helping to keep demand down.
My sister is an optometrist and I’ll be honest, owning dozens of pairs of glasses comes with the territory. She looks gorgeous in all of her specs and sunnies, and working with glasses all day means she’s going to want the best pairs to show off as part of the job. But personally, I can’t justify having more than two pairs – my two go with all my outfits, and the circular style is kind of trend-proof too.
If you have a great pair of sunglasses that need fixing, see if you can take them back to the retailer. Many will have a warranty, and if it’s out of warranty, you could look at taking out glasses repairs instead.
If you still need a new pair of sunglasses, here are the credentials to help you find the best pair for you and the planet…
1. Always Choose UV Protection
Did you know you can sunburn your eyes? UV light from the sun affects our eyes, just like our skin. Over time, too much sun exposure can cause eye problems like cataracts and macular degeneration, so wearing sunglasses is a health issue as much as it is a style choice.
When looking for sunglasses, it’s best to go for ones that come with new lenses to ensure full UV protection. The tint or colour of the glasses doesn’t make a difference – it’s about the coating. Look for credentials such as “blocks 100% of UV rays”, “optical grade 100% UVA/UVB lenses” or “UV400”, which mean the same thing.
For fans of bug-eyed sunglasses and wraparounds, you may also be pleased to hear that the bigger the sunglasses, the better the protection!
2. Get Prescription Lenses From Your Optician
For those of you who need prescription sunglasses, I have to echo the advice my sister would give – get these from your optician. While you can walk out of your opticians with a prescription and order glasses online, you miss out on an important step: fitting. And where your glasses sit on your face changes how effective your prescription is.
From the list of sustainable eyewear brands below, both Cubitts and Jimmy Fairly have stores where you can enjoy this service and still get some eco eyewear!
3. Find Out Who Makes Your Eyewear & Sustainable Sunglasses
Next, try looking for social sustainability. After all, shouldn’t we expect supply chain transparency with eyewear?!
Whether you’re looking for UK-made glasses – Peep is a family-run business upcycling frames here in the UK – or Italian craftsmanship, like PALA and Wires employ – it’s good to know who makes your glasses, and how they are treated.
For the bigger brands touting sustainable principles, like Cubitts and Jimmy Fairly, I’ve had to do a bit more digging. Currently I’m waiting for more information about the people who make their frames and lenses, and will add their responses when I hear back.
4. Look For These Four Sustainable Materials
When it comes to glasses, it’s easy to assume that there’s just plastic, metal, and glass involved. But this is changing for the better, with new bio-materials and recycled options.
Bio-acetate
Since the 1940s, the majority of quality glasses frames have been made from cellulose acetate. Acetate has many benefits: it’s lightweight, relatively flexible, and hard wearing. The material is made from wood pulp and/or cotton and petroleum-based plastic.
A brilliant sustainable alternative to cellulose acetate is bio-acetate. Bio-acetate replaces the petroleum oil element with plant oils. Brands like PALA use castor seed oil in their bio-acetate designs, and it’s great to see a natural alternative to petroleum making it into the mainstream.
Look out for greenwashing: While researching the materials that go into sustainable sunglasses and glasses, I found some sites promoting acetate is a sustainable option. This is not true – in fact, acetate is an industry standard material, not a sustainable alternative.
Recycled Plastic
For cheaper frames, plastic can be used instead of acetate. For these, recycled plastic is becoming popular. CHPO uses 100% recycled plastic in its frames, taken from PET bottles, while Eco-Eyewear uses ocean plastic. And for every item made with recycled plastic, the demand for new virgin plastic goes down!
Plus, if recycling is your jam, make sure to check out Peep – they upcycle vintage frames, which is circularity at its finest! My black sunnies were gifted from Peep and I adore them.
Plastic Alternatives
Cubitts gets a special mention for plastic alternatives. Across its REDUX Collection of concept frames, they trialled 10 material alternatives, from potato skins through to human hair suspended in resin. While many of these also required plastic or a plastic-like materials, it shows that there is more innovations to come!
Recycled Metals
Alongside solutions to plastic, there’s also sustainable alternatives to virgin metals. Brands like Eco-Eyewear touts 95% recycled metals in their metal frames!
5. Choose A Case, Cover, And Cloth
Caring for your clothes is an important practice in making fashion more sustainable. The same can be said for glasses and sunglasses!
When you get a new pair of eyewear, make sure to choose a case or cover. This will help you to prevent breaks and accidents. And get a cloth too. Cleaning your lenses with a proper glasses cloth helps reduce scratches. Together, they will help extend the life of your glasses.
6. Make A Note Of Repairs & Recycling Services
Finally, look out for places that offer repairs and recycling. Accidents still will happen! Most of the brands listed below do offer repairs, and innovators like Hemp Eyewear also use modular designs to make repairs even easier. That is true circular fashion right there!
15 Of The Best Sustainable Sunglasses Brands In The UK
Here are my recommendations when it comes to eyewear brands for 2025! As with all my shopping guides, I like to update this regularly and share the best UK brands for you to check out. All of these are operating in a more sustainable way than mainstream brands, and hopefully you’ll find one that’s right for you!
Avantguard: Premium eyewear with a sustainable approach.
Bloobloom: Ethically made and climate neutral certified eyewear.
Bird: The UK’s first B Corp certified eyewear brand, hailing from sunny Devon.
CHPO: 100% recycled plastic sunglasses with recycled pouches too.
Coral Eyewear: Everyday and sports frames made with recycled and sustainable materials.
Cubitts: Contemporary spectacle and sunglass design brand with excellent service.
Cubo London*: Stylish bioacetate sunglasses designed in London and made in Italy.
Eyespace: B-Corp Certified eyewear brand making designer sunglasses.
Hemp Eyewear: Iconic hemp acetate frames with modular design for easier repairs and recycling.
Jimmy Fairly: French eyewear brand with a bio-acetate range – they gifted my brown pair of sunnies!
MONC: Spectacles and sunglasses made with bio-acetate and a focus on longevity. Read my review →
Otaaki*: Affordable screen glasses and sunglasses made with upcycled and recycled materials.
PALA: B-Corp bio-acetate eyewear brand giving back with every pair of frames sold.
Peep: Vintage upcycled frames for glasses and sunglasses with repairs and recycling. Read my review →
Retrospecced: Retro and vintage frames, upcycled with new lenses for glasses or sunnies.
Let me know if this guide helps you find a new pair of frames!
