We live in a time where almost everyone is eco-conscious and looking for ways to reduce waste and our carbon footprint. Consumers are focussed on sustainability, and recycling is being incorporated into manufacturing production and waste removal. As Rayleen Tamblyn writes, the optical industry is no exception.

WRITER Rayleen Tamblyn

As awareness of sustainability continues to grow, it is clear that optical frame and lens manufacturers are getting on board the sustainability train. We are seeing the incorporation of innovative bio-based materials in frames, lenses, packaging, and accessories. We are also seeing some impressive advances in manufacturing processes with the focus on energy efficiency, reduced water wastage, waste reduction management, and waste recycling with, for example, swarf being made into pavers, bricks, and laminates.

WHAT MAKES A FRAME ‘SUSTAINABLE’?

Until recently the focus has been on bio-degradable and more eco-friendly frame materials.

Most major frame manufacturers have adopted bio-acetate or recycled materials for their frames, offering stylish and eco-friendly options for consumers.

Bio-acetate is a sustainable alternative to traditional acetate, made from plant-based materials like cotton and wood pulp. Unlike petroleum-based plastics, bioacetate is biodegradable, reducing environmental impact.1

Recycled materials are increasingly being used, most often plastics such as reused water bottles and marine traceable plastics. As an example, Good Citizens Eyewear frames are made from 100% recycled plastic, specifically from discarded plastic water bottles. The company has engineered a process where one plastic bottle is enough to create one complete pair of glasses.

Some eyewear brands are addressing ocean plastic pollution by creating frames from traceable marine plastics and recovered fishing gear, including nets. This process helps to reduce marine waste and promotes a circular economy.

In Australia, we have a new brand championing sustainable eyewear manufacture: Spexcycle.

Spexcycle is Australia’s first closed-loop eyewear recycling programme, founded by Chris Savage, an experienced optical dispenser and designer. Through a streamlined collection process, Spexcycle transforms old frames into new, sustainable eyewear, reducing landfill waste and conserving natural resources.2

“While some manufacturers are stepping up with eco-friendly materials, eyewear waste remains a massive problem,” Mr Savage said. “With over 10 million spectacle frames being sold in Australia each year, this is a lot of waste when they come to the end of their life. By recycling these frames, we reduce the need for virgin plastics and reduce the environmental impact.”

How is Eyewear Being Recycled?

Spexcycle’s process can be broken down into four steps:

Disassembly and sorting. Frames are broken down into individual components and carefully sorted by materials, type, and colour.

Material repurposing. Cellulose acetate is transformed into new frames, while other materials are either stored for future use or sent to specialised recyclers, keeping waste minimal.

Transparent tracking. Every step is documented, so you can follow the journey of recycled frames.

New life as Objekt Eyewear. The recycled materials are used to craft a line of stylish, durable, and repairable frames that embrace minimal-waste principles. It’s fashion-forward sustainability at its best.3

Optical businesses can become a Spexcycle collection point – with a collection box in their stores. Clients can then recycle their old eyewear and make a real difference.

This initiative promotes sustainability and environmental responsibility. And while not all eyewear will be made from recycled frames, imagine a world where your customers buy frames that have been crafted from sustainable materials with environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes and then have them recycled at the end of life into entirely new frames for others to enjoy; it’s a concept that enables your patients to make a real difference.

HOW ARE OPTICAL LENSES BECOMING MORE SUSTAINABLE?

Until recently, the focus for lenses has been on reduced environmental impact in the manufacturing processes. This has seen major innovations with waste reduction, reduced water consumption, and energy efficiency. Lens manufacturers are now even more focussed on innovating to find green and sustainable solutions to manufacturing and recycling.

CR Labs, for example, has released the first Australian biomass lens material: Eco6.4

Eco6 is Australia’s first biomass lens material, crafted entirely from plant-derived raw materials. It is the only lens material certified and recognised as a biomass product by the Japan Organics Recycling Association and the United States Department of Agriculture.

This innovative lens material reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 14% compared to conventional petroleum-based products. Not only are these lenses sustainable, but they also offer high-quality visual clarity. They are lightweight and durable, making them suitable for a variety of frame styles, including rimless and nylon/inline fittings. The Eco6 lens is available in various tints and densities to meet different lifestyle and prescription needs.

ARE EYEWEAR ACCESSORIES SUSTAINABLE?

Accessory manufacturers are also making inroads on sustainable manufacturing with recycled materials being used to create frame cases and cloths. Minerva Optics is now offering GLASKAR refillable spectacle lens cleaning bottles. The practice has a solution dispenser in store, encouraging customers to return for a request refill. This ensures they are looking after their lenses well and opening up new possibilities for sales, all while reducing plastic waste.

The optical industry is making significant strides towards sustainability. By embracing innovative materials and recycling initiatives, we can reduce waste and promote environmental responsibility. As an optical professional, you have an important role to play in empowering your patients to make choices that can make a difference in creating a greener footprint on our planet.

Take a look at the sustainable solutions on the following pages.

Rayleen Tamblyn is an Optical Trainer and Assessor with the Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD) with considerable experience in industry, training, and leadership. She is a qualified optical dispenser and trainer and is a Retail Manager with Specscsavers.

References

1. Pala Eyewear, What is bio-acetate? (webpage) available at: palaeyewear.com/journal/what-exactly-is-bio-acetate [accessed July 2025].
2. Spexcycle, Giving frames a second life (webpage) available at: spexcycle.com.au [accessed July 2025].
3. Objekt Eyewear, Materials designed with purpose (webpage) available at: objekteyewear.com/materials [accessed July 2025].
4. CR Labs, Green looks good on you – our 2025 sustainability campaign (wepage), available at: crlabs.au/ item/green-looks-good-on-you---our-2025-sustainability-campaign [accessed July 2025].