Why we use bio-acetate
Learn more about our journey towards being a sustainable company
Listening to mother nature...
We craft our glasses with planet-friendly bio-acetate because they're our best chance for a sustainable future.
in traditional acetate glasses production with non-renewable materials
How we're taking action
RECYCLABLE + BIODEGRADABLE
👋 to single-use plastics.
Acetate is a plant-based material.
But regular acetate is made with oil-based plasticisers which aren’t all that great for the environment. So when regular glasses end up in a landfill, they stick around for longer than they should.
Time to meet bio-acetate, a material that is mixed with bio-based plasticisers made from renewable sources, making it both biodegradable and recyclable.
Mother nature will give you a hug, we promise!
REDUCED CARBON EMISSIONS
Stamping out our carbon footprint.
So, here’s the thing. Producing a regular pair of acetate glasses requires fossil fuels - and to be honest, we’d rather not pollute the environment unnecessarily.
That’s why we think bio-acetate is super-duper awesome. Producing a standard pair of acetate frames emits 3.37kg CO2-e. Our bio-based frame emits 75% less CO2e. It’s a step in the right direction, but we want to do more. Our goal is to have no carbon footprint going forward.
“Planting trees won’t save the planet. It’s just a band-aid solution to make up for bad practices.
Replacing fossil fuels, cutting down on single-use plastic, recycling. These are the real responsibilities for every business today.”
LUMES Eyewear Co-Founder
Our journey to being a sustainable company
Making better products in a better way will take time, and for LUMES it’s only the beginning. Here are the main goals we want to reach by the end of 2021, and beyond:
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Launch first bio-acetate frames
We’re changing the game. To keep to our promise of reducing our single-use plastic consumption, 55% of our collection will be made from bio-acetate. That means new frames, new colors, and new materials. Shop our planet-friendly eco-range.
November, 2020
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Make 100% of our acetate collection exclusively from bio-acetate
Our goal is to phase out our traditional acetate frames and replace them with a full collection of bio-acetate blue light blocking glasses. With every product we sell, we want to reduce our negative impact on the environment as much as possible.
March, 2021
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Remove all unnecessary packaging and produce packaging from 90% sustainable materials
Packaging can make up to 50% of a business’ carbon footprint. That’s why we’ll be removing the white cardboard box around the glasses case, our thank you card, and only using packaging items made from 90% sustainable materials: everything from the cardboard boxes to the packaging tape.
June, 2021
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Switch to a lightweight water-based PU glasses case
We’re committed to ensuring that every aspect of our product conforms to the same environmental standards. And yes, we’ll be making changes to the materials we use in our glasses cases too. Our new water-based PU case will eliminate toxins and cost less energy to produce.
September, 2021
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CO2 neutral
Being sustainable is all about the long-term. We are aiming to be a 100% carbon neutral company by 2025. And we’re thinking about creative solutions to offset our carbon emissions and close the loop on our glasses production. Watch this space!
January, 2025