Summer…long, bright days—and the perfect weather to shed some light on why you should be wearing sustainable sunglasses.

Mainstream eyewear is littered (literally) with virgin plastic, breakable designs, and unethical practices that make us squint more than the sun.

It’s time to trade those rose-colored conventional sunglasses in for green-tinted ones with eco-friendly sunglasses made from recycled materials and more, so we can shield our eyes and planet from more than just UVA rays.

As we refresh our articles in the coming months, we’ll be adding our new Brand Rating System to shine a light on what we look for to 22 criteria including eco-impact and product performance. To learn more about this new system, take a peek at our vision here.

We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.

The Best Eco-Friendly Sunglasses For A Brighter Future Of Eyewear

Pela knows a thing or two about using sustainable materials (for sunglasses and phone cases alike). Our personal Pela sunglasses review is just as glowing as the sun they’re protecting our eyes from.

For sunglasses made from recycled plastic, Sunski carbon-neutral frames and lens replacement service ensures some of the lowest impact eyewear around.

For proof that BPA-free sunglasses are just as durable as their plastic counterparts, Proof uses unique recycled materials to craft an impressive variety of men’s and women’s sustainable sunglasses.

Index: Eco-Friendly Sunglasses Brands

  1. Pela Jump to brand
  2. Woodzee Jump to brand
  3. Sunski Jump to brand
  4. Proof Eyewear Jump to brand
  5. Warby Parker Jump to brand
  6. Peep Eyewear Jump to brand
  7. Swell Vision Jump to brand
  8. Solo Eyewear Jump to brand
  9. Just Human Jump to brand

Pela

Pela has not been rated.

Pela’s Recycled Ocean Plastic Sunglasses

Price Range: $65–$80

Most people know Pela for their phone cases, but they also make some of the best eco-friendly sunglasses. Their selection of “Eyewear for People Who Care” consists of sunglasses made from recycled ocean plastic, old phone cases, or metal.

No matter your frame of choice, the polycarbonate CAT 3 UV400 lenses provide full UVA/UVB protection and can be swapped with blue light lenses.

Each pair of sunglasses produces 33% fewer carbon emissions, uses 34% less water, and produces 84% less waste compared to traditional acrylic sunglasses. As with their phone cases, theirs can be recycled at end-of-life through the Pela 360 program.

About Pela

Pela made a name for itself by creating the “world’s first compostable phone case”. Little did the world know flax straw phone cases were only the beginning.

Most products are manufactured locally in Canada while select ones, eyewear included, are ethically made in South China. After calculating and offsetting their emissions, they became Climate Neutral certified.

Pela is also a member of 1% for the Planet, through which they have donated over half a million dollars to organizations like Save the Waves and other large and grassroots initiatives alike.

My Personal Review of Pela’s Santorini Rounds Sunglasses:

“I may or may not have picked these sunglasses because they look like Vash the Stampede’s (90s anime fans, you know what I mean), but their performance far exceeded my expectations. I do love the look of the glasses and the slightly transparent nature of the orange lenses. And despite the dainty look of the wire frames, they’re quite sturdy and resistant to bending.”

Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content

Woodzee

Woodzee has not been rated.

Woodzee’s Sustainable Wooden Sunglasses

Price Range: $100

Woodzee specializes in bio acetate vegan sunglasses made of wood pulp and cotton fiber paired with nylon polarized lenses and quality stainless steel hardware.

However, we happen to think their most sustainable sunglasses are those made of recycled skateboards—not to mention the most interesting and unique. All frames are also prescription-compatible and come with a recycled paper case.

The Woodzee website also features sunglasses from a number of other brands, some more sustainable than others, so be careful what menu you navigate to.

About Woodzee

This sunglasses brand comes from the woodsy orchard fields of Chico, California, and derives inspiration from their local beautiful redwood forests and Joshua tree deserts.

They offer a recycling program, so customers can return their worn-out Woodzees and receive 50% off their next pair.

Sunski

Sunski has not been rated.

Sunski’s Recycled Plastic Sunglasses

Price Range: $48–$98

Sunski’s sustainable sunnies (try saying that three times fast) are made of SuperLight recycled plastic frames. The plastic used to produce the USA-made fair trade sunglasses frames is locally sourced from US landfills.

If metal is more your jam, try the Baia sunglasses for men and women. You can even choose your favorite color from the medium-coverage round lenses.

They’re so confident in the durability of the frames that they come with a lifetime warranty and the UVA/UVB blocking polarized lenses pass the FDA basic impact test

Still, Sunski recognizes that sometimes stuff happens to lenses, so they offer a lens replacement service. All affordable ethical sunglasses are shipped glue and plastic-free, in folded paperboard origami boxes.

About Sunski

Sunski is a member of 1% for the Planet. Unlike others, however, they go above and beyond the 1% call and donate 12% of profits to various environmental initiatives (without charging their customers an arm and a leg). They also purchase carbon offsets for their operating procedures to earn a Carbon Neutral certification.

Proof Eyewear

Proof Eyewear has not been rated.

Proof Eyewear’s Recycled Skateboard Sunglasses

Price Range: $84–$120

Proof Eyewear offers an impressive range of sustainable sunglasses for women and men. They use a variety of biodegradable and/or recycled materials, like recycled skateboard decks, recycled aluminum, sustainable forestry certified wood (including bamboo, lacewood, ebony, and mahogany), and cotton-based acetate.

Each pair of sunglasses is designed for disassembly, so you can recycle or compost with ease. They’re all handmade and finished with stainless steel hinges, and polycarbonate lenses, and come with a compostable sunglasses case made of sustainably sourced wood.

If you take a shine to recycled metal sunglasses, check out the Flyer, whose recycled aluminum frame and cotton acetate front is designed to leave you and the planet “stoked not stressed”, as it says on the inside of these frames.

About Proof Eyewear

Proof Eyewear was founded by 3 brothers in Boise, Idaho and, despite their growth, they like to keep things family-like by visiting partners twice a year to ensure ethical standards are up to snuff (especially their acetate supplier in China).

Proof Eyewear donates 12% of its profits to various global aid “Do Good Projects”, like providing vision screenings and cataract surgeries to those in need.

They also donate glasses, reusable menstrual pads, and their time, as well as plant five trees through Eden Reforestation Projects for every pair of sunglasses purchased.

Warby Parker

Warby Parker has not been rated.

Warby Parker’s Sustainable Eyewear

Price Range: $95–$195

Warby Parker creates stylish designs for Fortune 500s and fashionistas alike, all the while at an affordable price tag. Most frames are made using Italian plant cellulose acetate. For thinner frames, they use ultralight easily recyclable titanium, stainless steel, or bronze.

They are then fitted with polycarbonate impact-resistant lenses. Choose between standard or sustainable prescription sunglasses (in single vision, progressive, and reader options).

Because there are oh-so-many cute eco-friendly sunglasses, they offer a “home try-on” where you can try on five styles at home and send back what you don’t want. While it may help avoid buying something you won’t wear, it does add shipping emissions.

But if you’re looking for an almost fail-safe style, you can’t go wrong with the Maren sustainable cat-eye sunglasses whose sleek design and oxblood gradient are as hot as the sun they’ll protect your eyes from.

About Warby Parker

Warby Parker is New York City-based with global operations. Founders Dave Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal consider product quality and supply chain ethics as a top company priority. They regularly third-party audit their suppliers and factories.

A few years back, they started calculating their carbon footprint. Now they purchase offsets for all company operations (which includes employee commuting) and track progress in their yearly impact reports.

Their static charitable initiative is the “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” program, through which they have donated over four million pairs of glasses in over 50 countries through non-profits like VisionSpring.

Peep Eyewear

Peep Eyewear has not been rated.

Peep Eyewear’s Sustainable Sunglasses UK

Price Range: £66–£426

The most eco-friendly sunglasses are those already in existence—just like the upcycled vintage sunglasses from Peep Eyewear. They feature newly replaced UVA/UVB protective lenses and fully refurbished frames, complete with cleaning cloths made of 100% recycled PET plastic bottles.

They select standout designs and provide a one-of-a-kind product that diverts landfill waste by giving a second life to unwanted sunglasses.

Not looking to buy new sunglasses? Peep is still worth one for their reglazing (for changed prescriptions) and refurbishing service.

Through their Peep Polish restoration service, they’ll remove scratches and wear marks from any brand of sunglasses or prescription glasses.

About Peep Eyewear

Peep is a family-run business that’s “big on detail, small on mundane”. Their studio in Quorn, England is built entirely from salvaged windows, doors, and thrift furniture. It’s powered by a renewable energy supplier (though they’re hoping to go self-sufficient solar soon).

Their boxes and shipping filler are made of FSC-certified recycled paperboard and recycled paper tape, and they partner with Trees for Cities to plant a tree for every pair of sunglasses sold.

Swell Vision

Swell Vision has not been rated.

Swell Vision’s Sustainable Bamboo Sunglasses

Price Range: $50–$90

Swell Vision is a big fan of bamboo so much so that they specialize in bamboo sunglasses. They also use it for their environmentally friendly sunglasses cases.

While some frames are 100% sustainably-sourced bamboo, some styles—like the Amerigo 2.0 sustainable sport sunglasses—use acetate accents at the temples.

The lenses are taking a step toward sustainability too, made of TAC (triacetate cellulose) with a CR39 polarized resin finished. They’re not compostable, but they are getting closer to more sustainable polarized sunglasses.

About Swell Vision

Talk about setting your sights high. Swell Vision was founded by a student… in high school no less. Founder Mitchell Saum is a true visionary—and not just because he makes sunglasses. Eco-friendly apparel and watches are also in his repertoire.

They’re based in South Carolina but give globally through their partner, Green School, where they help underprivileged Balinese children attend school tuition-free. Every pair of sunglasses sold funds two weeks of schooling.

The Green School is a pretty swell concept. It’s a non-profit specifically designed to create leaders in the green movement, and the curriculum is largely sustainability-driven.

Solo Eyewear

Solo Eyewear has not been rated.

SOLO Eyewear’s Environmentally Friendly Sunglasses

Price Range: $59–$99

SOLO Eyewear’s affordable sustainable sunglasses fall into three main materials: repurposed bamboo, Italian cellulose acetate, and repurposed wood.

The latter collection of eco sunglasses utilizes sustainably reclaimed woods like cork, zebrawood, walnut, and blackwood. And if you’re like the earthy Indonesia frames, a little real stone to boot.

Pair these with some new-to-you clothing from one of the best thrift stores in San Diego and you’ll be repping Cali-Chic style pronto.

A couple of the designs feature a stainless steel frame component, too. All lenses are prescription-friendly and polarized with 100% UV protection. They’re all handmade down to the wooden cases, which they source from female artists in Panajachel, Guatemala.

About SOLO Eyewear

SOLO Eyewear started as a San Diego State University class project for Jenny Amaraneni and Dana Holliday. Now, these visionary ladies have been featured in Forbes and Time Magazine.

The inspiration behind this sustainable eyewear brand was learning that 80% of blindness is preventable, and 1 billion people lack access to vision care.

SOLO comes to #LiveandGive by donating 10% of all profits to Aravind Eye Care System and Restoring Vision. Every design is named after a country to which the proceeds from that sale are donated.

They use an American auditing company to ensure every part of the supply chain maintains workplace health and safety practices.

Just Human

Just Human has not been rated.

Just Human’s Environmentally Friendly Sunglasses

Price Range: $295

Just Human believes sunglasses should last a lifetime, not a season. To encourage just that, they create classic styles—cat eye, round, square, and aviator sunglasses—with a modern twist.

Rather than designating women’s and men’s sustainable sunglasses, their unisex styles fit “faces not gender”. Each frame is made from FSC-certified reforested softwood trees and designed with eye health in mind.

The mineral glass lenses ease eye strain and reduce glare and distortion, as well as block UVA, UVB, and blue light. They’re also more scratch and heat-resistant than traditional lenses.

About Just Human

We’re all just human, but collectively, the difference we can make is huge— choosing a simple pair of plastic-free sunglasses can be a start. Just Human is here to help.

They use zero waste manufacturing for their lenses, which are recyclable and made of sand and mineral glass, meaning lens shavings can be recycled back into new lenses.

Each pair of sustainable wooden sunglasses comes complete with a vegan leather case made from pineapple leaves and a microfiber cleaning cloth made from recycled plastic bottles.

Inspired by Japanese origami, the outer packaging is minimal, made of 100% recycled materials, and finished with eco inks and compostable tree pulp tape.