In Living Color

In 2022, through sales of a limited-edition eyewear collection, the edCFDA (eyewear designers of the Council of Fashion Designers of America) Pride Eyewear Initiative raised nearly $50,000 for the Los Angeles LGBT Center, with the charitable funds focused on providing services and health care for elderly members of the community.

To honor the upcoming Pride Month this year in June, five independent CFDA eyewear designers continue this annual charitable venture to highlight specific needs within the broad spectrum of the LGBTQIA+ and gender nonconforming community.

The designers of Blake Kuwahara Eyewear, Christian Roth Eyewear, Krewe Eyewear, l.a.Eyeworks, and Selima Optique will each offer a limited-edition sunglass design, available individually through each designer, with a portion of proceeds collectively benefiting the TransLatin@ Coalition. This unique organization’s members are TransLatin@ leaders from different parts of the U.S. who organize and advocate for the issues and needs of TransLatin@ individuals. Accompanying the eyewear designs is a dedicated lens cleaning cloth created exclusively for the initiative by New York-based artist Pedro Silva. —ERINN MORGAN

SUSTAINABLE STRIDES

In the spirit of Earth Month, EB has curated a lineup of some of the most unique initiatives in sustainable eyewear—from milestones to notable collections. Does your practice highlight eco-friendly offerings? Share those with us on Earth Day (April 22) with the hashtag #EBTrendspotting on social media. —VERONICA DAUB

1 Bajío’s Temples of Change initiative has nearly reached its goal of planting 500 coral reefs in Xcalak, Mexico. With each purchase of one of two limited-edition frames, Nato and Balam, a $20 donation is made to nonprofit Oceanus, A.C., and one coral colony is planted and maintained.

2 The Boss Spring/Summer 2023 men’s eyewear collection from Safilo features frames crafted with Acetate Renew—a material made from 60% bio-based and 40% certified recycled content. Other Safilo brands featuring eco-conscious materials include Polaroid, Rag & Bone, Fossil, Under Armour, and Tommy Hilfiger.

3 Converse has introduced the Restore Collection from Marchon Eyewear—three sun and three optical styles crafted with materials derived from at least 45% sustainable sources. The optical styles are crafted with plant-based resin, and the sun styles are upcycled from recycled plastic water bottles.

4 Eco Eyewear from Modo has stepped beyond carbon neutral to carbon negative—through a partnership with Trees for the Future, Eco shares it has planted 3.3 million trees so far, offsetting a total of 154 million kilograms of carbon dioxide and restoring 1,069 acres including farmland.

5 As part of its Eyes on the Planet objective to carbon neutrality, EssilorLuxottica has announced a 12-year power purchase agreement for 900 GWh of green energy through its subsidiary, ERG Power Generation—which, after updating its Partinico-Monreale wind farm in Palermo, Italy, nearly tripled its annual production.

6 The only eyewear company to earn certification under the European Union’s Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, Silhouette has dug three groundwater wells for irrigating the landscaping at its headquarters in Linz, Austria, saving 400,000 gallons of drinking water per year, according to the company.

7 The Costa Untangled Collection from EssilorLuxottica is crafted with 97% NetPlus, a durable material made from fishing nets recycled by Bureo—an organization that has recycled 2.2 million pounds of fishing nets to date.

8 Part of the L.12.12 family, the Lacoste L6000S sunglass from Marchon Eyewear is characterized by feminine geometric detailing and crafted with an eco-conscious focus in Arkema PeBax Clear 1200 resin, a unique, sustainable material comprising bio-based carbons made from castor beans.

9 With stainless steel making up 65% of its portfolio, Mykita celebrates a 20-year partnership with Alleima, which has been recycling steel for more than 100 years. Today, Mykita frames are cut from ultrathin spring steel sheets comprised of 90% recycled material.