Gucci Designs Eco-friendly Sunglasses

A year after producing a small range of sustainable eyewear in collaboration with Safilo, Gucci has reiterated its commitment to the environment by unveiling a line of sunglasses made from liquid wood – an innovative biodegradable material which has never been used in the production of frames – instead of plastic, the material most frequently used in producing glasses.

The initial prototype of the semi-matte black sunglasses with shaded grey glass lenses has been developed into a set of frames which draw their formal elements from the stems of the bamboo plant. The hardware, including the hinges and small metal rings that outline the bamboo joints, are all made from recycled metal, paired with mineral glass lenses. Liquid wood is made from bio-based materials, namely wood fibre from sustainably managed forests and lignin from the paper manufacturing process and natural wax.

In addition, the fashion house is continuing to use the 100% recyclable packaging made from paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council that it introduced into its production processes in 2010. The new foldable cases were designed to minimise stock space, limiting both the weight and amount of shipments made, and reducing 60% of CO2 emissions.