Recycled sunglasses are winning more and more people over: they combine style, protection and respect for the ocean. But how do you choose the right pair? Here is our guide.
Why choose recycled sunglasses?
Every year, tonnes of neoprene wetsuits end up in landfill or the incinerator. Choosing recycled glasses means diverting that waste from the bin and reducing demand for new, oil-based plastic. A concrete step for the planet, without giving up on style.
How are our recycled-neoprene glasses made?
At OCENEO, we collect surf, diving and kitesurf wetsuits at the end of their life. They are washed, cut and then ground into a fine powder. This powder is mixed with a bio-based resin and injected into aluminium moulds, then each frame is finished by hand in our workshop in Le Teich, on Arcachon Bay. The result: a one-of-a-kind frame whose shades are never quite the same. The whole process is explained on our Material page.
Eco-friendly glasses: beware of greenwashing
"Ecological", "eco-friendly", "eco-responsible": these words are everywhere, but they are not enough. Truly eco-friendly glasses rest on three things: a low-impact material, ideally recycled, local manufacturing and a long lifespan. Wetsuit neoprene ticks the first box in a fairly rare way: no new wetsuit is ever produced to make our glasses, we start from what already exists. And rather than downgrading the material, we give it new value: this is upcycling, waste that becomes an object you want to keep.
Recycled plastic or recycled neoprene?
Many brands work with rPET (bottles) or plastic recovered from the sea. It is a good approach, but that material is often remelted and standardised: each pair looks just like the next. Recycled neoprene, on the other hand, keeps the nuances of each batch, and its origin is traceable: we know which wetsuits it comes from.
5 things to check before buying
- Protection: insist on UV400 category 3 lenses, which block 100% of UV rays.
- Material: choose a genuinely recycled, traceable material, such as wetsuit neoprene.
- Lens quality: our Divel bionylon lenses are bio-sourced and give crisp vision.
- Origin: French manufacturing means quality and a short supply chain.
- Uniqueness: a truly recycled pair carries the nuances of its original material.
Which OCENEO model should you choose?
Three models, all in recycled neoprene: the Hossegor (versatile), the Biarritz (elegant) and the Lacanau (outdoor, rugged).
An old wetsuit sleeping in a cupboard? With our Recycle my wetsuit service, send it to us: we will make it into a one-of-a-kind pair, just for you.
Want to see the full collection? Discover all our recycled sunglasses.
