Our Mission
Upcycling: the wetsuit becomes sunglasses
At OCENEO, we don't just recycle neoprene: we upcycle it. An end-of-life wetsuit, diving suit, or kite becomes a unique pair of sunglasses, an object more valuable than the material from which it originated.
Recycling or upcycling: what's the difference?
Traditional recycling grinds and degrades materials until they lose value. Upcycling does the opposite: it transforms waste into a higher-quality product, without losing any of its inherent worth.
The neoprene of a wetsuit is a technical material, designed to resist cold and saltwater for years. Rather than burning or burying it, we give it a second useful and desirable life: that of a handcrafted eyewear frame, made in France.
From wetsuit to frame
Each wetsuit is sorted, cut, then ground into a fine neoprene powder. Mixed with a bio-sourced resin, this powder is injected into aluminum molds, then finished one by one, by hand.
The result: a unique material, with shades never quite identical from one pair to another. No new wetsuits are produced to make our glasses.
