'Bottleyes' is an Ecuador-based startup that aims to simultaneously combat two challenges that are facing the world. These are the epidemic of poor eyesight in the developed world, and the growing number of plastic bottle waste in landfills and in the oceans. In order to address both of these problems, Bottleyes sought out to upscale discarded plastic bottles into suitable prescription eyewear.
As part of the brand's commitment to providing access to prescription eyesight products to the developed world, its 'Bottleye' products are far cheaper than existing prescription eyewear brands. Bottleyes does not want the price tag to be what stops the world from adopting circular products, because many circular products end up more expensive than their unsustainable competitors.
Lastly, due to the nature of the Bottleyes being made from upscaled plastic, they are very easy to repair and supply replacement parts. The hinge that connects the lens to the other parts was designed with repairability in mind.
Upcycled Plastic Eyewear
'Bottleyes' Upscales Used Plastic Bottles into Prescription Eyewear
Trend Themes
1. Circular Eyewear - Eyewear brands are exploring ways to create circular products that are cheaper and eco-friendly by upscaling discarded materials.
2. Repairable Products - Companies can explore innovative opportunities to create repairable products to reduce environmental waste and increase sustainability.
3. Affordable Prescription Eyewear - The eyewear industry can disrupt the existing market by exploring cheaper yet sustainable ways to produce prescription eyewear to combat poor eyesight in the developed world.
Industry Implications
1. Eyewear - The eyewear industry can explore innovative ways to produce circular and affordable prescription eyewear from discarded materials.
2. Environmental Waste Management - There's a tremendous need to manage the increasing amount of plastic waste in landfills and the oceans, and companies can tackle this challenge by exploring ways to upscale discarded materials into useful products.
3. Repair and Maintenance - The most appropriate way to reduce environmental waste and increase the lifespan of a product is to repair and maintain it instead of buying new ones. Therefore, there's a tremendous need to explore innovative repair technologies and processes.