Fashion Optical

Don’t Send Frames Back- Re-Purpose Them Into Custom Eyewear

Written by Cathy on September 2, 2010 – 7:07 pm -

We had done an earlier post on cool Safety frames repurposed as new sunglasses. St. Liberty Mens’ Goods has been buying up military surplus sunglasses and repurposing then into hot new shades. Adding a leather bridge and reselling it as custom eyewear- great marketing, plus you can save yourself some money and handling by not shipping back product. (And make your reps really happy!)

St. Liberty Repurposed Military Sunglasses

Or for a little  fun, drill some holes make a necklace From Tattydevine

Drill a couple of hole, put in a chain and a whole new look

Another idea is re-use and put your favorite photos in. Although I am a big proponent of donating old eyeglasses- but if you have a favorite pair or some glasses remind you of a favorite relative, reuse them and put your favorite photo inside. Source

Re-purpose Eyewear Into Photo Frame


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Insight Optical Lab In Montana -Eco Friendly And Gives Back

Written by Cathy on June 23, 2010 – 7:47 pm -

Insight Optical Lab For the Planet

I am impressed! Insight Optical Lab an eco friendly optical surfacing lab in Montana is doing what they can to lessen their environmental impact. In light of the BP-Oil-gate scenario, I personally thank them for reducing our dependancy on oil, eliminating waste and saving water. Read their Give a Damm Statement

The Highlights: From their Website

  • Insight Optical Laboratory is the only independent optical laboratory that uses renewable energy sources to run it’s operations (Wind turbines and solar panels)- That means less oil being used.
  • Water- It only takes 3oz per pair of eyeglasses to produce a pair of glasses v.s. 48 oz (3 gallons) What a relief as only 20% of the world has access to clean water.
  • Waste- All waste is re-purposed and used in other industries – Reduces dependency on oil and landfill space. Did you know that making new landfills cost the taxpayer’s money- It cost from $20 Million to open a new landfill and the taxpayer pays for that.
  • Donates- 10% of all profits are donated.

Insight Optical Labs also offers- Vision-Ease Lenses (another Eco Friendly company), Hoya Lenses and Pixel Lenses- 3 of our sponsors

Totally Optical



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What’s Hot for Summer – The Hanging Gardens of U.S. Vision

Written by Shirley on May 16, 2010 – 8:35 pm -

Terris Tykes Vertical Garden - US Vision

Well maybe not quite the hanging gardens of Babylon but this a beautiful vertical garden outside U.S.Vision’s subsidized, on site daycare center – Terri’s Tykes, available to lab and corporate employees. We like the garden and the daycare for optical employees children. It is a great example of an optical work environment culture is more than just words and a listing of benefits. U.S. Vision has full and part-time optometrist  practices available in several states.

I have seen these vertical gardens at garden centers, they are easy to establish and maintain as each plant is in it’s own pot and can easily be replaced! Maybe plant some saffron, it supposed to be good for eye health. This is definitely on our “What’s Hot for Summer” list. It is very Eco Optical and we always like that especially Cathy, she wrote about the optical office garden concept a while ago! What’s on your list?


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Eyecare Non Toxic Options For Lens Cleaners

Written by Cathy on April 28, 2010 – 8:21 pm -

Eco Lens Cleaner by Nanofilm

As the consumer is seeking more non-toxic options and alternatives to their allergies and asthma issues, Nanofilm released an Eco Friendly Lens Cleaner,, Clarity EcoClens. Made from biodegradable materials EcoClens comes in a 100% recyclable bottle and biodegradable packaging and shipped in 100% recycled cardboard cartons. EcoClens has proven to be effective not only for eyeglass lenses, try them for camera, computer screens, binoculars and other optical devices.

Clear Conscience Contact Lens Solutions is a cruelty free alternative to contact lens cleaners. Company policy ensures that all suppliers are also committed to product safety testing without the use of animals. 10% of all proceeds donated to non-profit animal welfare and environmental organizations. ‘A Multi-Purpose Solution for soft (hydrophilic) contact lenses that is cruelty-free, thimerosal-free, chlorhexidine-free, FDA approved. Packaged in 12 oz. (355 ml) and travel size 3 oz. (100ml) recyclable spill-proof plastic bottles. Product is sterilized by filtration without the use of radiation.’

Clear Conscience Contact Lens Cleaner- Against Animal Cruelty

Why not appeal to the eco conscience consumer and offer a few products that appeal to their sense of social responsibility, their mental and physical well being and health. It makes Green Sense!


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Make Your Own Eyeglass Cases

Written by Cathy on April 27, 2010 – 7:57 pm -

Eyeglass Cases- Make Your Own

Lens Chic over at EyeOverHeard liked this eyeglass case enough to send the link over to us. I’m sure many of our readers are crafty people, I know Jolinda over at Vision West (super crafty) is. If you want to make your own eyeglass cases (and maybe resell?) try this tutorial form Instructables. http://www.instructables.com/id/Eye-Glasses-Case-Tutorial/

It doesn’t take a lot of material to make, so it’s a great way to reuse fabric remnants or you if you want to reuse burlap, see if your local coffee roaster throws away their burlap bags (most do) and pick up burlap, wash and sew. I could see some really unique eyeglasses cases made from leftover burlap bags. A great eco -friendly addition to your eyecare office.


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Green And Save- Eyecare Remodeling-Healthcare Trends

Written by Cathy on April 22, 2010 – 8:27 pm -

The advantages of green remodeling are numerous:

  1. Customer satisfaction- less toxic environment
  2. Employee satisfaction and improved productivity- The EPA estimates that building-related illnesses account for $60 billion in annual lost productivity a year.
  3. Lower Operating Cost- Paying an average of 2% up front for green features can save as much as 30-40% in energy and water bills. Lowering operating and maintenance cost can save up to 85% for a lifetime.
  4. Lowers Risk- If you are building green, incorporating ‘green’ can lower your liability cost and cost later to update as city, state and national laws change. Claims relating to sick building syndrome have grown.

There are several keys to remodeling in Eco Friendly or Green. For more information on building green, The U.S. Green Building Council has lots of tips on building green. What is important to remember, it doesn’t have to cost much more to remodel or build green. In some cases you may pay more upfront and the savings will be over a lifetime. Green and Save website offers a calculator to help you determine your ROI (return on investment ) as well as a free guide. The other thing to add into consideration is worker-employee productivity.

7 Keys to Remodeling Green and Eco Friendly

  1. Reuse and reclaim  as much building materials as you can. Can you repaint, reuse glass shelving, file cabinets. The key is keeping old materials out of landfills. If not reusing, recycle or donate old materials.
  2. Reduce- reducing waste, paper, energy and water will save much green over a lifetime.
  3. Energy Savings- Install Energy Star appliances wherever you can. Consider natural light, insulation etc.
  4. Water Savings- Install water saving devices whereever you can
  5. Use Renewable and or biodegradable  materials- FSC Certified woods, bamboo, tiles
  6. Use Non Toxic Paints, glues, adhesives,
  7. Recycle

Dan Sloan- Fashion Optical Bamboo Display. Showing his pet frogs

Lets say that your frame displays are pretty beat up, you want a whole new look, you do have eco friendly options with Optical Furnishings. Fashion Optical Displays offers FSC certified Bamboo displays, bamboo being a renewable resource and with the added benefit of being FSC certified, which means the bamboo has been harvested in an eco friendly manner. Barbara Wright Design has designed several eco friendly eyecare offices as well.

Several other optical vendors have remodeled or built ‘green’. WileyX is moving at the end of April to an LEEDS certified energy efficient building, Vision-Ease Lens is using 100% renewable energy, Essilor rebuilt their entire new building in Green, Walman Optical is going sustainable as well. If you want to know more, contact them and ask them how and why they switched to Green Options.

If your eyecare office is outdated and you are considering remodeling, we recommend you think Green and Eco Friendly for making and saving green.

Resources;


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Earth Day Eco Friendly Eyewear

Written by Cathy on April 21, 2010 – 7:58 pm -

Our sister site Optical Vision Resources is not only a wholesale optical vendor directory. For Earth Day/Month We featured  Eco Friendly Eyecare Vendors, eyeglasses and eyecare products and optical vendors that give back. I’m sure we missed some companies, and we apologize if we missed anyone. The following are the articles year to date:

Lee Allen Eyewear

Eco Friendly Eyewear Made With Reused and Recycled Materials

Eco Friendly Sports and Performance Sunglasses made with Recycled Materials

Best Image Vintage Eyewear- Shown Caviar

Reused and Recycled Vintage Eyewear

Eco Friendly Bamboo Eyewear

Spectacle Eyeworks Carved From Canadian Maple

Eco Friendly Wood Eyewear

Eyewear From Unusual Recycled Materials

Eco Friendly Eyeglass Accessories

Eyes Of Faith

Companies Giving Back

Coppertone Lenses By Visionease

Eyecare Vendors That Are ‘Green And Eco Friendly

Greening of Lab Equipment

Eco Friendly Packaging


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Vision-Ease Lens Leads Pack Of Sustainable Optical Vendors

Written by Cathy on April 21, 2010 – 8:48 am -

Vision-Ease Lens Reusable Bag

Happy Earth Day!

A couple of years ago Vision-Ease Lens made a major announcement that their manufacturing was switching to 100% renewable energy. This was before ‘eco-friendly’ optical was becoming a hot trend. Back in 2008, hardly anyone was even thinking about renewable energy, not many people even considered their carbon footprint, but Vision-Ease bucked the ‘eye rolling’ and went forward to become I would consider the first sustainable lens manufacturer in the USA.

Manufacturing can be costly and toxic to the environment, depending on chemicals and materials used. (Think steel mils, coal and clouds of toxic chemicals in the air, or think Erin Brockovich) Just by implementing and using renewable energy, Vision-Ease Lens lowers their impact on the environment, saving thousands of CO2 emissions a year- better for you, your children and grandchildren.

The added benefit by doing this and other recycling programs, Vision-Ease Lens is reducing our dependency on oil. Good for you and the environment.

  • By eliminating extra product shipments for manufacturing, VEL saved more than 12,500 gallons of gas in 2006 by producing its proprietary, LifeRx™ photochromic lenses in one facility. This has also saved 113 metric tons of CO2 emissions – equivalent to the electricity for 15 homes for one year
  • And by replacing all lighting in the Ramsey facility with energy efficient fluorescent lighting, savings have reached near 800 metric tons of CO2 emissions since the conversion in January 2007.
  • By switching to renewable power, we will avoid the release of more than 15,000 metric tons of carbon emissions each year. This saving is equivalent to the emissions that result from burning more than one and three-quarter million gallons of gasoline.

I have been impressed since 2008 with Vision-Ease with their environmental commitment, their far-thinking initiatives, their willingness to make the eco investment not just for you the eyecare practitioner, but for your friends, families and patients. Kudos to Vision-Ease and may others follow in their footsteps.


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