Green Optical Vendors – The Consumer Wants to Know

1. Vision West- Vision West launched the first ‘reusable bags’ promotion. The bags were supported by Hilco, WileyX, Odessey, Essilor, Clearvision, Empire, Carl Zeiss Vision and Rudy Project. To follow up Vision West also launched aEnergy Challenge last summer.

1. Amy Sacks Masa bamboo eyewear collection has added three new colors: Cherry, Marine and Tangerine. These new colors combine stained bamboo temples to match the textured acetate front of our best seller ‘ALEX’. Available as reading glasses, reading sunglasses, sunglasses or optical frames.
2. Cazal- Cazal’s manufacturing and practices focused on the sustainable and responsible treatment of the planet and its resources. Using biomass heating, eco friendly paints, renewable energy, reclaimed waters are important parts of their environmental commitment.
3. Costa Del Mar-check out channel C Costa del Mar Station for updates on sustainablity.
4. Dragon- The E.C.O., or Environmentally Conscious Optics, is an initiative by Dragon inspired by Rob Machado to actively investigate methods of manufacturing environmentally friendly sunglasses. The result is the first EVER sunglass with material made from 100% renewable origin that is replenished through natural processes at a rate that matches the rate of consumption.
5. Equation- which resells (reuses) old eyeglasses and readers.
6. ICU- Recycled Sun Readers, creating new ways for people to discard of used or unwanted reading and sunglasses. 
7. iwood Sunglasses- (www.iwoodecodesign.com)
8. Link Skin- Eco Friendly Eyewear - Products made from Recycled Materials
9. McGee Group- offers the  Ducks Unlimited collection that conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North American waterfowl. A portion of the proceeds from all Ducks Unlimited Eyewear sales are used directly to reclaim and protect important wetland habitats in the U.S. and Canada.
10. Modo ECO Collection- uses recycled plastics and metals and plants a tree for each frame purchased.
11. Nouveau Eyewear- Global Releaf Program – Nouveau Eyewear will plant a tree through the American Forests Global Releaf program. Merchandising pieces are printed with eco ink and recycled paper
12. Kenmark- Jlanes Barnes Collection corn-based demo lenses (polyactic acid) in the product rather than the standard petroleum based demo-lenses. Thousands of demo lenses are discarded a day, and if incinerated, the PLA demo lenses break down to carbon and water…many other industries, especially the bottling industry are using the same polyactic acid for their products. In addition we have a new case design which is made from recycled cardboard/ paper and organic cotton. The case folds completely flat reducing the cost to import and ship internationally as well as reduces the size containers/ boxes in which we need to send our customers. Our latest 3 frame releases (Redux 1, Redux 2, and Redux 3) feature recycled acetate temples made from 30% recycled scrap with a recycled wood pulp (commonly used in the recycled paper process) inlay
13. Revo Reuse- molded from 100% recycled pre-consumer nylon plastics collected from company’s other frame collections.
14. Zeal Optics Three of latest frames: Flyer, Emit and Swap Itfeature up to 30% in recycled frame materials. Cases are made from recycle materials. Zeal recycles used Zeal eyewear and upgrade eyewear to charities that need eyewear. It is a perfect way to create less waste and give more.

Labs and Lenses

1. Essilor- Commitment to Environment and Social Responsibility. The company as a whole has environmentally friendly workstations and chairs, all certified by Greenguard. They installed motion sensitive water faucets in lavatories, reducing water consumption by 70%. Ceiling tiles are are made of 405 recycled contents. Their energy saving conservation program has saved over 7 Million KWH in 2006 (North America)
2. West Coast Lens- (Huntington, CA) was founded by a green perspective.
3. Vision Ease- A new logo, goes with their corporate long term commitment to being more eco- minded.