In New York, glasses giant Marchon Eyewear says it has partnered with Eastman Chemical to use Eastman’s renewable acetate in its frames.
Trade-named Acetate Renew, the material is 60% biobased and 40% recycled content. It also has a lower carbon footprint than conventional, petrochemical acetate. Scrap from Marchon’s manufacturing of the frames—which can be up to 80% of an acetate sheet in typical eyeglass production—will be fed back into Eastman’s recycling process.
“As the first eyewear manufacturer to collaborate with Eastman, this relationship will be beneficial for us, as it will significantly reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions, while maintaining our commitment to safety and sustainability without compromising the quality of our frames,” Nicola Zotta, president and CEO of Marchon Eyewear, Inc., says in a statement.