Reincarnate glasses turn single-use plastic bottles into stylish frames.
A few months ago I took my youngest daughter for her first eye exam, a checkup she had missed during her Kindergarten year due to restrictions that were in place during the pandemic. Realizing that I hadn’t had an eye exam in 20+ years, I decided to do the same, “just for fun”. My daughter passed her exam with perfect vision, while I did not.
Upon reviewing the results, it was determined by my optometrist that I not only needed full-time prescription glasses, but that I needed progressives (trifocals, for all sight distances). She explained that this was common at my age (this is 42 I guess). Feeling discouraged, I splurged on my first pair of glasses, and have slowly adjusted to life with my new facial accessory.
After a couple of months, I decided that it would be nice to have another pair of glasses – to mix it up. When I heard about a new eyewear product line called Reincarnate by Clearly, I had to try them. Eyewear isn’t a very sustainable industry. With limitations on the materials that can be used for optical lenses, Clearly recognized that frames were a great starting place to make a change, so they designed frames that are made entirely of recycled plastic bottles.
When I slid my new glasses on, they immediately became my favourite pair. Lightweight, comfortable, stylish, and better for the planet, the Reincarnate frames are a great addition to the eyewear offerings at Clearly. And with online ordering available, I love that you can have them delivered right to your door.
Did you know?
● Single use plastic makes up 50% of waste worldwide
● 1 million plastic bottles alone are sold each minute
● It takes 450 years for a single plastic bottle to degrade
How it works.
Clearly, a Vancouver-based eyewear company and the first Canadian retailer to offer eyewear online, has created their own line of glasses frames made from recycled plastic, called Reincarnate. Each frame is made using 5 single-use plastic bottles. To make the frames, plastic bottles are collected, cleaned, and broken down into tiny pieces. These pieces are then melted, molded, and handcrafted into glasses frames, offered in a variety of styles and colours and sold at an affordable price (frames retail for $80 CDN).
They give back to people too.
Not only has Clearly created an eco-conscious eyewear line that gives back to the planet by recycling plastic into new and usable products, but they have initiatives in place that give back to people too.
Through their “Buy One, Give One” program, Clearly donates a pair of glasses to someone in need for every new pair of glasses purchased. They work with Essilor Vision Foundation and the Tim Hortons Children’s Foundation to donate more than 470,000 pairs of glasses, making an impact in over 42 countries around the world. They also offer a “Free Glasses for Kids” initiative – an exclusive in-store offer where children 10 and under can receive a pair of glasses at no charge.
