ZEAL Optics Unveils Biodegradable Sunglass Made from Cotton

August 23, 2013 – Boulder, Co. – ZEAL Optics announced the release of the world’s first cotton biodegradable sunglass, the Ace. Designed in Boulder, Colorado and crafted by the renowned Italian powerhouse, Mazzucchelli, the Ace is a revolution in sustainable eyewear. Produced from 100% USA Grown cotton, the Ace is the first of its kind and the greenest sunglass – EVER.

“After two years of development, we are bringing to market an amazing product with a purpose,” said ZEAL President John Sanchez.

For this launch, ZEAL partnered with the renowned Mazzucchelli family, boasting over 160 years of eyewear expertise in Italy, to provide an ecological statement to the eyewear market without sacrificing style. The unique result is Ace.

In combination with ZEAL’s plant-based e-llume lens, the Ace is the greenest sunglass ever developed.

“ZEAL Optics has seen our ecological philosophy come to life in a revolutionary new product,” said Sanchez. ”Both Mazzuchelli and ZEAL are working together to create a product that will truly raise the bar on sustainability in the industry.”

All of ZEAL’s handmade eyewear, designed in the Rocky Mountains of Boulder, COLO. USA, highlights an industry-leading initiative to source sustainable materials for trend defining styles.

“The eyewear industry needs innovators. Small, independent brands like ZEAL help to push the limits of the market,” said Joe Prebich, ZEAL’s Director of Marketing. “It’s so exciting to think about how the brand can transform at retail around a product that has this type of ecological story behind it.”

ZEAL Optics’ patent-pending plant-based lenses offer unparalleled protection and prevention from UVA, B, and C, as well as, being able to identify and block a negative light range called High Energy Visible (HEV) light. This was recently cited as a possible cause of cataracts and macular degeneration. The ZEAL e-llume lens not only identifies this spectrum of light, but helps to block it out.  The e-llume lenses contain a special hard coating for scratch resistance, along with an exclusive high transmission polarized film for increased eye protection from harmful rays. The ZEAL e-llume lens also proudly offers the highest clarity rating of any lens in the outdoor market, utilizing higher purity material allowing for greater visual clarity.

Ace will be offered in RX at +3.00 to -4.50 for those who need protective prescription eyewear through ZEAL’s custom Digital RX Lab.

The Ace will be available worldwide on September 2.  For more information on the Ace and other eco-friendly styles that ZEAL has available, go to http://www.zealoptics.com or check out the video at http://vimeo.com/71123559.

About ZEAL Optics: Proudly the most sustainable sunglass company in the world, ZEAL designs and crafts every sunglass from renewable plant-based materials. ZEAL is also known for revolutionizing the goggle market with the HD Camera Goggle and the original GPS goggle. Based in Boulder, Colo., USA, ZEAL is a boutique brand focusing on handcrafted quality eyewear build for life outdoors. 

Zeal Director of Marketing Joe Prebich shows us e-llume, the world’s first plant-based sunglasses lens

Watch movie HERE

Story by Tranworld Business

Boulder, Colorado-based Zeal Optics recently announced that it was releasing the world’s first plant-based sunglass lens, the e-llume, made from castor bean oil. Transworld Business had the chance to catch up with Zeal Director of Marketing Joe Prebich to learn more about the technology and plans to implement it throughout Zeal’s line.

Where did the idea for this come from and how did you develop this technology?

At ZEAL we are always looking for ways to incorporate more and more sustainable practices into our brand.  We really focus on building products with a purpose for the eyewear industry. We are dedicated to building from the ground up a handcrafted piece that really is about more than just sunglasses. It pays homage to the art of creating eyewear and the fun that innovation inspires.

Can you quantify how much less of an impact these lenses have on the environment compared to a traditional lens?

Traditional lenses use crude oil in their production.  The environmental impact of crude oil is extremely damaging and anything we can do to lessen the use of it, the better.  Our lenses replace crude oil with plant-based oil that is a renewable and sustainable resource. It’s truly an amazing process. And it’s not just about being eco, this is actually a much higher quality lens. The castor oil has a higher purity than petroleum oil can reach, so that the result is the most eco friendly lens in the world with an unmatched optical clarity.

How much of your line will feature these and how do they affect the MSRP?

Currently it is featured in two new active shapes, the Kennedy and Tofino, but we will be adding it to every ZEAL sunglass by the end of the year.  The MSRP doesn’t change due to the new lens, which is something we worked really hard to achieve, enabling more people to experience the brand and invest in a product with a purpose.

Here’s a look at one of the new styles featuring e-llume:

So next year’s shades will all feature e-llume?

Yes, e-llume will be available in every frame by January. We don’t do “kind of eco.” Lots of companies out there will put out a “green line” but that is like recycling on Monday but not on Friday. We really live this. Every piece is built from plants. Every one. Not a few here and a few there. We are proud to be leading this charge into reducing our environmental impact without ever sacrificing quality. People often overlook that our lens might be the world’s greenest, but it also is the clearest of any lens in the action sports market – with an abbe value of 38, our lens provides a clarity like no other.

Is it possible to use this technology for your goggles?

We are looking into it right now to try and add as much into the product line up as we can, without sacrificing quality. We need to make sure that the quality that we have become known for as a premium brand isn’t compromised. We only bring something to market when we know that we can have a positive affect on both quality and environment.

What else is in the pipeline as far as sustainably-focused products? 

We have some incredible products that will be coming out later this summer. Let’s just say they are unlike anything ever seen before. We have partnered with some of the leading minds to really think outside the box. It’s an exciting time for innovation and ZEAL breeds a culture of creating unique products that define the brand.

How has the feedback been from retailers on this project?

Incredible. The retail environment is all about telling stories and how brands define themselves. Creating this type of lens has been something that no one has been able to do and so for ZEAL it helps to really define us.  It introduces us to a totally new consumer base that isn’t able to get this type of product from any other brand in the market.

What will you be doing to tell this story through marketing and at point of sale?

We are really focusing on custom POP with individual accounts. We don’t dictate a corporate marketing edict to our retailers, instead we work with them on a person to person basis to really ensure that each storefront has the tools they need to tell our story. For some it is custom windows, for others it is training, so we listen to their needs and follow up to ensure that each one has the tools they need to sell through this summer.