Lady LUX

Gucci and Safilo are jumping on the eco-friendly bandwagon. The two firms intend to introduce four new eyewear designs, crafted of environmentally sustainable materials, come August, in the process perhaps taking the eyewear industry in a new direction, reported WWD.

“With Safilo we felt it was time to take the initiative on our shared commitment for increased sustainability within the luxury sector. These eyewear models represent an important step forward in finding new and innovative ways to embrace sustainability in our manufacturing processes,” Patrizio di Marco, Gucci president and chief executive officer, said to WWD.

The companies are also collaborating to make a prototype created from a plastic alternative. One new material is an acetate that includes a greater proportion of natural ingredients than does traditional acetate.

Taking a clue from Gucci’s traditional green-red-green theme, the acetate will be tinted with a flamed motif that boasts a deep brown combined with red or green.

“The acetate is the result of an extensive research to increasingly use material components of a natural origin. This initiative, together with the other ones that will come, is part of the long-term path for environmental sustainability that Safilo has decided to follow as part of its strategy,” Roberto Vedovotto, CEO of the Safilo Group, told WWD.

Another new project is two masked-looking sunglasses for men and women from the Gucci Eyeweb collection, both of which are made from natural materials containing castor-oil seeds and are intended to help to decrease carbon dioxide emissions.

And in yet another eco-friendly move, in the first quarter of 2012, Gucci will also unveil sustainable packaging to go along with the new environmental efforts.

The new sunglasses will be available in Gucci stores and select optical sales points this October, whereas the prescription frames will be sold starting in late September. Prices and sales forecasts were not revealed at this time.

Tagged in: sustainable, gucci, sunglasses, environment, eyewear, acetate, material, safilo, eco-friendly,