Icycle is an eyewear company that developed made of recycled plastic, empowering locals while giving back to their community
Living in today’s world, it is almost impossible to avoid plastic completely, as it is literally everywhere: in the clothes we wear, outside and inside the food we eat, the water we drink and even in the air we breathe. While I try my absolute best to avoid plastic by using a reusable tote bag, carrying a metal straw and a reusable water bottle, using a bamboo toothbrush and trying to switch to plastic-free products when I can, I still consume plastic sometimes, even when I don’t want to.
As I mentioned previously in my blog, Nearly every single piece of plastic we have used in our life still exists somewhere on our planet. Over 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans every single year, and despite continued efforts to decrease single-use plastic as well as to increase recycling rates, plastic consumption is increasing and only 9% of all plastic is recycled while 79% end up in landfills.
Since we cannot really get rid of the plastic that already exists in masses on this planet, we have to think about creative ideas to recycle and reuse it, and fortunately, I am not alone in the journey against plastic: more and more people start being more aware of this problem, coffee chains start offering discounts for people who come with their own reusable cup and companies start developing and incorporating recycled plastic into their production. One brand that really caught my eye is Icycle, a people-powered, circular eyewear company, as they took the plastic problem and created something truly inspiring (and stylish) out of it.
About Icycle
Icycle is a social enterprise that promotes sustainable eyewear based on community-backed plastic recycling in Pune, India. the brand developed a first-of-its-kind supply chain for its eyewear to empower local people and invest in underserved communities. But how? any why?
During summer 2017, Jonathan, Icycle’s co-founder, was traveling through India and while doing so, no matter where he went, he saw plastic waste absolutely everywhere, and people who’ve been struggling to deal with it. After talking to the locals, he realized that the problem is not the people themselves: without proper recycling facilities and waste collectors yet growing plastic consumption, the locals emerged as the victims of a lifestyle forced upon them, for which they were not ready to deal with. Jonathan saw waste-pickers spending their days going through trash, only to sell it for almost nothing, not being able to feed their families or themselves.
He left with an image of India etched into his mind and decided to make it his mission to do something about it. Coming back from his trip, he found a team of students looking to do good in this world, and together, they started Icycle.
Icycle’s Solution: Making Eyewear, For Good.
The team behind Icycle has spent a year crafting a product and its supply chain that fulfills the aspirational goals of environmental, economic and social sustainability at once. “We wanted to use the plastic that is already out there and turn it into something beautiful.”, says Mads, another co-founder of Icycle. “Beautiful for consumers, underserved communities and nature.”
They have worked together with local initiatives in India as well as optometrists and eyewear manufacturers throughout the UK to develop a product made of 100% recycled plastic, handmade and designed to contribute to the development of a circular economy.
Icycle’s Manufacturing Process
To make the beautiful, meaningful pair of sunglasses I’m wearing…
- Locals collect everyday waste from 800.000 household everyday in Pune, India
- Locals wash and shred the collected plastic into flakes ready for recycling
- Semi-automatic equipment is used to injection mold the plastic flakes into the desired shapes
- The injection molded parts are returned, assembled, packaged and sent off by newly created jobs
- To develop your beautiful pair of sunglasses, Icycle partnered with luxury eyewear artisan brand Vara Optical to create a timeless design that lasts, for its customers, locals in India, and the environment.
- voilà! Your pair of eco-glasses is ready! yay!
“The process of engaging local rag-pickers in the collection, segregation, and recycling of plastic waste that otherwise depresses their community is a unique chance for people-powered development and we are glad that we can partner with organizations like SWaCH on-site to make that happen,” said Jonathan. “Deliberately, we designed our manufacturing process in a way that involves handcrafting, because we are a community-focused social enterprise with the aim to be visible to local individuals through face-to-face contact. Together we strive towards a sustainable future for generations to come, by building foundations in the practical education of recycling and repurposing plastics, Because in the end, it is just about using less plastic, but about reusing, repurposing and recycling what is already there, and that is Icycle’s mission. ”
And who is earning from this story? well, every single one of us! First of all, the Underserved locals, who are given meaningful employment to earn a living wage for tasks that benefit their community by removing toxic plastics from their proximity. In addition, customers, who can make the choice to support economic, social and environmental development around the world while buying an everyday product, and of course, Nature, because Icycle saves toxic plastics from households before it ends up in landfills.
Icycle set itself the task to produce 100% recycled, well-designed, high-quality and sustainable eyewear for an affordable price for everybody.
Icycle’s Eyewear
Designed to last, Icycle wanted to create truly sustainable, timeless eyewear that will never get out of style and can be worn on a daily basis. That explains its minimalistic, simple and sleek design, that lives room for the wonderful message behind them.
Every pair of glasses is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. Being comprised of an individual mixture of plastics sourced and molded into a particular pattern, none of Icycle’s glasses is the same. The handpicked process of manufacturing each pair leaves its mark on every product.
Regarding the lenses available, Icycle wants to serve a broad customer base that uses eyewear mainly for protection from the sun and/or digital surfaces. The glasses thereby comes in two different versions: as dimming-the-lights glasses, and as blocking-the-screen glasses.
All parts contain 100% recycled plastic saved from the environment. The glasses are designed to be recyclable thereafter, making Icycle a wonderfully circular brand.
From my experience with the sunglasses, I can assure you that they are absolutely worth it. Not only you’re investing in a stunning, timeless design but also in people’s well-being and the environment, facts which make this investment worth more than it actually is. Since Icycle wants to be accessible for everyone out there, the designs are fairly affordable and gender-neutral, to avoid overproduction.
Want to Make Icycle’s Dream Come True?
If you are looking for a new pair of unique, timeless eyewear and want to support a sustainable, fair and cause-driven brand- I highly recommend you to get a pair Icycle eyewear and help and make their dream come true: they are currently running a crowdfunding Kickstarter campaign, so you can get yourself a pair in a special price and do good to the world on the way!
My eco-vegan OOTD:
Sunglasses: iCycle
Belt + wallet: Spapla
Dress: Organic cotton Liat Azar
Let me know what you think about Icycle in the comments below!
Until next time,
Noa
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Photography Credit: the amazing Tzipora Lifchitz
*This post is part of a collaboration with Icycle. Please note, items marked with (*) were kindly gifted to me. There are some affiliate links in this post marked as (**). All the opinions shared are mine. To read about my work ethics, visit my ethics page.
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