Luxury and quality have been part of the Gucci brand for decades. But in recent years, the Italian design firm has been incorporating sustainability into its products and processes. The initial prototype of the brand’s “green” glasses will be in semi-matte black with shaded grey glass lenses has been developed using the bamboo-inspired frame. The bamboo inspiration has been a standard “must-have” in recent Gucci eye wear collections.
Gucci’s new line of sunglasses is made from Liquid Wood, a biodegradable eco-friendly material. Liquid Wood is an alternative to the plastic that is typically used in the creation of eyewear. The frame is a composition of bio-based materials (wood fiber from sustainably managed forests), natural wax and lignin – a by-product from the paper manufacturing process. In addition to the hinges, the small metal rings that outline the bamboo joints are made from recycled metal.
The overall goal of the Italian Luxury brand is to showcase it’s environmental efforts without compromising on the brand or the quality. The company already uses liquid wood in the heels of some of its footwear, but this will be the first time it is used in eye wear. Other eco-friendly luxury frames by Gucci have included frames made from castor oil seeds and acetate that contain higher percentages of materials from natural sources. Luxury and sustainability definitely go hand-in-hand!
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-Kevin Feather
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