Arise Collective X WWF-Australia introduces ReefCycle: sustainable, upcycled sunglasses made from a once deadly commercial gill net in the northern Great Barrier Reef. Our project is helping to support a Net-Free North, with 50% of proceeds funding further WWF conservation work to protect Australia’s marine wildlife. Each ReefCycle Frame is made from the recycled gill net, available in size 54. The frames feature the screen printed ‘ReefCycle’ name, Arise Collective and WWF-Australia logos and a screen printed marine animal that you are helping to save. ReefCycle comes with non-polarized or polarized lenses in your choice of green, grey or brown lens tints. Our lenses also come prescription ready with a wider choice of lens colours and coatings.
The Great Barrier Reef
There are just under one hundred thousand turtles, sawfish, dugongs, sharks and dolphins killed in commercial gill nets every year. This figure is based on the coastline around Queensland, Australia. This is where you will find the northern Great Barrier Reef: one of the most stunning natural features in the world. It takes the form of a complex underwater ecosystem with a diverse range of species. The area is chock-a-block full of colour and life. However, such stunning nature is threatened by fishing nets, known as commercial gill nets.
What is a gill net?
A commercial gill net is draped across the ocean and hangs like a lethal curtain. It is larger than life, spanning a length of 1200 metres, which is roughly the size of 24 Olympic swimming pools. So essentially, they’re pretty big. The worst part is that they kill marine life in more ways than one, just like any form of plastic debris. Some victims of the net mistake the plastic for food and either suffocate from choking on it or are simply left to starve. Other animals get strangled by the net as they swim through it and get stuck. In these cases, it only takes a couple of minutes for the creature to drown. As the net is so huge, you can imagine how often these fates are met, and it is deeply saddening.
As a consequence, in 2018 WWf-Australia launched a mission to upcycle the last full-time commercial gill net into sunglasses. However, this was a gill net in the northern Great Barrier Reef, and there are another 240 active gill net licences along the coast of Queensland. This means that these companies can move in at any time and drop another net. As a result, it is crucial the area is protected immediately.
WWF is therefore campaigning to have all gill nets removed in order to save the marine life. So in 2018, WWF-Australia raised funds from WWF helpers to purchase and drag the last remaining gill net out of the ocean.
However, WWF didn’t just buy the net and have it removed from the ocean. They also partnered with the Arise Collective eyewear brand to upcycle the net into sunglasses. The fashionable sustainable sunglasses are available exclusively here at Vision Direct. The important factor about these sunglasses is that the upcycled materials unlock a circular economy in eyewear. This is because the net that was once harmful to marine life is now being sold as ReefCycle sunglasses in support of saving that marine life.
WWF
So what is WWF? What does WWF stand for? Why do they care about the wooden sunglasses Australia? Well, WWF is the World Wide Fund for Nature. WWF helpers work across the globe to save wildlife and reduce the WWF ecological footprint. As part of this scheme, they purchased a large gill net, drew it from the sea and transformed the harmful plastic into ocean eyewear Australia. You can find the sustainable sunglasses in the WWF shop Australia, and purchase the plastic sunglasses here at Vision Direct. In purchasing recycle spectacles Australia, you are supporting marine life by donating glasses Australia. This is because 50% of the proceeds from recycle glasses goes towards further WWF conservation, such as advocating for a Net Free North.
ReefCycle Sunglasses
The aim is to sell a thousand pairs of sustainable sunglasses in order to start producing more. As half of every sale gets reinvested in WWF conservation, it is a very worthy cause. So why not help us out? Treat yourself to fantastic sustainable sunglasses and feel extra good about yourself by helping the environment!
The sunglasses are extra special because they feature a marine animal on the temples so you can show off your love of nature and the environment. The animals featured include dolphins, dugongs, turtles, sawfish and hammerhead sharks. These are all animals that are saved by the work carried out by WWF and the Arise Collective.
You can also choose the lens tint. There are options available in green, brown and grey for non-prescription sunglasses. Meanwhile if you want to add your prescription, you get a wider choice from red to blue to green.
If you want to add your prescription, fear not, it’s very straight forward thanks to Vision Direct. You will need to obtain your prescription from an optometrist when you visit the opticians for an eye exam. You can find our partner opticians online here. Once you have the document in hand, simply upload the vision correction information at the checkout when prompted. Your prescription will then be added to your chosen lenses by the optical professionals at Vision Direct, and your new sustainable sunglasses will arrive ready to wear. This means that you can go everywhere with your prescription sunglasses and see super clearly while protecting your eyes from UV rays. For any questions about how to buy glasses online, read through this page. And if you want to check any eye care or health information, don’t hesitate to visit the Optical Centre, which is full of expert guidance. Plus, our online opticians are always on hand to help with any doubts at any stage of the buy glasses online process, just ask them a question here.
If you are more concerned with the aesthetics of your new ReefCycle sunglasses, we’ve got you covered. When you arrive on a product page for WWF sunglasses, you will notice a selfie view button. Click this to use our helpful Virtual Try-On tool! This is a brilliant feature that allows you to accurately envision the WWF Australia recycle glasses on your face. All you have to do is take a selfie video in which you slowly turn your head from side to side. You will instantly see your face reflected back at you wearing the sunglasses, so you can see if you like them before committing to purchase.
Once you receive your lovely new sustainable sunglasses, you have 100 days to return if you change your mind, and there is also a 2 year warranty. You can also share your love of sustainable sunglasses with us on social media, as we love to see happy customers! Just tag @visiondirect_au and use the hashtag #SBGClub - we might even repost your photo on our feed! So what are you waiting for? Get out there and save the natural world by shopping for stylish WWF x Arise Collective sunglasses. You won’t regret it.
