By Deirdre Carroll: Senior Editor

   
MILAN/PADUA—After launching sustainable eyewear styles last year, the Safilo Group and Gucci have deepened their commitment to environmental responsibility with new eco-friendly packaging and sunglasses made from Liquid Wood, an innovative biodegradable material.

As part of a worldwide eco-friendly program designed to reduce the company’s impact on the environment, Gucci first launched 100 percent recyclable packaging with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Certified paper in 2010 and will now extend this packaging to its eyewear collections.

A new foldable case, available for both optical and sunglass styles, minimizes stock space, limiting both the weight and size of shipments which helps reduce 60 percent of CO2 emissions associated with traditional cases. The new case bears the Mobius loop, the internationally recognized symbol that designates recyclable materials. Customers will receive an informational leaflet and pre-addressed envelope that allows them to send the case to a dedicated center where it may be recycled after purchase. The case and FCS-certified paper shopping bag mirror the brand’s existing sustainable packaging and will be available to Safilo’s worldwide distribution network in August.

Safilo will introduce Gucci sunglasses made from Liquid Wood, a biodegradable, eco-friendly material made of fiber from sustainably managed forests, lignin from paper manufacturing and natural wax, which provides an alternative to the plastic often used in eyewear.

The initial prototype of the Gucci Liquid Wood frame is a semi-matte black wrap-around sunglass with a gradient grey mineral glass lens modeled after the bamboo-inspired frames from Gucci’s most recent eyewear collection. Additionally, the hinges and small metal rings that outline the bamboo joints on the frame are made from recycled metal. ■

dcarroll@jobson.com