By Staff
Tuesday, May 30, 2023 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—As the planet continues to heat up and environmental awareness and social responsibility gain ground among consumers and businesses,
VM tackled the subject of sustainability in the optical industry in our May Cover Story titled
"Sustainability Takes Root." Across most sectors of the industry, eyewear companies, contact lens manufacturers, lens makers, optical labs and ECPs are all getting more involved in sustainability programs. One of the most powerful ways that people can help save the environment is to support and buy from companies with a sustainability mindset.
By Staff
Thursday, May 25, 2023 8:15 AM
PLANTATION, Fla.—Although Small Business Month concludes within the week,
DHL Express continues to find ways to support these growing businesses year-round. Today, one of the leading providers of international express shipping services has launched its
GoGreen Giveaway to help U.S.-based small businesses grow more sustainably. Those who enter the DHL GoGreen Giveaway have the opportunity to win the grand prize, which includes a $10,000 international shipping stipend to apply to transport costs and GoGreen Plus services, good for up to 12 months; $20,000 worth of sustainable business consulting; and GoGreen Carbon Reporting.
By Staff
Thursday, May 11, 2023 12:15 AM
VARESE, Italy—Italian eyewear company
Mirage has announced that it has completed the certification cycle for the creation and implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) and obtained ISO 14001:2015 certification. This certification comes after a three-year process. ISO 14001:2015 certification requires compliance with the most important environmental standards and represents a particularly significant milestone for the company, which specializes in the production of injection molded eyewear. The certification asserts that Mirage’s EMS takes into account all environmental aspects and risks related to: energy and water consumption, air pollution and emissions, the choice of raw materials, waste management, investments in environmental responsibility, the use of chemicals, maintenance procedures and, finally, training and education activities.
By Staff
Thursday, May 4, 2023 12:18 AM
GENEVA, Switzerland—
Alcon announced the expansion of its partnership with
Plastic Bank—an organization that builds recycling ecosystems in underdeveloped communities to fight plastic pollution while providing collection members with a path out of poverty.
By Staff
Friday, April 28, 2023 12:18 AM
MEXICO CITY and KINGSPORT, Tenn.—
Ben & Frank, a leading Mexican eyewear brand, launched a new line of optical frames using
Eastman Acetate Renew on Earth Day earlier this month.
By Mary Kane
Friday, April 21, 2023 8:30 AM
For the last 53 years, we have been celebrating Earth Day and today Americans of all ages will take time out of their very busy lives to participate in events to increase public awareness of environmental concerns and to celebrate their respect for our somewhat fragile environment. Today, more than ever, we need this very important reminder as we are bombarded with headlines about powerful tornadoes and hurricanes, pollution to our oceans, lakes and rivers, and scientific evidence about the perils of climate change as our planet warms toward catastrophic levels. But before we look ahead to what’s in store for Earth Day, let’s take a look back at the history of the environmental observance.
By Staff
Friday, April 21, 2023 12:18 AM
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—
VSP Vision announced the launch of new responsibly-sourced shipping packages for online retailer Eyeconic and Visionworks retail locations. The California-supplied packaging is made from 100 percent
FSC-certified recycled corrugated materials, non-toxic ink, and zero plastic.
By Staff
Wednesday, April 5, 2023 12:18 AM
MORRIS PLAINS, N.J.—
Charmant USA and
Eddie Bauer have announced new plans to support non-profit
American Forests, expanding on Eddie Bauer’s 25+-year relationship with the organization.
By Staff
Friday, March 10, 2023 12:18 AM
CHARENTON-LE-PONT, France and GENOA, Italy—
EssilorLuxottica and
ERG, a leading European producer of energy from renewable sources through its subsidiary ERG Power Generation, announced that they have signed a 12-year Power Purchase Agreement for the supply of approximately 900 GWh of green energy between 2023-2034.
By Staff
Friday, February 24, 2023 3:25 PM
The sustainable fashion industry is growing, according to a report from
The Roundup.org. With consumers increasingly looking for ways to save the environment through their purchases, the sustainable fashion industry is seeing record profits. The industry is expected to grow from $6.5 billion to $15 billion by 2030.
The industry is also generating jobs as a result of new-found popularity, with nearly 18 million new jobs on the horizon by 2030 and an overall boost to the global economy of more than $190 billion.
The report noted that 72 percent of consumers were aware of the issues surrounding sustainable products and that 55 percent were interested in purchasing them. One-third of consumers would buy all their clothing through sustainable sources, if they were aware of where to purchase them.
By Staff
Thursday, February 23, 2023 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—
Eco Eyewear announced that, through its mission of planting trees for every frame sold, it has become one of the first carbon negative eyewear brands in the world.
By Staff
Thursday, February 16, 2023 12:18 AM
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—
VSP Vision has released its 2022 Impact Report, which spotlights key initiatives undertaken by the organization in alignment with its decades-long commitment to social responsibility.
By Staff
Tuesday, February 14, 2023 12:57 PM
The NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information has released its
latest climate change figures and the U.S. is continuing to experience record temperatures, particularly on the East Coast. The average temperature in January 2023 was 35.2 F. This is 5.1 F above average, making January the sixth-warmest on record.
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maine all had their warmest January on record. Rainfall was also above average in January at 2.85 inches 0.54 inches above normal rainfall levels. This makes January the third wettest in recorded history.
Temperatures across the U.S. were above average in January. Areas east of the Rockies experienced near or below average temperatures. New York, Pennsylvania and Indiana ranked the second-warmest states in the U.S. in January, while 17 additional states were experiencing a “top-10" record warmest January.
By Staff
Monday, February 13, 2023 2:20 PM
Inflation isn’t slowing the sales of vegan and vegetarian foods, according to a report from
The Vegan Society. Increased prices on meat and dairy have left many shoppers scrambling to find more affordable alternatives and as a result, there has been an increased interest in vegan living.
The vegan cheese market is just one of the industries seeing record growth. It is predicted to quadruple over the coming years, rising from $1.3 billion to $5 billion by 2033. Pizza is the favorite vegan meal of choice, adding 400,000 purchasers since 2020.
Older Americans still lag behind the rest of the population at adopting a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, at just 2 percent. People aged 18 to 34 were most likely to adopt the vegan lifestyle.
Income also plays a significant role in the adoption of the vegan and vegetarian lifestyle. People with an income of $30,000 or below were more likely to be vegan and vegetarian. Studies show vegetarians are more likely to be liberal at a rate of 11 percent, and vegan at a rate of 5 percent. Conservatives are adopting the vegan or vegetarian lifestyle at a rate of 2 percent.