FEATURE | COSTA
Globally renowned sunglasses manufacturer, Costa del Mar, has built its reputation on manufacturing
quality eyewear and creating environmental and social initiatives aimed to protect the planet’s
waterways, eco systems, fish species and communities that have been aff ected by natural disasters.
Costa’s “Untangle Our Oceans”, is
one such initiative that brings
discarded fi shing nets to land
which are then recycled down
by Costa’s partner, Bureo, into a raw
material in the form of pellets. These
pellets are then moulded into the
“Untangled Collection” of sunglass
frames.
“One Coast”, another Costa initiative,
was set up to bring relief to coastal
families who have been affected by
natural disasters. By making a donation
online, visitors can help towards the
repair and restoration of these affected
communities that its inhabitants call
home.
Then there is “OCEARCH”, with its
primary focus being able to educate
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people about the rapidly declining
shark population in the oceans. These
predators are required in the oceanic
eco system otherwise a whole host of
down the line problems bill become
apparent.
All these initiatives, and more, are
supported by Costa fans however
one of its other focus is its “Kick
Plastic” programme. Costa’s aim is
to signifi cantly reduce the amount
of plastic in its manufacturing and
has now taken up the reigns of
manufacturing frames with less plastic
and more of something called, Bio-
Resin. So, just how is this implemented
and what are the results?
Firstly, seeds from the castor plant
are harvested and processed into
castor oil. It’s this castor oil that is then
used to produce a raw material, known
as bio-based plastic resin. The use of
bio-based resin vs. petroleum based
resin offers a reduction in emissions
and ultimately an overall lower carbon
footprint. It is this Bio-Resin that forms
the foundation for Costa’s plastic
sunglass line of frames.
The bottom line is that this process
is comprised of several technological
advancements. The earth-friendly
bio-resin frames are durable and
lightweight, and hold their shape under
the harshest conditions.
To fi nd out more about the initiatives
spearheaded by Costa and to help with
the “One Coast” programme, visit www.
costadelmar.com
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