Responsibility

We founded Monkeyglasses because we insisted that it should be easy for you as a consumer to choose glasses that make you see well, look good, and leave as gentle a carbon footprint as possible

RESPONSIBLE EYEWEAR PRODUCTION

From sustainability to responsibility

When we founded Monkeyglasses in 2009, ‘sustainability’ was an odd niche and the eyewear industry ignored it intensely. Now, the topic is so hot across all industries that legislation has emerged to regulate how and when a product can be described as sustainable. The definition of sustainability and sustainable products is still an ongoing discussion, but the latest legal framework emphasizes to use the terminology with caution, since almost all commercial production will leave some kind of short- or long-term impact on climate, environment or social conditions.

Monkeyglasses: Glasses with a gentle impact

At Monkeyglasses, every frame is created with intention. We take responsibility for the entire life cycle of the eyewear, from sourcing the raw materials to the end of the product’s life. We sell glasses at a very fair price, because one of our goals is to allow every consumer to afford choosing eyewear that matches their values.

We can look each other in the eye and say that every consideration possible has been given to both the environment and people, every time you choose a pair of Monkeyglasses.

What are ‘sustainable glasses’?

When we founded Monkeyglasses in 2009, the word ‘sustainability’ was a niche term that didn’t attract much mainstream attention. In the eyewear industry, the idea of thoughtful glasses was a remote and abstract concept, and we were met with some condescending and bored frowns when we brought up the idea of truly thoughtful eyewear. But we insisted that creating products must come with a responsibility, and that this responsibility must include, among other things, putting as little strain on our ecosystem as possible. How? We had to figure that out ourselves and create responsible and ultimately truly sustainable glasses from scratch.

When are glasses not sustainable?

Mai-britt Seaton made her career in the textile industry and through the 1990s and early 2000s, she observed how seasonal collections were replaced faster and faster. Morten Seaton was trained in the eyewear industry, where the trend was the same: The cheapest possible plastic was molded into as many designs as possible, in the cheapest possible factories, under the cheapest possible working conditions.

The big, influential eyewear brands would order hundreds of thousands of standard frames off the warehouse shelves, stick their logo on them, and sell generic designs as 'this season's hottest eyewear fashion'.

When the new season drops? Tax write-offs! A common but despicable accounting practice, where brand-new goods that have never left the warehouse, are destroyed, simply because they are no longer 'this season's hottest'. Off to the landfill, and write off their value from your corporate taxes. The CFO can present the shareholders with gains in profits, while our unique planet is subjected to yet another unreasonable loss of resources.

Is it possible to create truly sustainable glasses?

Generic overproduction is not an exception, but a standard practice in all corners of fashion-related industries, especially in the still growing ultra-fast fashion companies.

And it most certainly applied to the entire eyewear industry, until Mai-britt asked her husband Morten: "How can we bring children into the world, while being part of a system that fills the globe with inequality and irresponsible consumption?"

Before long, the questions had turned into research and a kitchen table covered in sketches and a strategy for creating glasses with a more sustainable DNA.

We were met with concerned looks in the eyewear industry - looks that said “Have they gone actual crazy?” - and a lot of closed doors. But when you lead with your heart, you don't let a few looks from men in suits stop your passion. And today, you can choose responsibly crafted eyewear frames, created with passion, care, and sustainably sourced materials, thanks to our collaboration with good people who believed in our vision.

How we create glasses with the lowest possible climate footprint and the most positive human impact:

Carefully selected materials for your glasses
Since we founded Monkeyglasses in 2009, we have worked to offer you the most responsible pair of glasses, primarily by using a combination of easily renewable, recycled and recyclable materials.
Our frames are developed in either biodegradable cotton acetate, recycled stainless steel, recycled cotton material from production or certified recycled post-consumer plastic.
Danish design from the heart of Copenhagen

Monkeyglasses do not come off the shelves of a generic factory, and our collections are not tied to fixed seasons. Every single frame is hand-drawn by Mai-britt, here in our small, cozy Flagship Store in Copenhagen. They are sketched and produced at a pace that makes sense for us.

The shop is built with the heartfelt intention of making you feel truly welcome and offer you plenty of time to make your eyewear pick. We have decorated the store with recycled materials, from the counter that has lived many lives, including as a wall in a stately Copenhagen home, to our lush potted plants that are donated from the homes they have outgrown. Every single customer who visits the store, snacks on a marshmallow banana and tries on our glasses, inspires us to create new designs.
Small production with safe and fair work conditions
When Mai-britt has drafted new designs, she reviews them with Morten. With his optician knowledge, he can offer important feedback on details, like the angle of the lens to achieve an optimal field of vision. We then send the drawings to our small production workshop, which was chosen after many research trips, with visits to more factories than we can count. Our rule of thumb was that we want to give our employees conditions that we would also be happy to let our own adult sons work under. We ended up building a trusted collaboration with a small workshop where the staff is well trained in their craft as eyewear makers, is organized in a union, receives a fair wage and has good and safe working conditions.
Packaging and shipping with low impact
All our products are shipped in plastic-free packaging, made from recycled materials - primarily paper and cardboard. We do not re-package products during their journey, but have designed packaging that ensures safe shipping of the glasses while also acting as the final packaging for the consumer. All shipping is chosen based on the lowest possible climate footprint, rather than speed or price.
Adding new life to actually not old glasses
Monkeyglasses are designed to last. That's why we offer the option of having new lenses fitted into your frames, as your vision changes over time.

But sometimes it's time to upgrade your trusty glasses with a new shape or color - and in that case, you can easily donate your glasses to us at the Monkeyglasses Flagship store. We collect your used glasses and send them on to our partners, Syn for sagen.

A couple of times each year, they bring suitcases full of cleaned and sorted glasses to rural areas in developing countries, primarily in Africa and South America. The volunteer opticians perform hundreds of eye tests a day and match the donated glasses with new, grateful owners.
Monkey Glasses

The Monkeyglasses name has a double meaning: Morten's sparkly personality has earned him the affectionate nickname "The Glasses Monkey" in the optician industry. This matched well with Mai-britt's wish to let the then emerging company support Save the Orangutan (LINK):

In Borneo, the demand for unreasonably cheap palm oil, causes the local companies to burn rainforest down, to make room for more palm oil production. This is costing the brutal extinction of our closest relative in nature, the orangutan. With donors like Monkeyglasses, among many others, Save the Orangutan is now buying back rainforest and creating protected areas for both the endangered orangutan and all its surrounding biodiversity.