Sustainable Style: Woodzee

Every week we feature a sustainable brand on our blog. This week's featured brand is Woodzee.

I first heard about wood sunglasses a couple of years ago when I was surfing the internet. I remember thinking that it was a really cool idea and of course wish I had thought of it first. As it turns out, there are a handful of companies that beat me to the punch but the one that consistently rises to the top, probably because of its perfect moniker, is Woodzee.

Founded in 2011 in Chico, California by Luke Winter, Woodzee is the perfect balance of sustainability and style. Rather than use plastic or metal to make the frames, they use sustainably sourced or recycled wood which is not only ethical but refreshingly avante garde for the industry. One of the coolest things they did was partner with the wine brand Robert Mondavi to repurpose old oak barrels into the frames for a limited edition collection of sunglasses in late 2013.

Woodzee doesn't stop at sustainable sourcing however. They plant a tree for every pair of sunglasses sold and if that wasn't enough, have a fantastic recycling program as well (for every pair of Woodzee sunglasses sent back for recycling, the customer gets 40% off their next pair). The recycled frames are then donated to people in need if they're in good condition, or used for parts in repairs (another service offered by Woodzee).

Woodzee doesn't slack in the packaging department either. Their unique triangular shaped packaging is made from 50% recycled paper and printed with non-toxic soy ink. This shape not only reduces the amount of materials needed but also increases the strength of the package itself due to the three dimensional shape. As Charlie Sheen would say #winning.

If you're on the hunt for a new pair of sunglasses, then you should definitely check out Woodzee. It's not only stylish, but good for your wallet (most frames range from $75-$150) and good for the environment.