Hey earth muffins! When the summer sun starts shining extra bright, it is important to bust out your sunglasses to protect your eyes. π I personally wear them any time I am outside during these warmer months or driving somewhere in my car. This summer, don’t just head to a local store to purchase a pair of cheaply made sunglasses… Instead, invest in a pair that is eco-friendly that will last you many years! In this post, I want to share a company that creates awesome eyewear that is both sustainable and fashionable for the summer months. Genusee sent me a pair of sunglasses to try out, and I am so excited to share this Genusee sunglasses review with you all!
What I Love About the Sustainability of Genusee Sunglasses!
First off, I obviously love this brand because it is sustainable (or I wouldn’t be sharing it with you all!). The company is based in Flint, Michigan, which is infamously known for the Flint Water Crisis. During the height of this crisis, the city of Flint used more than 20 million water bottles a day! This is a great example on how all plastics aren’t “bad” – just imagine how many plastic water bottles were used out of necessity. Instead of producing eyewear using new materials, Genusee prioritizes the use of pre-exisiting materials in their supply chain. This means each pair of sunglasses are upcycled from 15 plastic water bottles from the crisis; that is just incredible! Not only are the glasses made of recycled materials, their suppliers are all located in (or near) Flint as well. This supports local businesses in Michigan as well as reduces carbon emissions during transportation.
Genusee also has a circular economy for their eyewear. Once you are finished using your sunglasses, they actually buy them back from you – and give you a credit towards purchasing your next pair! π After receiving your glasses, they evaluate the quality of them and decide between three things: recycling the material back into the supply chain, refurbishing them and reselling at a value, or donating to people in need. This Buy-Back Program is everything you would want for a closed loop system. I am so excited to know that my glasses will be responsibly put back into rotation instead of sitting in a landfill for thousands of years! π β€οΈ
What is Great About My Sunglasses
When picking out my glasses, it was hard for me to pick what color I wanted… Because there are so many great options to choose from! I like that the frames of the sunglasses are all the same shape (called the Roeper frames), but there is still a lot of variation. A color of the frame (such as Black) has many different colored lens to choose from. From vibrant mirror lens to Water Warrier Green frames, there is something for everyone in terms of color! After pondering what color to get, I settled on Classic Black frames with brown lens… Boring, I know, but I love a nice pair of neutral sunglasses!
I also love how these sunglasses fit. They aren’t super large and oversized like some can be, and I think the frames would look good on many different face shapes. Similar to other eyewear brands, Genusee has the option to virtually try on glasses before you purchase them. Definitely take advantage of this feature! It is helpful to see how the frames will look (hint hint: they are going to look super cute!). Plus, it can help you decide between colors as well.
Other Things I Admire About this Brand
Their sunglasses are amazing, but the company also does some pretty awesome things for Flint, Michigan as well. Like I mentioned above, the Flint Water Crisis was devastating. Genusee works with the MADE Institute in Flint to employ returning citizens/displaced workers. While there are 5 colleges in Flint, over 88% of the city’s population does not have a college degree. Genusee knows that sunglasses can be manufactured with a basic understanding of the machines used; so, they strive to creating living wage jobs to help support more Flint workers. On top of this, 1% of their profits are donated to the Community Fund of Greater Flint. These donations help the Flint Promise & Child Health and Development Fund to combat the effects of exposure to lead in drinking water. Definitely another reason to support this brand!
What Could Be Better
This Genusee sunglasses review would not be complete if I didn’t talk about price. When I review sustainable products, I always remind my fellow earth muffins that eco-friendly products are often on the pricier side. These sunglasses are no different. Each pair will cost you around $100. This is much higher than those cheap-o glasses you can find at Walmart (that break after two uses though)… But it is actually in line or cheaper than other high-end sunglasses! So, I would suggest supporting this circular economy instead of buying your next pair of Ray-Ban shades!
Final Thoughts on this Genusee Sunglasses Review!
Overall, Genusee is a brand I would highly recommend checking out. Their circular economy is honestly what every company should strive for. I have never been more proud to share this company with you all! The sunglasses are amazing quality and come in colors for any taste. Plus, this brand actually cares about Flint and is doing its part to help those impacted by the Flint Water Crisis. While the price can be considered high, just compare it to a Ray-Ban and realize that these sunglasses are SO much better in terms of sustainability and social impact. The Genusee goal is simple: to do good for people and the planet using design and collaboration to be the change we want to see. Are you going to support this awesome company this summer? What sunglasses are you currently rocking?
Love,
Jenna β₯