Yuma Labs raise funds for launching a circular sunglasses business

 Yuma Labs crowdfunding gets backed for 200% in first 48 hours

Tomorrow’s sunglasses from yesterday’s waste.  This is the thinking behind the circular sunglasses brand Yuma Labs which is now raising capital to fund the business.

The goal of the crowdfunding campaign is to produce a new collection of sunglasses completely made out of recycled plastic waste and easy to send back when their life ends. That way, the sunglasses can be recycled again, thus closing the loop and putting a halt to plastic waste. This phenomenon is called a circular economy.

Next to that, the company launched new branding for more awareness -it was called W.R.Yuma first- and they will move their production from Antwerp to Italy, where the plastic waste will be injection-molded into high-quality sunglasses. In order to achieve that, they wanted to raise 10,000 Euros, but in just 48 hours, their crowdfunding campaign raised 20,628 Euros with backing from 154 people.  But the campaign will continue to run until September 10th, giving the sunglasses brand plenty of time to raise even more.

Founder Sebastiaan De Neubourg explains why they are hungry for more. “Despite the crazy times we live in, we managed to reach 100% of our goal in just a couple of hours, thanks to our backers! Our confidence in them was more than justified. But we want to spread our message even further. We want to spark the conversation and make a switch to a circular economy. That’s why we want to get backed even more,” says De Neubourg.

The crowdfunding campaign consists of one unisex model called Lazlo, available in 4 colors: two transparent frames (the original colors of the recycled bottles) and two colored frames (brown and black).

The quest for a circular economy is clear, according to De Neubourg. “In recent years, we delved into the workings of fashion, circular economy, waste management, and recycling.”

Innovation is also a key aspect of Yuma Labs.  Next to their revolutionary business plan, they also made an Instagram filter of the sunglasses. “This way, you can see whether you like their sunglasses or not. Yuma Labs is the very first eyewear brand that allows contributors to fit the eyeglasses virtually, even before they go into production,” says the founder.

To reach the Crowdfunding link, click HERE.

Butterflies bring a happy feeling.

A Red Admiral among lilacs. in my garden.  Photo by Lucia Carpio.

With the promise of Spring,
Butteflies are everywhere.

Butterfly effect. 
Bold lines, dynamic cutouts and refined lens shape.
From Silhouette Spring Summer 2019 collection.
Accent Shades inspired by the Morpho didius butterfly of Peru.

Chase And Wonder Gift Wrap The Butterfly Lady Portrait.

Printed butterfly scarf, National History Museum, London.

Made-to-measure butterfly wallpaper mural by Gina Lorena Maldonado at Wallsauce.com.

 Hand-decorated butterfly chest of drawers, the Natural History Museum, London.

Sunglasses made of 100% denim by VICUNHA X MOSEVIC

Across all segments and product groups of the fashion market, denim is proving more popular than ever. And now just as the weather is turning warmer, the latest must-have piece is not another pair of jeans (you may already own dozens of them) but a pair of ‘Solid Denim’ sunglasses.  How cool is that!

These sunglasses made of resin-infused layers of denim are the result of a partnership between  the Brazilian denim giant VICUNHA TEXTIL (whose customers include Hugo Boss, Diesel, Esprit, Salsa, as well as large retail giants like Marks&Spencer and C&A) and MOSEVIC, a young English company specialised in denim sunglasses.  

MOSEVIC was established in 2015 by two friends, product designers Jack Spencer and Alex

Boswell, in Cornwall, in west England.  The frames of the solid sunglasses are made at MOSEVIC’s own workshop.  

Depending on the model, there can be three to ten different layers of denim used.  These are bonded with resin and solidified before the glasses can be sanded into shape and polished by hand.  A single red layer in the bonded layers accentuates the frame with a hint of colour and highlights the edging. The co-branded stainless steel plate on the arm of the frame rounds off the design. 

And this upcycling project is all in the name of sustainability. Some of the models are even made using denim from recycled jeans and plans are being made to convert the production entirely to upcycling in the future.  The handmade products are made from 100% BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) cotton from the Brazilian factories which are industry leaders in their social responsibility and practice in environmental protection. 

“We became aware of these innovative denim sunglasses last year, right after MOSEVIC

launched. A fantastic idea, which we as a global company instantly wanted to support and

encourage. But this collaboration isn’t just about promoting a young, innovative business, but

also about the production of a cool, socially responsible product. You could say it’s like

recycling, but on the very highest level with the best ambitions, style and coolness, combined

with environmental protection and social responsibility,” is how Thomas Dislich, Managing

Director of VICUNHA TEXTIL for Europe and Asia, sums up the cooperation with MOSEVIC.  

The limited edition sunglasses by VICUNHA X MOSEVIC come in four frame styles for both mena and women, now available on the MOSEVIC website, on which there is also a video showing the process.

Osprey London Sunglasses feature skilled handwork

It's a lovely day to try out my new Osprey London sunglasses.

This year I've selected this classic-looking pair from Graeme Ellisdon's timeless designs which can provide maximum UVA and UVB protection.

The handcrafted sunglasses are cut by hand and polished for up to 72 hours.  

The frames are made from cellulose acetate, produced from cotton pulp and are so comfortable to wear.  Made with wire to reinforce the arms, their strength and shape can be retained.  Love also the stitching detail on the arms.

I love also the leather box that comes with it which can collapse flat for easy storage in my often over-crowded handbag.

The Osprey London Sunglasses by Grame Ellisdon collection includes a number of other styles including the Hipster (shown in picture below), the Sunseeker, the Prepster, the Safari and Cat Eye.  

Go to the Osprey London website to take a look.  Click HERE.

All pictures by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

OSPREY LONDON’S new handmade limited edition sunglasses

It’s sunny outside.  Time to try out my new OSPREY LONDON sunglasses.

Sunglasses - The Hipster - by Osprey London Regent Street, London.  Grey T-shirt in 100% Tencel by TobyShop.
Location: Photographer's own garden.

I’m sporting The Hipster from OSPREY London’s new sunglasses range.  In a bold shape, these are made with sturdy tortoiseshell frames, handmade from cellulose acetate and have been polished for up to 72 hours to create a superior smooth finish.   Mine have been custom-fitted to make them snug and comfy to wear.

Love also the golden lenses which have maximum UVA/UVB protection (with Filter category 3: dark tint that reduces glare.) complies with European standard BS EN 1836:2005 and A1:2007.

The sunglasses are supplied with an OSPREY LONDON Saddle leather case and microfibre cloth to keep them in tip top condition.

The Hipster is available on-line and more styles are found exclusively in the Regent Street flagship store.

All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.