Much like with fashion, the manufacturing of eyewear is in dire need of a makeover. Most sunglasses are made from petroleum-based virgin plastics that take upwards of 450 years to decompose. Yikes!

The good news though is that there is a lot of great work happening in this space and we're all about highlighting it for you. This is where our icons come in!

We want you to understand (at a glance) how your chosen pair of sunglasses impact on the planet.

If you see the GOOD icon featuring a pair of sunglasses it means the product has received a score of between 25% - 49% for the materials used for its frames and lenses, whether renewable energy has been used during the manufacturing process and/or low-waste techniques have been incorporated into the manufacturing also.

If you see the GOOD icon featuring a sunglass case, it means the case has received a score of between 0% - 33%.

You might wonder why we rate it as good if it receives a score of 0. This is because of the criteria we use. Even a small score means that they are doing something good when it comes to the environment.

If you see the GOOD icon featuring a truck, it means the transport methods and packaging used for the product have met the minimum requirements. This includes whether the packaging is recycled, recyclable or made of natural / bio-based materials.

If you see the BETTER icon featuring a pair of sunglasses it means the product has received a score of between 50 – 75% for the materials used for its frames and lenses, whether renewable energy has been used during the manufacturing process and/or low-waste techniques have been incorporated into the manufacturing also.

If you see the BETTER icon featuring a sunglass case, it means the case has received a score of between 33% – 65%.

If you see the BETTER icon featuring a truck, it means the transport methods and packaging used for the product have received a score between 33% – 65%.

If you see the BEST icon featuring a pair of sunglasses it means the product has received the highest score possible (over 75%) for its frames and lenses.

It also means the process of manufacture uses renewable energy or low-wast technology.

If you see the BEST icon featuring a sunglass case, it means the case has received a score of over 65% meaning the material used, process of manufacture and end-of-life options rate very high when it comes to their footprint on the environment.

If you see the BEST icon featuring a truck, it means the transport methods and packaging have also scored over 65% meaning the majority of packaging is sustainable and uses minimal materials. It is most likely the transport of this product offsets its carbon emissions too.