World´s first hemp fibre sunglasses
Hemp Eyewear is the start-up company behind the design and manufacture of the world’s first hemp fibre eyewear line.
Sam Whitten, BA in Product Design, developed the idea during his final year at Glasgow Caledonian University. Faced by the growing problem of plastic pollution, he decided to search for the most sustainable material on earth. Eventually he landed on hemp.
Hemp is non-toxic and biodegradable, and much stronger than conventional plastic. It needs 50% less water than cotton and requires little to no pesticides (in fact naturally reduces pests), and yields four time mores paper as traditional trees.
His next step was to introduce hemp into the lives of people, by manufacturing a product which no-one else had tried to make from hemp before and so the very first edition of the Crosby model sunglasses was born.
Through several successful crowd-funding campaigns Hemp Eyewear managed to fund 3 years of product development and set up a design studio and workshop in the creative district of Leith in Edinburgh, where all the frames are carefully handcrafted.
Four years later the project is stronger than ever. With a total of six models of sunglasses (and many new things coming soon!), Hemp Eyewear combines sleek and elegant design, with innovative materials, handcrafting and total environmental commitment.
