OUR MATERIALS

MEET BIO-ACETATE

Sunglasses are most commonly made of a material called acetate. Mari & Clay frames are made from its plant-based cousin called bio-acetate, which is 100% biodegradable*. Bio-acetate is better because it limits the use of fossil fuels by replacing harmful phthalate-based plasticizers used in acetate with organic additives. As an added bonus, bio-acetate reports to be more durable than acetate.

Bio-acetate is derived from responsibly harvested cotton seed and wood pulp. It is beautiful, durable and hypoallergenic. All Mari & Clay frames are made from bio-acetate. We believe it is the better choice for our ecosystem and a step towards a circular economy. 

 *Bio-acetate degrades after 115 days if buried in compost soil under industrial composting conditions (verified by Belgian Organic Waste System Institute to be biodegradable to ISO 14855).

POLARISED LENSES 

All of our sunglasses use polarised lenses which are great for eliminating dazzling reflections and scattered light. Polarised lenses offer better clarity and comfort than traditional lenses. These are great for day-to-day driving, going to the beach and participating in water activities. All Mari & Clay lenses meet the strictest Australian, New Zealand (AS/NZS 1067.1:2016) and international standards (EN ISO 12312-1:2013 (A1:2015) and ANSI Z80.3:2018). The lenses offer UV400 protection and 100% UVA & UVB protection.

METAL HINGES

It’s the little things that matter. We use high quality metal hinges that are riveted through the temples and frame fronts to ensure the sturdiest construction. This ensures that your sunglasses open and close smoothly, and last a long time.

ZERO-PLASTIC PACKAGING

We are proud to have zero-plastic in our packaging. Our sunglasses come with foldable protective cases made from kraft paper instead of PU or plastic. It will arrive at your door packed in a recycled-cardboard box and home-compostable mailer.

BIO-ACETATE CERTIFYING INSTITUTES