100 % committed to 0 % microplastics
The Silhouette Group is on a mission to protect the environment from microplastics. To help achieve this goal, the globally successful family-owned business from Austria has developed innovative processes, including a closed production cycle. For example, instead of grinding non-prescription lenses (for example for sunglasses), the Silhouette Group mills its lenses instead. This eliminates the need for water during this stage of production. The Silhouette Group also recycles all residue generated during the milling process. No water is used when drilling or finishing the edges of the lenses either. All residue is collected by a vacuum suction device and recycled. It is still necessary to grind prescription lenses though. However, the cooling water used in this process is filtered and reused multiple times in the production cycle. For that purpose, the company operates two on-site water purification systems. Water from the production floor is purified before being drained into the local sewage system.
100% Silhouette: The ideal solution for customers, eye care professionals — and the environment
The Silhouette Group’s production approach is called “100% Silhouette”. It is based on a holistic view of eyewear design, in which all elements are perfectly aligned with one another. At the Silhouette Group’s Lens Lab in Linz, Austria, a team of lens specialists crafts each lens to match the individual needs of the wearer and the frames they choose. This ensures a perfect vision experience for every customer. It also significantly reduces the workload for eye care professionals, freeing them up to devote more attention to their customers. And it’s good for the environment too. Due to the closed production cycle, no microplastics enter the wastewater. The result: perfectly aligned, 100% Silhouette premium eyewear with the feel-good factor of helping to protect the environment. This is a step in the right direction in an industry that is known for generating microplastic. In Germany alone, lens manufacturers generated at least 200 tons of microplastic in 2021.
April 21, 2023
