OTIS Mineral Lense Sunglasses

OTIS was founded over twenty years ago with the intention of creating eyewear which is stylish, sustainable, and that lasts. Starting up on the rugged Western Australian coastline, they create high-quality eyewear that looks great, while simultaneously reducing impact on the planet – something they do predominantly through the use of mineral glass lenses. These lenses make OTIS sunnies unique, and offer a wide range of benefits.

The benefits of mineral glass lenses

The first of these benefits is the aforementioned reduced impact on the environment. Mineral glass comes from the earth, using natural elements such as sand and soda ash – this is in contrast to many of its plastic-derived competitors. This makes it, in the words of OTIS, ‘endlessly recyclable’, and because it’s non-toxic it’s harmless to both humans and animals. 

But it’s not just through the reduced environmental impact that mineral glass lenses derive their benefit, and this is certainly not a product which is better for the planet, but worse in every other way. For starters, mineral glass lenses are also a huge 12 times more resistant to scratching than normal plastic lenses. This means that your view will remain crisp for longer, and this durability in turn makes them more sustainable.

Mineral lenses also offer a high-degree of clarity, with the distortion-free vision that they provide ensuring that you’ll get as clear a view as possible. On top of that, because mineral glass lenses are created in permanent lens tents, they have a much more stable colour contrast than alternate lens materials.

OTIS polarisation

In addition to the clarity that you get with OTIS sunglasses mentioned above, the polarisation of these mineral glass lenses also has a number of benefits. These lenses are tri-layered, with lightweight mineral glass wafers on either side of a Japanese anti-glare filter. This has benefits both in terms of comfort, and for your health. 

The comfort, of course, is self-explanatory, while the health benefits come from the protection of your eyes from reflected UV light. This reflected light occurs when sunlight strikes flat surfaces, and though it’s reflected, the damage from this UV light is just as damaging as direct UV light. The tri-layered lenses help to ensure that the intense reflected light which can still sometimes sneak their way past a pair of sunnies will be blocked, and glare and eye fatigue will in turn be reduced. 

The crux of all this is that, in essence, the mineral glass lenses used by OTIS have a huge range of advantages, both in terms of the protection of your eyes, and their impact on the environment. And what’s more, OTIS also dedicate their commitment to sustainability in a range of other ways.

Other sustainability measures

As well as those which come with the mineral glass lenses, there are multiple other sustainability benefits associated with OTIS sunglasses. The frames, too, are made from materials which are better for the environment than the plastic which is so often used. OTIS uses both eco-acetate and eco-grilamid frames for their sunnies. 

The first of these is made from renewable resources like cotton seeds, are certified biodegradable, and importantly can help in the growth of other natural materials once you’re ready for a new pair of sunnies. The second, eco-grilamid frames, are made from more than 50% renewable natural resources. The main ingredient used in their construction is castor oil, which is better for the environment than the plastics you’ll find in many competitors. 

On top of this, OTIS consolidates their focus on sustainability with their approach to packaging. The rise of online shopping is invariably matched by a rise in rubbish created by these products, with many materials used to ship products around the world non-recyclable. Not so with OTIS. Their packaging is recyclable, reusable and plastic-free, reducing the waste associated with shipping while simultaneously taking pair of your new set of frames. Alongside your sunglasses you’ll receive a cleaning cloth made from recycled PET and a recycled PU leather case, extras which come without the typical cost to the environment.

Southern Man’s range of OTIS products

At Southern Man, we’ve got a large range of OTIS sunglasses available which showcases their vast range. With over 50 different styles on offer there are options for everybody, and with their durability and the aforementioned sustainability benefits they provide, they’re definitely worth considering adding to your summer set-up.

They might not have the same level of recognition as some of the most well-known sunglasses brands, but there are plenty of reasons why OTIS sunglasses should be. The mineral glass lenses which they use is a significant point of difference from their competitors, providing both environmental and qualitative benefits. These sunnies will last for many, many summers, and the added bonus that they are produced and packaged with a minimal impact on the environment relative to many competitors is just another reason to like Australian-born sunglasses.