Norton Point transforms ocean plastic into sustainable, socially conscious eyewear. Their mission is to help reduce the 8 million metric tons of plastic that innondate our oceans every year. They do so by partnering with local entrepreneurs in some of the most economically challenged countries around the world to create local supply chains that collect and process ocean plastics found on the shoreline. In fact, the plastic used to make the sunglasses pictured below came from Haiti and their production helped to provide a much needed income stream for underprivileged families living there.

The Swell model features a black ocean plastic frame with blue adjustable temple tips and is available in two lense colors, black and blue, both of which are polarized. Hinges are made of high quality stainless steel and are spring loaded to accommodate different head sizes while maintaining a snug and secure fit. The Swell is the model that grabbed the attention of Kickstarter supporters, helping launch the brand back in 2016. They have since added two other models, The Current and The Tide to their product offering.

What’s Good:

Norton Point’s ability to provide both a socially and environmentally focused product is truly impressive. Their effort to establish a whole new supply chain to divert ocean plastic is a massive accomplishment and a significant undertaking for a new company. Recognition for this is well deserved. They have delivered a high quality product that is comparable to the top manufactures.

Thoughts on where to expand:

In my experience, frames seem to last much longer than the lenses and I have disposed of plenty of sunglass once the lenses got scratched beyond my preference. I have reached out to various manufacturers of the scratched glasses to inquire about getting replacement lenses and have been surprised to find that they do not offer replacements, either because they don't offer that model anymore or because they simply only provide a finished product. Could there be an opportunity to support lense replacements for customers so as to increase the life of the product? What about an end-of-life program to allow the product to be upcycled through the brand? Either option would elevate Norton Point to a whole new level of distinction in the Circular Economy space.