If you’re looking for sustainable sunglasses, then you’re in the right spot. Sunski is one of the best brands offering sustainable sunglasses. Below you’ll find our in-depth review of Sunski and why we love them!
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. This website is largely reader-funded through making purchases using affiliate links (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support & thank you to Sunski for letting us try a couple pairs!
Sunski is a very popular California based brand of sustainable sunglasses with a simple mission: “Make the best sunglasses on earth for outdoor adventure. Inspire our community to live life in balance with nature. Use our small business to raise the bar for sustainable sunglasses.“
The company was founded in 2012 by two friends who have a passion for nature. They set out to create stylish, durable sunglasses that were longer lasting and more eco-friendly than the typical sunglasses sold.
Sunski makes a range of lightweight sunglasses for “Guys”, “Gals” and kids in various lens colors and frame designs. The company also makes some of their most popular frames (Avila, Dipsea, Yuba and Makani) available with blue light filtering lenses. Their blue light glasses are designed to be comfortably worn all day and reduce eye fatigue and strain.
Sunski has additional lines of sunglasses called Alpine and Sport that go beyond the standard use of their other sunglasses.
The Alpine collection is described as “Modern glacier sunglasses for high alpine adventures & reflective conditions.” The Alpine collection features darker than standard polarized lenses and magnetic side shields that attach to the frames .
The Sport collection is described as being able to “stay in place on your face thanks to ultralight construction, soft nosepads and our perfect fit.”
The frames of all of their standard line of sunglasses are made from a recycled plastic material in an effort to reduce waste. The “premium” line of sunglasses have frames made of stainless steel and promise to be just as stylish and rugged as the recycled plastic frames.
Sunski also makes some of their most popular styles of sunglasses in a smaller kids size. According to Sunski “Kidskis are made to take on the life of a kid, so you can worry less and play more.” All of the same qualities that make traditional full size Sunskis so great apply to the kids sizes as well. They are extremely durable and can handle most things kids can throw at them. Best of all, the kid sized Sunskis carry the same warranty as the regular adult sizes!
We love supporting eco-conscious brands when we are able, so were excited to give Sunski a try. The two specific pairs of Sunski sunglasses we ended up with were the Headland Black Forest (pictured on the bottom) and the Dipsea Champagne Brown shades (pictured on top).
The Headlands are from their Classic collection which Sunski refers to as “The original style that launched a thousand ships.” The Dipsea is from the Everyday collection which is pretty self explanatory. Both styles are designed to be versatile, stylish and durable for everyday use.
We are huge fans of the packaging of Sunski products! The packaging definitely aligns with the sustainability theme of the brand.
Sunski packages all of their sunglasses in plastic-free packaging. The box itself is even folded in such a way that eliminates the need to use glue to hold it together. Sunski packaging can also double as a hard storage case when needed. Of course, you can also recycle the box as well.
The Sunski unboxing experience is definitely above average when compared to most (even high end designer) brands in our experience.
Opening the original packaging is extremely easy. No Scissors, plastic bags or adhesives preventing access to the sunglasses. They simply slide out of the main box. The inner box has “Proudly designed in California” on one side and Seriously sustainable sunglasses” on the other. We like the design and reminder of the sustainable aspect of the Sunski sunglasses.
The inside of the box also has a message stating “Our cardboard box is entirely free of single use plastic. When you’re ready to part with your Sunski box, please recycle it.” We like the cute little drawing of the earth saying “Thanks” above the text!
We are also impressed with the fact that the box was made without the use of any glues. Glues and adhesives can contain harmful chemicals, so we really like that Sunski was able to eliminate the use of them.
Once the box is fully opened you will find a paper pamphlet with information and care instructions, as well as a Sunski sticker and a microfiber bag. We love the minimalist aesthetic and thoughtfully curated package. It slightly reminds us of how all Apple products used to come minimally packaged with a sticker.
As previously mentioned, Sunski brands themselves as being an earth conscious outdoor adventure minded company. Part of that is displayed on the outside of the box with the “1% for the planet member” and the “climate neutral” labels.
Sunski is a certified 1% for the planet member meaning that at least 1% of annual sales or salary are donated to environmental causes.
Sunski is also a certified Climate Neutral brand. According to the Climate Neutral certification organization, being Climate Neutral means “A state in which human activities result in no net effect on the climate system. Requires balancing of residual greenhouse gas emissions with reductions or removals. All Climate Neutral Certified brands must meet climate neutrality standards for measuring, offsetting, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from making and delivering products and services.“
The included carrying pouch for the sunglasses also has a bit of a story about the outdoorsy planet friendly nature of the brand. They encourage you to use the sunglasses in the great outdoors and “Live Life Outside” in a sustainable way.
Here is our pair of the Headland Black Forest sunglasses. The Headland frames are from their Classic collection and have a somewhat vintage classic look to them. The frames are a solid black color and unexpectedly light weight. The type of recycled plastic Sunski uses is specially designed to be durable and as light as possible. They certainly feel that way!
The lenses in our pair of Headland Black Forest sunglasses are not as dark as the lenses found in Sunski’s Alpine collection. We found them perfect for daily use and visibility even on cloudy, but bright days. Like all of Sunski’s Sunglass products the lenses are polarized and offer UVA/UVB protection.
Unlike many other brands of fashionable sunglasses, the Sunski logo on the frame is not overbearing. We found the printed logo to be a perfect size and does not attract too much attention or take away from the overall design.
After daily use of the Sunski Headland Black Forest sunglasses, we think they are an overall great pair of sunglasses. The style is timeless and can be worn with nearly any type of outfit. This makes them the perfect pair to reach for when you don’t want to worry about clashing with your outfit. The Headlands have a very durable feel to them and do not give you the feeling that they have to be babied. Like any pair of sunglasses, the most vulnerable part is the lens and the Sunski Headland’s are no exception. We do feel a bit better that in the worst case we can always buy a replacement pair of lenses for a reasonable $18 from the Sunski website. Trashing an entire pair of sunglasses just because of lens damage seems wasteful and Sunski agrees.
Our pair of Sunski Dipsea’s are a crowd favorite. The black Headland pair that we have does a great job of being understated in an ‘under the radar’ way with the classic styling. These Dipsea sunglasses in Champagne Brown are more of a fashion statement, but not in an outrageous way. The Champagne Brown color of the recycled plastic frames gives the glasses a perfectly relaxed vibe. The color appears to vary in different photographs you may see online, but in person it really is the color of champagne.
Just as with the Headland pair, the printed Sunski logo is perfectly fitting to the design of the frames. It is subtle and doesn’t distract from the overall look of the lenses. The frames are also engineered to be very light weight and durable as with all of the Sunski sunglass collections.
Overall, we love the Sunski brand and all they offer. We are drawn specifically to the sustainability aspect of the Sunski sunglasses.
No only does Sunski stand out in terms of sustainability, we are also impressed from the fashion aspect of the sunglasses. They offer a multitude of trendy and stylish sunglasses sure to meet anyone’s taste. We absolutely love our Headland and Dipsea sunglasses (and often receive compliments!)
From now on, Sunski will continue to be a go to brand for us.
Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions we get about our Sunski sunglasses:
Do Sunski sunglasses come with a case?
Yes, the Sunski sunglasses come with a case. Check out the pictures above to see what ours came with.
Do Sunski sunglasses have UV protection?
Yes, the polarized Sunski sunglasses offer UV protection.
Where are Sunski sunglasses made?
From their website: “We make our sunglasses in Wenzhou, China, in factories that we have thoroughly vetted and visit frequently!”
Do Sunski sunglasses have a warranty?
Yes! Sunski sunglasses have a lifetime warranty that covers everything except the lenses. It also excludes frames that “appear to be damaged intentionally or from outrageous negligence”.
Do Sunski sunglasses have replacement lenses?
Yes! Sunski does sell replacement lenses for all sunglass models. The replacement lenses can be purchased on their website for $18.
How are Sunski sunglasses sustainable?
Sunski is both a certified 1% for the Planet brand and Climate Neutral Certified. They also make their sunglass frames from recycled plastic that is otherwise headed for the landfill.