Odette Lunette partners with Materialise to launch 3D printed eyewear

3D printing company Materialise has introduced a new 100% recyclable bio-based material for eyewear.

The new material is used in a new 3D printed eyewear collection by Belgian designer Odette Lunette in collaboration with former world champion cyclist, Tom Boonen. The eyewear was inspired by overproduction in fashion and its harm to the environment.

The new material, Ultrasint PA11, is sustainably sourced from a plant that grows on wasteland in India. The seeds are pressed into oil and polymerised into powder that is used to 3D print frames. At the end of its lifecycle, the frames can be recycled and repurposed.

Available in two sizes, the unisex frame comes in three colours: khaki with gold mirrored glasses, blue with blue mirrored glasses and black with silver mirrored glasses.

Eline De Munck, Co-founder of Odette Lunettes, said: “3D printing proved ideal to create a technical sports frame without compromising on the design we had in mind. On top of that, it allows us to produce in a way that reflect our brand’s sustainability mindfulness and meet the expectations of our environmentally conscious customers."

Alireza Parandian, Business Development Director at Materialise, said: “3D printing’s ability to ‘do more’ and waste less has fuelled its growing popularity in the eyewear industry. Now, its economic and environmental benefits are enhanced with the introduction of a new, bio-based and 100% recyclable material."