Spent coffee grounds are abundant, compostable, and fashionably black. So why not use them as a plant-based, biodegradable material for making chic eyewear?
That’s the thinking behind Ochis, a startup maker of eyeglasses based in Kyiv, Ukraine. After four years of experimentation and 300 discarded prototypes, the company succeeded in producing sturdy high fashion sunglass frames entirely from coffee grounds and plant-based polymers. According to founder and CEO Maksym Havrylenko, they decompose 100 times faster than plastic frames, breaking down into a natural fertilizer about ten years after being put into soil.
It's not just a concept. Ochis launched its line of luxury, zero-plastic UV- and shock-resistant glasses at the Silmo international eyewear trade fair in Paris in September 2022. The brand had just a tiny booth. But the Ochi website soon began struggling to keep up with growing orders from around the world.
Havrylenko, who has practiced as an optician for 15 years, was seeking a way to contribute something new to environmental protection. Understanding eyeglasses are almost always made of petroleum-based plastic, he began experimenting with compounds that would be full-circle recyclable. In other words, made of organic waste and able to be returned into the earth as natural compost after the product’s lifespan.
Havrylenko began combining and compressing coffee grounds with various substances, finally developing a biopolymer from flax seeds and vegetable oils. This form a durable material that can be enhanced with other plant ingredients to create attractive visual patterns.
The word “polymer” refers to natural or synthetic materials made of very large molecules with repeating subunits that give them a broad spectrum of properties. The walls of plant cells are made of natural polymers, a.k.a. biopolymers, and as such are a very abundant organic compound. With their long-chain molecular structure, polymers are easy to shape and mold, even with dried coffee grounds.
The mixture goes through a complex, multi-step process during which the coffee grounds change shape, texture, and durability. Eventually they form a dense material that is strong and water resistant. The company shapes the mixture into its proprietary designs, then dries the frames and polishes the surface to obtain a smooth, matte finish. In a plus for coffee lovers, the frames emit a subtle coffee fragrance for months.
Ochis is scaling up production and expanding its international network of distributors.