How can I recycle my old glasses?

Yes, we all have one, two or even three old pairs of glasses lying around at the back of a drawer. Whether they are sunglasses or optical glasses, frames can get damaged over time or trends change and we eventually decide to switch frames. But what can we actually do with these old glasses?

What should I do with my old glasses?

Believe it or not, there are plenty of solutions available to you, and you would be surprised by everything that can be done!

1- Donate them to a charity

Do you really want to get rid of this frame because you know it no longer suits your face shape or even your style? Know that it is possible to donate them to a charity that collects glasses and redistributes them to people in need.

But they won’t necessarily have the same prescription as me?

There are more than 7.5 billion people on Earth, so there is bound to be a group of people who have exactly the same prescription as you. Glasses are a medical device that can be quite expensive and that is not always well reimbursed by social security.

By donating them to this type of organization, you are making both a charitable and an eco-friendly gesture.

You can also donate them directly to your optician, who can act as an intermediary.

2- Keep them

Why should I keep them if they no longer suit me?

Glasses are not just a health accessory, they have become a real fashion accessory. Just like clothing, glasses also have their own trends. They may not appeal to you anymore because they are no longer fashionable, but you know very well that trends always come back around. Isn’t vintage style everywhere right now? We are wearing oversized square frames again, just like our grandparents used to wear!

And who knows, maybe one day you’ll want to wear them again, or even your children or grandchildren will?

3- Only change the lenses

Do you still love your frame and feel comfortable wearing it? Then you can simply go to your optician and have the lenses replaced. You just need to have a valid prescription that is less than 5 years old.

After 12 months and 1 day, if you feel that your eyesight has changed, you can ask your optician to perform an eye test. If it has actually changed, your health insurance will cover the new lenses. If your eyesight has not changed, you will need to wait at least 2 years and 1 day before changing your lenses.

4- Recycle them properly

If you really want to throw them away, we recommend that you take them apart properly by separating the different materials.

You should:

- Remove the lenses with gentle pressure and place them in the glass recycling bin

- Remove the tips at the end of the temples and place them in the plastic recycling bin (yellow bin)

- Unscrew the nose pads and place them in the general waste bin (grey bin)

How do we recycle our glasses at Binocle?

1- The Glasses Museum

One day, we would love to create a Glasses Museum! It would bring together lots of different frames to show how this object and fashion trends have evolved. Fun idea, right?

2- Inspiration for our designers

Philippe, one of the brand’s co-founders, is an optician and sometimes collects old glasses during his creative process. This helps inspire him and allows him to see what was made in the past.

3- The Binocle Outlet

You visited our website and didn’t even check out the Outlet? Okay, let us explain how it works! Sometimes we receive productions with minor defects on the lenses or frames.

We always aim to offer perfect glasses for our Binoclards, but we were frustrated to set aside a significant number of glasses because of such a small defect.

What could be better than being transparent and offering almost-perfect glasses that are still perfectly wearable at a reduced price? It’s more eco-friendly! Less waste and discounts all year round for you!