Seeing the World Through ‘Without rSunglasses’ Made From Potato Chips Packets

“Without rSunglasses”, the innovative Indian shades made from potato chip packets, are gaining momentum among social media users. “Without” is built by Ashaya Recyclers Private Limited, a social enterprise based in Pune, Maharashtra that is “re-imagining waste and poverty”.

According to the developers' website, the “Without rSunglasses” frames are made from post-consumer “impossible-to-recycle” plastic waste - packets of chips, chocolate wrappers, etc.

“0% of this multi-layered packaging (MLP) is recycled globally, but we’ve found a way, and you’re helping by buying these. And yes, these are the world’s first recycled sunglasses made from packets of chips,” the developers wrote on their website.

The Ashaya Recyclers say also that one sunglasses frame equals five packets of chips recycled.

“10% of all our sales go towards school scholarships for children of waste-pickers. Waste pickers are also formally incorporated into our supply chain, and help make your sunglasses. And we pay a premium to waste-pickers for this waste that no one buys. Our packaging is plastic-free and sustainable from The MEND Packaging. Even the carbon footprint of your delivery is neutralized through Climes.io. And if these sunglasses break, send them back to us for free so we can recycle them for you,” they added.

In a Twitter post, Anish Malpani, the founder of the startup, shared the process of tweaking multi-layered plastic waste into sunglasses.

“This has been the hardest thing I have ever been a part of. Finally: Presenting the world's first recycled sunglasses made from packets of chips, right here in India!”, he mentioned.