Design Life-Cycle

Kaylin Lee

Professor Cogdell

DES 40A

March 15, 2023

Raw Materials

Warby Parker is a well known, high quality, affordable, and sustainable glasses brand. Unlike most brands, Warby Parker designs and produces their own eyewear which allows them to save on middlemen costs resulting in the affordable products they offer. At first glance, because Warby Parker is a well known and widespread company one would assume that the product consists of a few basic plastic materials, but looking further, this brand is working towards sustainability using biodegradable materials throughout the entire life cycle from creating the cellulose acetate frames to the recycled shipping boxes for distribution. 

Warby Parker Glasses are composed of four basic material parts. This includes the frames, hinges, lenses, and silicone nose pads. With a focus on sustainability and biodegradability, Warby Parker uses cellulose acetate, a resin-like material derived from plants. Though cellulose acetate is the basic material in the frames, it takes much more to create this material. Cellulose acetate is a sustainable material because it comes from natural materials and after it is used it will return back to nature. Cellulose acetate is created from wood and cotton, two natural raw materials. (Daicel). Cellulose is abundantly present in many plants and can be synthesized to create cellulose acetate. The process of creating cellulose acetate is by “acetylating the hydroxyl groups in cellulose with acetic acid and acetic anhydride in the presence of sulfuric acid.”(Fischer). Cellulose acetate is synthesized from natural plants, but in order to create the resin properties needed for glasses frames, external acids are needed. For the hinges of the glasses metal materials are needed. Metals are natural materials to the earth, but are often composed of multiple types of additional materials to change its material properties. In the case of the hinges, a metal alloy is used which confirms that multiple metals and nonmetal elements are combined. These metals are likely bronze, stainless steel, or monel. All of these metal alloys contain multiple elemental metals such as copper, titanium, nickel, iron, and tin. For most of these elemental metals, the process of obtaining the material is primarily in the extraction and purification of the metal. In the process of extracting metal from ore, the ore material must be comminuted.  Comminuted is the process of breaking down the ore to smaller particles which can then be introduced to leaching fluids where the metal particles can be further broken down.(Knecht). Leaching fluids for this process would be a cyanide solution. Though metal seems like a basic elemental material, the process of extracting the metal from the ore incorporates a process that introduces more materials. Next the process of making the CR-39 lenses. Warby Parker uses CR-39 lenses due to its transparency and durability. CR-39 is further known as “Columbia Resin #39” this classifies it as a resin. Resins are commonly extracted from trees making the raw material of the lenses a natural existing substance. The final part of warby parker glasses are the silicone nose pads. Silicone is derived from silica stone, water, and methanol.(ShinEtsu). Silica is a natural material that would be the raw material necessary to synthesize the silicone nose pads. From an initial observation the materials in glasses seem straightforward, but in reality there are so many other raw materials that go into making each part of the ‘four’ materials used for the pair of glasses. 

Once all the basic materials are constructed, the glasses go through production. The production process consists of coloring the acetate, cutting the frames, polishing and refining the frames, and constructing all the parts together. This process may seem straightforward, but other raw materials are used in these processes. The first process is coloring the cellulose acetate. Disperse dyes are used for this process because they are known to interact and penetrate hydrophobic fibres.(Konkuk). The molecules in the dyes are non-ionic making the dyes a possible colorant for the cellulose acetate. Disperse dyes are classifies as azo or anthraquinones dyes. Cellulose acetate likely takes azo dyes. Azo dyes are prepared through a reaction between nitrous acid and amine. Azo dyes are derived from either homocyclic diazos or heterocyclic diazos.(Straley). Cyclic compounds are atoms bonded in a ring formation. Homocyclic compounds are when the present atoms in the ring are the same as the element whereas heterocyclic compounds are when carbon and other atoms are in the ring.(Davis). When the ring formed molecules interact with the cellulose the color is changed. Once the cellulose acetate is dyed, it is melted and cut into the frame shapes. This process is completed with heat that utilizes oxygen, heat, and fuel. Once the frames are melted and cut, the edges are rough and sharp so the next step in the process is to polish the frames. This process is done by tumbling the frames with wood chips. These wood chips are derived from the wood from trees. Though wood chips seem like a simple tumbling material, it completes the job. When the frames are thoroughly tumbled they are polished with a wax compound. This wax compound is likely made out of stearic acid, tallow, and wax. Stearic acid is made of saturated fatty acids. Tallow is a saturated animal fat which can be processed by melting and purifying the fat down. To do this the fat is melted with water and salts until the fat renders clear. Finally in the last component of the compound wax is wax which is likely derived from nature such as wax from bee hives. In the process of creating the compound wax to polish the frames, many other raw materials are needed to synthesize the polishing agent. Finally the process of assembling the glasses together begins. This is where all the previous materials come together. Once all the materials are synthesized to create each pair of glasses, the process of putting them together is not complicated, but though there are not many materials needed, the raw materials that go into each secondary material is numerous. 

 Once the glasses are finished, they are ready for distribution. With the process of distribution the main material necessity are the shipping boxes. Warby Parker is working towards a sustainable impact and shipping boxes can either add or subtract from their overall impact. In this case, Warby Parker is using 100% recycled wood pulp to form their boxes. Of course wood pulp is derived from trees, but in order to create the boxes there are many more steps and materials needed. To use the recycled wood pulp chemicals are needed to break the pieces down. One possibility used to break the wood pulp down is sodium hydroxide which can break the lignin bonds of wood.(Merichem). Sodium hydroxide is made up of the elements sodium, hydrogen and oxygen. The broken down pieces of wood pulp can them be used to make the cardboard for the boxes. In the process of making the boxes for distribution a glue is needed to keep the boxes together. This glue is likely a starch based adhesive is needed which allows the starch molecules to interact with the cellulose molecules of the box. This starch glue is derived and creed out of corn. Warby Parker focuses on creating a sustainable brand name and the materials they use for their boxes follow as closely to nature as possible. 

Once the glasses are created and shipped off to the customers, the next step is maintenance of the glasses. Glasses maintenance is different for each user and can range from very minimally to extensively. Some of the main maintenance issues that arise with glasses users are broken hinges that would need to be replaced with metal pieces and clean lenses that utilize lens cleaner made from alcohol, and a case for protecting the glasses. The extra hinge pieces are made of metal and use the same materials and synthesis process as stated before. This follows the extraction of the metal from ore then the melting and shaping of the metal. To create the lens spray that keeps the glasses clear, isopropyl or ethyl alcohol is needed. Ethanol may sound like a chemical that could be dangerous and bad for the environment, but ethanol is created by fermenting corn.(Lyon) This makes the material in the lens cleaner, primarily corn, a natural material. Finally, to keep the glasses safe, Warby Parker sells cases. Their cases are primarily made of iron and polyurethane acrylic resin.  Polyurethane acrylic resin is produced from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, cyanoacrylic, acrylonitrile and acrylamide.(Wong). This one material is made of many materials which is made of many more materials. Maintenance may seem simple for glasses, but the materials that go into each safety component requires a multitude of raw materials. 

Finally, in the process of recycling, disposing, and waste management. Once a user is done with their glasses, Warby Parker has a recycle program where customers can send their glasses back. This process of sending the glasses back requires boxes once again. These boxes would follow the same creation process as the boxes from the initial shipping deliverance. This process follows recycled wood pulp broken down to create cardboard, then secured together using a starch based glue. On the other hand, if a user decides to send the glasses back with another box, the material would still be derived from trees, but the glue would likely be a different glue full of bad chemicals. If the user chooses to throw the glasses away, then the process of disposing of the glasses would follow a general process of breaking down in the landfill. This process is a long journey that allows liquids such as water to slowly break the material down. Warby Parker is a sustainable brand that provides a recycle program that would be much better for the environment rather than just tossing the glasses out. It would further be up to the user whether or not they choose to recycle or dispose of their glasses.

Warby Parker is a widespread brand that works to create high quality glasses that are affordable.(Parker). They use materials that focus on sustainability and work to promote a healthy environment. Starting with the cellulose acetate frames and ending with the recycled wood pulp boxes, this company provides a safe material outcome. 

Works Cited

Chen, Jinghuan. “Cellulose acetate fibers prepared from different raw materials with rapid synthesis method.” 

PubMed, 10 February 2016, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26686180/.

Daicel Corporation. “Cellulose Acetate.” About cellulose acetate｜Daicel corporation, https://www.daicel.com/cell_ac/en/cellulose/. Accessed 12 March 2023.

Davis, Peter. “Difference Between Homocyclic and Heterocyclic Compounds | Definition, Organic and Inorganic Compounds, Examples, Differences.” Pediaa.Com, 29 January 2018, https://pediaa.com/difference-between-homocyclic-and-heterocyclic-compounds/. Accessed 14 March 2023.

Fischer, S. “Properties and applications of cellulose acetate.” Macromolecular Symposia, 2008, pp. 89-96.

Knecht, Johann. “Method of extracting metal from ore material”. Espacenet, 2019, library.ucdavis.edu

https://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/description?CC=AU&NR=719183B2&KC=B2&FT=D&ND=&date=20000504&DB=EPODOC&locale=.

Konkuk University. “Dyeing With Disperse Dyes.” Intechopen, 2011, p. 196.

Lyon, France. “ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL MANUFACTURE BY THE STRONG-ACID PROCESS.” NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304434/.

Merichem. “Pulp Makeup Chemicals | Paper Chemicals.” Merichem,

https://www.merichem.com/reduce-cost-for-pulp-and-paper-makeup-chemicals/. Accessed 14 March 2023.

Parker, Warby. “How Our Glasses Are Made.” Warby Parker, https://www.warbyparker.com/how-our-glasses-are-made

ShinEtsu Silicone. “What is silicone? : What is silicone made of?” Shin-Etsu Silicone, https://www.shinetsusilicone-global.com/info/begin1.shtml. Accessed 15 March 2023.

Straley, J. M. “A Review of Disperse Dyes.” Textile Chemist and Colorist, vol. 9, no. 12, 1977, pp. 277-278.

Wong, Joon Fatt. “Plastics in Corrosion Resistant Applications.” Reference Module in Materials Science and Materials Engineering, 2020. sciencedirect, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/acrylic-resin#:~:text=Acrylic%20resins%20are%20transparent%20thermoplastics,et%20al.%2C%202019).

Stella Barretto

DES 40A

Professor Cogdell

March 16, 2023

Warby Parker: Embodied Energy

Warby Parker is a glasses brand with a goal of being one of the most impactful brands in the world, transforming the eyeglasses industry through design and innovation while doing good in the world without the product being too expensive. Warby Parker was launched in 2010 by two graduate students with the goal of producing high quality inexpensive prescription eyewear. They wanted to make an impact on the eyewear industry which was dominated by a single profit-driven company. Warby Parker’s Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program distributes a pair of glasses to someone in need for every pair purchased. Beyond striving for quality, reasonable pricing, and making an impact, Warby Parker emphasizes sustainable business practices. While Warby Parker uses significant amounts of energy in the manufacturing and distribution of their products, the company strives to use sustainable forms of production such as selectively sourcing materials, working directly with producers, and keeping records of emissions to pinpoint and reduce energy consumption. 

Warby Parker personally sources raw materials with energy use and emissions in mind. Warby Parker glasses are composed of four different components: frames, hinges, nosepads, and lenses and have direct suppliers in China, Japan, and Italy. The frames are made of cellulose acetate, which is derived from wood pulp and sourced from family-run factory, Mazzucchelli, in Castiglione Olona, Italy. The manufacturing of wood pulp from softwood to make cellulose acetate is self-sufficient, generating bioenergy. Stainless steel and titanium used for the glasses’ frames are extracted using thermal and chemical energy. During production, the embodied energy of stainless steel is 77–85 MJ/kg (Ahmad, Nabeel). Titanium has a lower embodied energy of 18.9 MJ/kg (The Energy Required). The silicone used for nose pads is reduced from Quartz using thermal and chemical energy. The process of carbothermic reduction of quartz sand consumes 20 kWh/kg of silicon produced. Additionally, the refinement of silicon with hydrochloric acid and hydrogen gas consumes 100 kWh/kg of silicon (GreenChemUofT). Silicone is then formed via a reaction between silicon, methyl chloride, and water (Silicones). The polycarbonate comprising the glasses’ lenses is produced via chemical reactions between BPA and Phosgene. This utilizes chemical energy. Polycarbonate used in construction has an embodied energy of 149.6 MJ/kg (Bosch, M). Acrylic used in the manufacturing of demo glasses is made by synthesizing methyl methacrylate using chemical energy (Polycarbonate vs). Out of the materials that make up Warby Parker’s glasses, stainless steel has the highest embodied energy. 

Warby Parker works directly with producers and manufacturers to reduce and regulate energy consumption. The manufacturing process consists of cutting and coloring the acetate, polishing and refining, and assembling the finished glasses. The glasses are manufactured both by machine and by human hand craftsmanship. In the factories, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines are used to cut the acetate. These machines operate using mechanical and electrical energy. An energy efficient CNC machine draws approximately 1.0 kilowatt hour (Mammone, Steven). Additional machines are used to press the frames into shape and to cut the polycarbonate lenses. While much of the process is performed by machines using mechanical and electrical energy, human energy contributes to the process as well. For example, the frames are assembled and buffed by hand. To manage manufacturing and production, Warby Parker partners with a platform called Watershed that allows companies to measure their carbon footprint, plan and execute on steps to reduce emissions, and share results. According to their 2021 Impact Report, Warby Parker’s most significant factors in its carbon footprint are “construction, equipment, and furniture and fixtures, as we built out our new Las Vegas optical lab, expanded our New York and Nashville offices, and opened over thirty new stores in 2021”(Impact Report). Warby Parker emphasizes their cutting edge technology and human handiwork as main forms of energy used in the manufacturing process. Warby Parker’s commitment to sourcing manufacturers and producers as well as working with them directly helps to regulate energy use in this stage. 

Warby Parker’s global and local supply chains are crafted as integrated networks to organize and streamline orders. Warby Parker’s global supply chain includes The United States, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, Italy, Japan, and China. The supply chain is made up of frame factories, lens and case/kit suppliers, distribution centers, optical labs, freight-forwarding logistics companies, retail locations, and optical labs. The opening of a new optical lab in Las Vegas in 2021 allowed for increased bandwidth, production, and shipping capabilities, further increasing energy consumption. Land, air, and sea transportation use thermal, chemical, and possibly electrical energy. A pair of glasses would travel over 4,200 miles from the factory in Italy to the optical lab in New York. An international flight generally uses one gallon of fuel per second or five gallons of fuel per mile. For a 1,000 mile trip, a plane would use 5,000 gallons of fuel. According to the Bureau of Transportation, Jet Fuel uses 135,000 Btu/gallon, 3,412 Btu being the equivalent of 1 kWh (Energy Consumption).  In comparison with other categories of production, upstream and downstream shipping of products only makes up a small part of the company’s Carbon footprint.  In terms of use, reuse, and maintenance, only human energy is involved for the physical wearing and maintaining of the glasses. 

In order to be recycled, eyeglasses must be broken down into raw materials. Because of this, many eyeglasses are not recycled. According to the National Library of Medicine, stainless steel's embodied energy from recycling is about 22–25 MJ/kg(Ahmad, Nabeel). To recycle their demo glasses, Warby Parker, working with Eastman Chemical, has a program in place to convert demo-lenses into acetate feedstock to produce new materials. Generally, the acrylic used for the lenses can only be broken down physically using thermal and mechanical energy to create shards that can be supplied as materials for construction. Since Warby Parker does not have the output to recycle at this scale, they use the discarded lenses to create new materials. This process uses thermal, mechanical, and chemical energy to break down the lenses to a molecular level to “feedstock in place of fossil fuels to produce new materials that are indistinguishable from their counterparts, preserving natural resources” (Impact Report). This feedstock can be used to produce acetate for new glasses frames. The recycling stage uses thermal and chemical energy for purposes of transportation to recycling centers. On top of this, chemical, mechanical, and thermal energy is used in the process of breaking down acrylic for use as feedstock. Beyond demo glasses, other components of Warby Parker’s eyewear can be recycled if broken down into raw materials. The recycling of stainless steel can contribute to the saving of energy. According to research published in 2006, recycling accounted for saving 33% of the energy used in worldwide austenitic stainless-steel production (Recycling Stainless). Additionally, silicone used in nose pads can be recycled: “According to ECO U.S.A. recycling, one ton of silicone saves 5,774 kWh of energy…”(Can Silicone). Cellulose acetate can be broken down “into cellulose and acetic acid by the action of water in the natural environment. These materials eventually return to the environment with no adverse impact”(Sustainability). Overall, Warby Parker has programs in place to utilize recyclable materials and repurpose materials to be used for manufacturing. While energy is used in the process, recycling saves energy as well. 

To offset their Carbon footprint and energy use, Warby Parker invests in sustainable energy projects. In 2021, the company supported a wind-based energy production project in Maharashtra, India. This project produces “80 megawatts of renewable energy generating capacity to the grid each year and has created local employment opportunities for the construction and operation of the wind turbines”(Impact Report). While this project creates renewable energy to offset Warby Parker’s Carbon footprint, the embodied energy of a wind turbine must also include energy required in manufacturing, construction, installation, and maintenance. A research paper from the University of Melbourne, Australia states that “Past studies have shown embodied energy values ranging from 3,948 GJ for a 500 kW system to 15,495 GJ for a 3.0 MW system” (Crawford, R.H.). Warby Parker did not publish enough details about their wind-based energy project in their impact report to know the total embodied energy for the system, which leaves its true energy use offset ambiguous. 

Warby Parker’s commitment to sustainability in selectively sourcing materials, working directly with producers, and keeping records of emissions helps them to regulate and manage their energy use. This is apparent from their sourcing of raw materials to their manufacturing process and their streamlined global supply chain. Energy is conserved through the reuse and recycling of materials such as acrylic and metals like titanium and stainless steel. Additionally, their work with wind-based energy projects helps to offset their Carbon footprint and energy use. Overall, Warby Parker takes a sustainable approach in all stages of production from marketing to distribution to monitor and decrease their energy use.

Bibliography

Ahmad, Nabeel, and Emmanuel Ugo Enemuoh. “Energy Modeling and ECO Impact Evaluation in Direct Metal Laser Sintering Hybrid Milling.” Heliyon, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 16 Jan. 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6965712/. 

“Biomass Energy Basics.” NREL.gov, https://www.nrel.gov/research/re-biomass.html#:~:text=Wood%20is%20still%20the%20largest,of%20municipal%20and%20industrial%20wastes. 

Bosch, M. “Sustainable Design by Embodied Energy and Demountability.” TU Delft Repositories, 1 Jan. 1970, https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid%3A98cbdba1-faf1-4267-9917-33b9621455dc. 

“Can Silicone Be Recycled?” LastObject, LastObject, 9 Dec. 2021, https://lastobject.com/blogs/sustainability-101/can-silicone-be-recycled#:~:text=According%20to%20ECO%20U.S.A.%20recycling,to%20break%20down%20the%20silicone. 

Crawford, R.H. “Life-Cycle Energy Analysis of Wind Turbines.” WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, WIT Press, 2007, https://www.witpress.com/Secure/elibrary/papers/ESUS07/ESUS07016FU1.pdf. 

“Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.” Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation | Bureau of Transportation Statistics, https://www.bts.gov/content/energy-consumption-mode-transportation#:~:text=Jet%20fuel%20%3D%20135%2C000%20Btu%2Fgallon,gasoline%20%3D%20120%2C200%20Btu%2Fgallon. 

The Energy Required to Produce Materials: Constraints on Energy-Intensity Improvements, Parameters of Demand. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2012.0003. 

GreenChemUofT. “Embodied Energy and Solar Cells.” The Green Chemistry Initiative Blog, 21 Mar. 2018, https://greenchemuoft.wordpress.com/2017/12/12/embodied-energy-and-solar-cells/#:~:text=Silicon%20Processing%20(Additional%20embodied%20energy%3A%20460%20kWh%2Fkg)&text=This%20process%20consumes%20100%20kWh,kg%20of%20silicon%20single%20crystal. 

Homer, Talon. “How Much Fuel Does an International Plane Use for a Trip?” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 8 Mar. 2023, https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/question192.htm#:~:text=Why%20is%20kerosene%20used%20as,of%20power%20that%20kerosene%20can. 

“How Our Glasses Are Made.” Warby Parker, 

https://www.warbyparker.com/how-our-glasses-are-made. 

“Impact Report.” Warby Parker, https://www.warbyparker.com/impact-report. 

Mammone, Steven. “Consider Energy Efficient CNC Machining.” DATRON Dynamics, 9 Nov. 2022, https://www.datron.com/resources/blog/consider-energy-efficient-cnc-machining/#:~:text=The%20Energy%20Efficient%20CNC%2C%20DATRON,%24197%20a%20month%20to%20power. 

“Polycarbonate vs Acrylic - Learn about the Difference between Acrylic & Polycarbonate Material: A&C Plastics.” Polycarbonate vs Acrylic - Learn about the Difference Between Acrylic & Polycarbonate Material | A&C Plastics, https://www.acplasticsinc.com/informationcenter/r/acrylic-vs-polycarbonate#:~:text=On%20the%20other%20hand%2C%20acrylic,to%20finally%20produce%20methyl%20methacrylate. 

“Recycling Stainless Steel.” Recycling Stainless Steel - Unified Alloys, https://www.unifiedalloys.com/blog/recycling-stainless-steel. 

“Silicones.” American Chemistry Council, https://www.americanchemistry.com/chemistry-in-america/chemistries/silicones#:~:text=Silicones%20are%20produced%20by%20reacting,which%20removes%20the%20chlorine%20atom. 

“Sustainability.” Daicel Corporation - Cellulose Acetate, https://www.daicel.com/cell_ac/en/sustainability/#:~:text=Unlike%20most%20typical%20synthetic%20plastics,environment%20with%20no%20adverse%20impact. 

Stephanie Chan

DES 40A

Professor Cogdell

Life Cycle Paper: Warby Parker Glasses - Waste

Movements for more sustainability in people’s everyday lives are becoming increasingly relevant, and a number of industries are joining in on this trend. Warby Parker is one of these companies that started up on the basis of everyday, useful items turned more sustainable. A prominent reason why a vast majority of companies and products can not be considered sustainable is due to their large production of wastes. Most companies’ raw material acquisition, product manufacturing, transportation and distribution, maintenance, and disposal create tons of waste byproducts. The waste results associated with Warby Parker glasses is majorly caused by the product’s raw materials and in the production of glasses, rather than the afterlife of the product due to the numerous recycling options provided by Warby Parker.

Warby Parker’s goal to be sustainable and scale down their waste is shown through some of their choices of raw materials and the waste that arises with their use. One of the major materials they use in producing their glasses is plastic cellulose acetate. Their plastic cellulose acetate is sourced from a family-run Italian factory, keeping their raw material acquisition on a smaller scale (How Our). Cellulose acetate decomposes much faster than the typical plastics seen in plastic products, taking anywhere from one to ten years to decompose compared to the decades to centuries it takes for common plastics to decompose. Cellulose acetate is able to break down with the presence of water in nature, including the water in soil and seas (The Life). While most plastics decompose and leave behind toxins that negatively impact the environment around it, cellulose acetate decomposes into carbon dioxide and water without chemical toxins being released simultaneously (Is Acetate). Without the negative environmental effects like most plastics, cellulose acetate becomes a good alternative plastic that helps reduce Warby Parker’s waste impact. Another major material they use is polycarbonate, which is used to make Warby Parker glasses’ prescription lenses (Impact Report 2020). Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic polymer that is transparent, strong, and hard (Thomas). Polycarbonate is a recyclable material, since it can be heated and cooled to be made into a new material (Recycling). However, polycarbonate is absolutely terrible for the environment when disposed of. It can seriously impact the environment since they nearly never decompose due to their petroleum making. The chemicals that come off from this material can leak into the environment, be consumed by marine life and by other animals (Instruments). So while Warby Parker is using plastic cellulose acetate to provide more sustainable frames for their glasses, their use of polycarbonate for their prescription lenses does not provide the same benefit in terms of sustainability. 

Warby Parker glasses emphasizes “reduction” in all steps of their processes in order to reduce their waste output, but shows great tenacity in reducing the waste produced in product manufacturing. Carbon emissions, which are a main cause of climate change, account for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions (Global Emissions). According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, or the EPA, the emissions of carbon dioxide have increased 90% since 1970 (Global Greenhouse). The dramatic increase in use of greenhouse gasses that produce these carbon emissions is significantly impacting the environment negatively. In order to make an effort to reduce their participation in the booming carbon emission increase, Warby Parker calculates and publishes their yearly carbon footprint in an annual report. To calculate their carbon footprint they take many aspects of product manufacturing into account, including the levels of carbon from building their infrastructures, employees’ commute to work, manufacturing, and operations. They partner with third party agencies to reduce their footprint and partner with Sphera to measure it.  In the year 2020, they produced about 12,500 tonnes of carbon emissions based on the product manufacturing process, which is about 2,500 tonnes less than their 2019 carbon footprint (Impact Report 2020). Before calculating their year’s carbon footprint, they actively look for more ways to reduce it. One of the techniques they use to reduce carbon emissions is by working closely with their vendors, benchmarking environmental standards on them, encouraging green improvements, and engaging certified organizations that handle disposals of multiple manufacturing wastes. These disposals include managing water, waste, scraps, and dust by-products that result from manufacturing, creating a sustainable impact on Warby Parker’s footprint (Impact Report 2021). To ensure the most sustainable actions are being taken correctly and constantly, Warby Parker works directly with manufacturers and raw material suppliers, inspecting their processes of manufacture and creating guidelines for these manufacturers to follow (DemandCaster). Warby Parker’s endeavor to limit their waste through means of reducing emissions is a large part of their overall contribution to waste production.

Warby Parker’s gas emission waste is not only found in their product manufacturing, but in their transportation and distribution of products as well. Along with tracking their carbon footprint for aspects of production discussed previously, they also track their footprint resulting from shipping and distribution. This includes distribution via land, sea, and air. In the year 2020, Warby Parker reported their carbon footprint for shipping to be about 2,500 tonnes of CO2e. This amount is about 1,250 tonnes of CO2e less than the year of 2019 for shipping emissions (Impact Report 2020). One of the ways they attempt to cut down wastes on their distribution and transportation processes is by completely cutting out the middleman process. Warby Parker works directly with their vendors, suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors (Impact Report 2020). While this change does not reduce the waste they are producing with transportation each year, cutting out the middleman eliminates the waste from transportation that a large amount of other businesses produce while using middlemen. This is because there would be no additional transportation waste communicating information between Warby Parker, the middlemen, and any vendor or distributor. Similarly to Warby Parker’s waste production in their product manufacturing phase, their transportation and distribution process is reduced through thorough analysis of their yearly emissions and solutions to cut down carbon emissions as much as their ideas allow them to. Warby Parker makes their shipping processes more sustainable through their packaging used to ship products. The Warby Parker glasses shipper is transported in a box made of 100% recycled wood pulp (Impact Report 2020). Recycled wood pulp is both a renewable material and one that can biodegrade, being made from trees (Pulp). This means that the material can be decomposed quickly in nature, without leaving behind harmful chemicals or toxins. Recycled wood pulp’s sustainable characteristic, reduces Warby Parker’s overall waste output that is caused by shipping and distribution. 

Putting the Warby Parker glasses product aside, the packaging each pair of glasses comes in influences Warby Parker’s total waste outputs just as much as the product itself. With each pair of glasses sent, packaging is used each time to carry and display the product. First and foremost, each pair of glasses comes in a case that is made up of 81.5% iron, 10% of polyurethane acrylic resin, 5% flocking, 1.25% chloroprene rubber, 1.25% toluene, and 1% magnet (Impact Report 2020). Iron is a metal that is degradable, taking hundreds of years to decompose. While iron does take a long duration of time to decompose, it doesn’t leave behind toxins after decomposition like plastics do (Rinkesh). Polyurethane acrylic resin is a water-based coating used as a clear finish, preventing objects from scratches and scuffs. This material is not biodegradable or recyclable. However, when it’s heated to high temperatures polyurethane acrylic resin can be broken down through thermal degradation. When polyurethane does go through this thermal degradation, the breakdown causes airborne particulates, gasses, and vapors as a result (Polyurethanes). These emissions into the air are harmful to the environment. Flocking is made of flock, which can be made of natural or synthetic materials (The Flocking). It is not clearly stated if Warby Parker’s glasses case is made of either natural or synthetic materials. If the case flocking is made of natural materials, the flocking would be biodegradable. Although, if the case flocking is made of synthetic materials, the flocking would take possibly centuries to decompose due to the plastics that can be found in synthetic fibers (How Long). Chloroprene rubber is a synthetic rubber that is non-biodegradable. It should be recycled because if the material were to go to landfills, the long decomposition process would only result in harmful pollution to the environment (Chloroprene). Toluene is a clear liquid that turns into vapor when exposed to room temperature air. It is biodegradable, but leaves a moderate and short-term effect on marine life. It also can leave damage on the membranes of plant leaves. It has a short life while in the atmosphere and can seep into the ground but degrades after a couple days (Toluene). Lastly for the Warby Parker glasses case, the magnet is not biodegradable, made from non-renewable materials like rare-earth metals, and causes harm to the environment once decomposed after hundreds of years. Therefore, the overall case of the Warby Parker glasses is not sustainable and has many components that harm the environment. The case’s significant difference in sustainability compared to the glasses itself shows that the company has made efforts to reduce their waste, but definitely isn’t waste free or totally sustainable. Each pair of glasses also includes an insert pamphlet that is made of 100% paper (Impact Report 2020). Paper is a renewable material and is biodegradable. However, ink that would be used to print on the pamphlets is not biodegradable as it’s made of oil, varnish, and pigments (Rinkesh). The cloth that comes with the glasses is made from 70% polyester and 30% polyamide (Impact Report 2020). Polyester is a synthetic fiber, therefore it is not biodegradable. Polyester can be recycled by heating and spinning it into new fiber, but if disposed of it takes about 20 to 40 years to decompose (Hicks). Polyamide is another synthetic fiber that is not biodegradable (Allende). It can also be recycled similarly to polyester but takes a long amount of time to decompose. Many materials used in the Warby Parker glasses packaging are not biodegradable, but degradable over long periods of time. Some of these materials leave behind harmful toxins in the environment and even the materials that don’t leave behind toxins after decomposition, occupy and fill landfills that pollute the Earth both land and water. 

A major cause of product waste is due to the product’s afterlife where they are disposed of, taking years to decompose in landfills and leaving behind harmful toxins that negatively impact the environment. To combat this with sustainability, Warby Parker initiated a recycling program to reduce their waste output and create a sustainable option for the afterlife of their products. This program has quickly become one of the company aspects that Warby Parker is most well-known for. This recycling program turns used lenses into glasses frames that consumers can purchase. Demo-lenses, used for try-ons and used in shipping frames to keep the glasses frames’ shapes, are one of the eyewear industry’s most waste producing aspects (Ettinger). The 2019 Statista Eyewear Report reported that demo lenses create 5,000 metric tons of waste per year around the world. Warby Parker, partnering with Eastman, uses carbon renewal technology, chemical recycling, to recycle these lenses. Once they isolate the demo lenses, the lenses are broken down into sustainable acetate to make new frames. They discovered this technology which breaks down the plastic into a molecular state that is reused to create Eastman Acetate Renew. Eastman Acetate Renew is made 60% bio-based and 40% certified recycled material (Toto). The recycling initiative not only prevents landfills from gaining more wastes, but simultaneously reduces carbon emissions. While finding a sustainable option to diminish demo lens waste pollution, the renewed acetate is both physically and chemically identical to the original plastic cellulose acetate. This means Warby Parker utilizes a way to reduce their waste output and continue providing consumers with their standard quality glasses. 

The waste produced by Warby Parker glasses is less in quantity compared to the majority of big-name brands but some waste is still produced. Warby Parker has created multiple ways to reduce their waste by using a more environmentally friendly plastic raw material, by keeping track of the amount of carbon emissions they are responsible for each year, by developing new technologies for breaking down materials, and by enacting a successful recycling program. Warby Parker glasses continue to become more sustainable each year and demonstrate how large companies can be partially sustainable, but cannot accomplish complete harmful waste elimination. Though their waste reduction efforts are apparent and effective, there are still many aspects in their glasses’ life cycle that result in an abundance of waste. This includes waste from raw materials like polycarbonate, their packaging raw materials waste, and of course while reduced they are still producing carbon emissions that harm the environment. 

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