LONGARONE/CASTIGLIONE OLONA, Italy and KINGSPORT, Tenn.—Thélios has announced it is partnering with leading acetate-sheet manufacturer Mazzucchelli 1849 and with specialty materials provider Eastman to push forward sustainable innovation in the eyewear industry. The three companies will work jointly on the release of acetate eyewear frames with will be significantly more sustainable than those they currently offer. The aim is to limit the environmental impact of acetate frames to a minimum. Thélios, Mazzucchelli and Eastman are exploring a series of eco-responsible formulas, using recycled content and bio-sourced materials.

These new formulas are based on Eastman Acetate Renew, and will match both the technical and aesthetic qualities of traditional acetates, while also being sustainable.

Carlo Roni, R&D director of Thélios, said, “Sustainability has become a business imperative. We have chosen to team up with the best in class players—Mazzucchelli for acetate transformation and Eastman for molecular recycling—to work jointly on the development of new sustainable materials, which we hope will drive change in our industry.”

Giovanni Orsi Mazzucchelli, chairman and shareholder of Mazzucchelli 1849, said, “This project is part of a sustainability path that Mazzucchelli has been pursuing for several years. We believe in sustainability and we are proud to be part of this virtuous cycle together with Eastman and Thélios. It is thanks to the commitment of each individual player that it will be possible to achieve a full sustainable transformation of the eyewear industry.”

Thélios plans to release the first collections from this partnership in 2022.

Vision Monday reported on Eastman and Mazzuchelli's collaboration last February.