When you travel often, it becomes increasingly important to have well-made gear. The difference between traveling with mediocre products and great gear can have a huge impact on the quality of your experience. That’s one reason among many that Gondwana recommends Solo Eyewear’s sunglasses for travelers looking for good eye-protection and style.
Solo’s sunglasses deliver on pretty much every level that we, as an environmentally-focused organization believe in. Apart from having really great, sleek designs (like the Mali, for example) and 100% UV protection with polarized triacetate lenses, there is a lot to love about this small company. All of their sunglasses are made in part from recycled materials, which is a huge ecological win. Many, like the Haiti, are made from repurposed bamboo for a solid, natural-looking character. Others are made in part with recycled plastic, so every pair is taking a step in the right direction with environmental-protection at heart.
But perhaps the most exciting part about Solo is their mission of advancing eye care throughout the world. You’ll quickly notice that every pair of glasses is named after a country, and typically a disproportionately underdeveloped one. Jenny Amaraneni, managing director of Solo Eyewear discovered early on that approximately one billion people don’t have access to eye care, and that nearly 80% of blindness is preventable.
With these statistics as guidance, Solo funds eye care by providing prescription glasses to those in need and to helping fund cataract surgery in the countries named in each pair.
Solo Eyewear is so committed to the welfare of the world that they’re helping us at Gondwana by collaborating on our initiative. Since we began running our trip in Tanzania, we’ve been setting aside money for every guest who joins us to help build a waterbore for a small Maasai village. Due to climate change-induced desertification, water-scarcity is now a major issue that the Maasai are dealing with. Lack of access to clean drinking water has been the source of a great deal of sickness which interferes with daily life, access to education, and culture in general. Solo has agreed to help fund the project to help Maasai who are struggling with a lack of water by donating 15% of each pair us sunglasses sold on their website with the code “Gondwana15”. If you’re in the market for a great pair of shades that takes steps toward helping preserve culture and save lives, you’ve come to the right place.
With all the great reasons to support Solo, it’s hard to think of reasons to get sunglasses from another company. If you want a great pair of sunglasses that will last, and to be a part of positive action for the environment and for social change, look no further.
Learn about our animal welfare policy. Our priority is to ensure the well-being of all creatures under our care, reflecting our commitment to ethical treatment and respect for all living beings.
