Classic designs with a forward-thinking initiative
Friday, July 9, 2020 – OSLO, NORWAY – These 1970s-inspired sports sunglasses are the latest must-have item for backcountry skiers, mountaineers and outdoor enthusiasts across the world.
And when you buy a pair this month you will feel good because not only do you get a great pair of sunglasses, you also become “plastic waste neutral” for a month.
That’s because VALLON has partnered with the startup Empower to collect and recycle plastic waste for every pair sold. This month for Plastic Free July efforts have been increased to ensure each customer will go plastic waste neutral for a month.
It’s a good thing too. Every month the average EU citizen creates an estimated 7.3 kg of plastic waste. That’s roughly the equivalent of 608 plastic drink bottles per person.
“As an outdoor company we see first-hand how our oceans and mountains are getting more and more polluted with plastic,” said Marcus Franck, VALLON co-founder.
“We believe business must spearhead a sustainable revolution, and being true to our values, we want to be part of the solution.”
Wilhelm Myrer, Empower CEO, said: “Seeing brands like VALLON who really are dedicated to making great products, but also for taking responsibility for the environment, is a great inspiration.”
“It is only by working together we really can change the world to the better”
Empower’s cleanup model works just like a bottle return scheme. Only it applies to plastic waste all over the world. How do you know the plastic gets collected?
Empower uses blockchain technology to log and track all plastic brought to collection points run by the local organizations.
Once waste-pickers have collected your plastic, you get an email saying where the collection took place and how much was picked up on your behalf, ensuring full traceability for every donation.
Follow along on social media at #EmpowerAid #EndPlasticWaste. For more information, visit https://www.vallon.store and www.empower.eco.
About Empower
Empower is dedicated to creating a solution to the plastic waste problem by giving plastic a value. The Founders modeled the global plastic waste ecosystem of Empower after the Norwegian bottle deposit system and the concept of a circular economy. The organization incentivizes the collection of plastic waste through corporate partnerships that reward the return of plastic deposited to collection points around the world. Empower employs 5,000+ people in 15 countries and has been featured in Forbes, Independent, Money Week, and more.
About VALLON
Rooted in Verbier, Switzerland, the founders of VALLON started the company because they lacked a pair of sunglasses ideally suited for both ski touring in the winter and hiking in the summer. Inspired by explorers, adventurers and mountaineers of the past, they create sports eyewear that merges classic designs with high-performing materials. VALLON is sold to 35+ countries. Since November 2019 over 15 tonnes of plastic waste has been recycled as part of their plastic cleanup initiative.
Join the conversation on social media using #plasticfreejuly #empoweraid & #endplasticwaste.
