Look brighter, think biodegradable with this new Scottish sunglasses range

Tens are sustainable sunnies that have some serious style.

A clever filter makes everything look like you’re in Instagram and the retro stylings mean these babies are bio must-haves all year round. (We’re not going to say anything about needing sunglasses in Scotland.)

So what’s holding it together? Well they're made of acetate (not plastic) that’s made of cotton and wood pulp from a sustainably managed forest and is 100% biodegradable.

“We want people to feel good  about what they’re wearing and we want to feel good about we’re making. The transition to bio acetate has been challenging given the high expense and long lead times but we’re proud as the underdogs to be making this move and we hope the bigger brands follow suit," says Co-founder Kris Reid.

Amazingly, the bio acetate is harder than regular plastic and longer lasting, so these sunnies will hold up to knocks, scratches and shoving in your handbag. The production method has been proven to significantly reduce the environmental impact too compared to how regular plastic sunglasses are made (which release much more CO2).

Best of all this bio-acetate biodegrades in just 115 days in the ground; Tens will even take them back and biodegrade them for you.

The co-founders are also trying to develop a filter lens that is also biodegradable, and when they succeed they reckon it will totally disrupt the sunglasses market. Tens' custom warm-tinted lens draws on the co-founders’ experience working in the film industry and has been said it impacts positively on our mindset, thanks to our brain associating the orange hues with relaxation and rest. Sounds good to us.

Co-founder Marty Bell comments: “We just wanted to create a lens that made everyday life look like a 35mm photo of Venice Beach  in the ‘70s, so  it’s cool to know that there’s some psychology behind our theory that these tones genuinely make you feel happier."

Discover our other favourite sustainable sunglasses here.