Sustainable Eyewear Manufacturing – INTRODUCING NATURAL 3D
At NEUBAU EYEWEAR we made it our greatest good to create high-quality eyewear whilst leaving minimal impact on the environment. It is no secret that manufacturing has a high potential of damaging the environment – it can lead to the depletion of natural resources and the creation of harmful waste which pollutes land and water. Therefore, it is more important than ever to focus on a sustainable manufacturing process that has the potential to restore neutrality and thus our fragile balance of natural interrelationships. We make it our highest principle to honor the very soil that grounds us and gives us life, the element that gives the pillars of our firmness and the fertility for our existence: EARTH.
AND WHILE OTHERS JUST SEE BARRIERS, WE SEE A PLACE TO GROW
Through research we were able to implement a new completely natural material that can now be used for 3D printing. This new printing method is an extremely resource-efficient process in which excess material can easily be reused. An introduction to our 100% bio-based product: natural3D.
WHAT IS NATURAL 3D?
natural3D is a 100% bio-based material, sourced from non-GMO castor oil beans. It is free from plasticizers and is resistant to solvents. This highly efficient and eco-friendly material is used in our in-house eyewear frame 3D printing processes.
3D PRINTING WITH NATURAL 3D
3D printing is most easily described as a sintering process, in which several layers of powder are baked into a solid workpiece. This process is known as SLS (Selective Laser Sintering). "Sintering" means to create a solid shape by heating, without heating the plastic until it liquefies. SLS works as follows: heating, printing, cooling. Leftover powder is mixed with new powder for each printing process. This way access material that appears during the production of our frames can be reused.
Let’s take a closer look at our three-step manufacturing process:
THE BENEFITS OF NATURAL 3D
As well as being an environmentally friendly option and allows us to manufacture our eyewear with zero-waste. It possesses qualities that set it above and beyond contemporary materials.
A RENEWABLE SOURCE
natural3D is derived from castor oil, which is a renewable source, unlike regular plastic which is made from mineral oil. This means that the production of our eyewear doesn’t diminish the planet’s natural resources, which takes us at the forefront of developing and using materials that protect the earth's valuable natural resources.
UNLIMITED DESIGN
natural3D frames are extremely flexible and shockproof, because the robust material guarantees dimensional stability and durability – this enables unlimited design options. Especially for our newest EARTH collection, inspired by the physical properties of the Earth and the changing color tones of the introspective autumn season. The element of Earth is synonymous with a deep sense of stability and strength, which is reflected in the material properties and longevity of the NEUBAU models. The optical frames from the Earth collection boast a timeless color palette with a matte finish. The Kate model comes in a variety of hues such as roasted berry, sand, ocean teal, and black coal. And representing more muted natural tones, the models Jack and John are available in deep ocean, olive, black coal, concrete, and morning coffee.
SUSTAINABLE PLANTING
“Rizinus communis” is our source for the oil – it is referred to as the miracle tree because it is able to grow rapidly under extremely simple conditions. Therefore it doesn’t need to take up space in rich soil which could otherwise be used for food production. Currently only 0.5% of all plastics produced worldwide are bio-based.
POLLUTANT-FREE
The processes that are necessary to produce castor oil do not consume much energy, which is why the CO2 emissions are very low. natural3D is free of chemicals like BPA, BPS and plasticizers - all of which are seriously harmful substances that can cause various health problems. Additionally natural3D is hypoallergenic. This means that it will not react with the skin's natural chemicals or with any other substance applied to the skin.
ROBUST
natural3D is both flexible and strong. This guarantees that the frames stay in shape even when they are exposed to extreme heat or cold, for instance when leaving them in the car.
THE FUTURE WITH NATURAL3D
As concern for our environment increases, the need for eco-friendly products becomes ever more urgent. The unique properties of new resources result in endless future possibilities while at the same time making it fashionable. The use of natural3D has proven that it is credible to produce high-quality eyewear whilst leaving minimal impact on the environment. NEUBAU encourages sustainable manufacturing – looking towards a brighter future.
Made entirely from our own specially developed material natural3D, the optical frames from the EARTH collection boast a timeless color palette with a matte finish. The optical frames are part of NEUBAU EYEWEAR’s Studio Collection and are now available at all distributors of NEUBAU EYEWEAR. Find out more about the EARTH collection here.
