The brand is headquartered in Belgium, designed in Antwerp and manufactured in France and Italy. They work closely with their production companies, sharing their know-how to create unique, handmade pieces. Conducing their production within the EU, we can rest assured that all their facilities adhere to strict EU regulations about ethical production. This cannot be said about the material sourcing facilities, however, as the details of these facilities are unknown.
Binôche uses metal and acetate for their frames. Acetate is a semisynthetic material derived from renewable sources such as wood-pulp; this is a sustainable alternative compared to conventional plastic materials. We are unaware of what kind of metal is used for the glasses. The brand also does not give us any details regarding the finishing chemicals used and whether they are non-toxic. They also do not tell us about their packaging materials.
This brand uses materials that are fully recyclable at the end of use, which makes all their products circular. They do not have a circular business model in place, such as a take-back or recycling system for their products.
Binôche is located in Belgium, and manufactures in France and Italy, keeping the production chain relatively short. That being said, we are unaware of where the materials are sourced from, so the true length of the chain is unknown. We also do not know their method of transportation, which makes a huge difference on the emissions, regardless of the length of the chain. The brand also does not conduct online sales, which means consumers have to buy products at a point of sale, reducing the footprint of delivering products to consumers vastly.
The brand does not use any animal materials, so it is, in theory, a vegan brand. We do not know, however, if they use any animal derived chemical products.
Binôche’s take on eyewear is that glasses aren’t just meant to improve sight, they are works of art that are supposed to reflect your unique personality. The frames are made of high quality metal and acetate. Each frame comes with a microfibre cloth to take care of the glasses and keep them in good condition, but besides this, the brand does not provide any care tips or repair services. Their handmade nature also makes each product slow-fashion, and unique.
The brand provides some transparency regarding their production locations and processes, as well as materiality. However, we would love to see more details about their production partners and their ethical nature, material sourcing, packaging, transportation, etc.
Conclusion
Find your next pair of funky glasses that reflect your personality at one of the points of sale below-
