Binôche

PRODUCTION LOCATIONS 

• France
• Italy

WORKING CONDITIONS & LIVING WAGES 

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. 

MATERIALS 

• Acetate
• Metal

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. 

PACKAGING

Binôche does not disclose what packaging materials are used.

WATER USAGE & CHEMICALS

The brand also does not give any details regarding the finishing chemicals used and whether they are non-toxic. 

CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN

This brand uses materials that are fully recyclable at the end of use, which makes all their products more circular. Certain glasses are made exclusively from metal or acetate, while others are made from a mix of both, which reduces their recyclability. The brand makes no mention of a take back or repair service. 

CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS 

The brand does not have a take-back or recycling system in place for their products. 

DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN 

• Italy, France
• Binôche HQ is located in Antwerp, Belgium

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. 

TRANSPORTATION 

Details on their method of transportation is not known, which makes a huge difference on the emissions, regardless of the length of the chain. However, the brand 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. 
 

PRODUCT DESIGN 

The brand creates chic glasses and sunglasses for men and women with emphasis on clean lines and a myriad of colourways, making products go beyond function to create ​“little works of art.” 

SLOW FASHION PROCESSES 

Binôche maintains a small and curated steady collection to which they gradually add some designs. The brand does not take part in online sales periods. There is no mention if there is a made to order service available.

TRANSPARENCY ON PRODUCT

The brand’s product pages show limited information about the glasses, however on the main collection page you can filter between the material of the frames (fully metal or acetate, or a combination of the two). There is no information about the facilities glasses are produced in.

TRANSPARENCY ON PROCESSES

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.