Götti

Götti’s products are manufactured in Japan, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Their manufacturing partner in Japan has worked with them for over 20 years, creating a longstanding friendship, making it easy for the brand to ensure ethical production practices. Their proximity to Germany and Austria, and them being located in the EU also assures us that the facility follows strict EU laws regarding ethical production. The brand also conducts part of their manufacturing in their own facility in Switzerland. They also work with an Italian acetate manufacturer for their material sourcing.

Götti uses many materials for different collections. Stainless steel is a recyclable and sustainable material and very durable, and their use of polyamide is also recyclable however has it’s own negative impacts on the environment, such as microplastic release. They also use acetate, which is a environmentally friendly alternative to the conventional plastic frames. They also use genuine buffalo horn, which is a natural material. Their 3D printing production ensures precision and reduced waste, however, there needs to be more research regarding the sustainability of 3D printing as compared to conventional production, in terms of energy consumption. The brand does not mention other materials such as for lenses and packaging, nor do they mention the chemicals used for their glasses. 

This brand produces easily recyclable glasses, which makes them circular. They, however, don’t have any take back or repair system in place for their glasses.

The brand conducts most of its production and sourcing within Europe, however produces part of their frames in Japan. We also do not have complete information regarding their material sourcing, making the real length of the chain unverifiable. We also do not have information regarding their transportation methods, which makes a huge difference on their emissions regardless of the length of the chain. The brand, however, does not conduct online purchases, which removes the factor of emissions from individual deliveries. 

Götti uses buffalo horn in their frames, but does not specify their ethical and cruelty-free sourcing, we can only hope that the horns are a by-product of the meat industry. 

This brand puts the utmost importance on the quality of the frames, some frames are hand polished, some meticulously pieced together, and some carefully designed for 3D printing. They try to avoid the use of screws and other attachment materials by using innovative techniques for the frames. The brand is the definition of slow-fashion, and uses mostly durable and high quality materials. They, however, do not provide any care tips or repair services to keep the glasses in use for a long time. 

The brand provides a lot of transparency regarding their collections and production processes, however could go further by telling us about the lens materials and sourcing, and other sourcing locations, as well as the chemicals used and transportation methods.