What to do with your old glasses and sunglasses

It’s national Recycle Week so here’s some handy hints on recycling your old glasses and sunglasses. Repairing and rewearing is the most eco friendly way to reuse your old glasses, but the next best thing is to recycle your old eyewear.

Glasses frames are a tricky mix of metal and plastic, they currently can’t be simply popped in with the household recycling, as the materials need separating out to be fully recycled.

So how can you recycle your old glasses? Here’s our guide to recycling and donating glasses and sunglasses.

reduce glasses waste

Choosing a quality pair of glasses is the best way to reduce glasses waste and keep them out of landfill. Look for quality acetate, metal not plastic hinges and a nice weight and feel will reveal a well made pair.

Go for vintage or preloved secondhand glasses frames over buying new for a more circular sustainable option.

Look after your eyewear, as loved things last. Keep in the case and clean with the cloth - no leaving glasses lens down and you’ll avoid scratches and cracks - head here for more on how to look after your glasses.

Repair and rewear your old frames instead of being tempted to buy new each time your prescription updates.

Repair and rewear old glasses

If you can't bear to part with your favourite glasses, reuse and rewear your old eyewear. Damaged lenses can be reglazed and updated while your frames can be repaired and restored to bring them back into use.

Frame scratching and whitening can be polished out, hinges repaired, nose pads replaced and sides straightened. The reglazing process is easy and your old lenses can be simply replaced with your new updated prescription.

If you’re still in love your current frame, re-lensing glasses is the perfect sustainable solution. You have the option to add in extra coatings or add in a blue light filter for a pocket friendly alternative to buying new.

Or you could add in a tinted lens and turn your old glasses into sunglasses, breathing new life into your old pair.

recycle your old glasses

Old glasses frames or vintage sunglasses hanging around? Don't throw them away - feel good and give back by donating them to us to be recycled or upcycled.

Donate your old frames and we’ll repurpose them by restoring and reselling your unwanted frames saving them from landfill. Or we’ll reuse their parts for repairs. The majority of our donated frames go on to Lions Club who use them to do good in sight related projects in the UK and overseas.

Any we can’t salvage go for recycling at a specialist facility.

Send us your vintage glasses or modern glasses frames and you’ll receive a £10 voucher to spend in store on a new-to-you frame.

You can also donate them direct to Lions Club who will use them to raise money for sight related charity projects across the UK. Vision Aid Overseas are no longer running their glasses recycling scheme.

We don’t recommend donating your old glasses to charity shops, unless they have a designated glasses recycling collection box, as they won’t be able to resell the glasses with prescription lenses and might just end up in landfill. They may accept ready reading glasses, but check with your local charity shop first.

play Dress Up

Keep your old glasses for costume parties and fancy dress. Mums.. a small supply of glasses, particlarly round Harry Potter frames, can come in more than useful for World Book Day. Then there’s Halloween and theme parties to consider.. go as your favourite glasses icon.. we’re thinking Elton John, Iris Apfel, Jackie O or Michael Caine.

re-Sell your old glasses

Cotton Bro

Keep unwanted eyewear out of landfill and make a little money for your next frame purchase by selling your old glasses on eBay or Depop. Use a good picture and lots of lovely description to help them sell, remembering to include any flaws. Glasses, especially modern frames, have eye size, frame width and lots of information including make and model numbers on the inside to help you make that sale.

gift your glasses

Daria shevtsova

Give your glasses as a gift to friends or family, a frame might just suit them too. We wouldn’t advise sharing lenses with your bespoke prescription, as wearing the incorrect strength can damage your peepers, so lenses should be removed first.

Your gifted glasses can be restored and reglazed as a present for a loved one or made into ready reading glasses perfect for regifting.

If you want to learn more about what you can and can’t recycle - head over to Recycle Now and let’s keep what we can out of landfill #reducereuserecycle

Jo

Repair and rewear your glasses

With both a climate and cost of living crisis, there’s never been a better time to repair and rewear your existing glasses and sunglasses. We’ll show you to how to fix broken glasses, from an emergency repair remedy to our extensive glasses repairs and sunglasses restoration services - better for both planet and pocket.

how to fix broken glasses at home

When you’re in a fix.. the most common fix is having a screw come loose. Your glasses sides are attached by a tiny screw in the hinge and these screws can often come loose over time or even fall out.

A simple fix.. all you need is a tiny screwdriver - just line up the hinges, insert the screw into the hole and screw back in place. For a sprung side hinge it’s a bit trickier to align and replace the screw at home, so you’ll need some expert help.

If you can't find the missing screw, you could try finding a similar sized screw from an older pair of glasses you don't wear any more, or visit the store you purchased the frames from and they should sort you out with a replacement.

An emergency home remedy is to use a bit of twist tie wire. Thread the wire through the holes and secure until you can get your glasses properly repaired with a replacement screw.

glasses and sunglasses repairs & restoration

If your eyewear’s in need of a little tlc, repair don’t replace. Be sustainable and prolong the life of your glasses and sunglasses with our repair services.

If you’ve been told it’s not possible to repair your glasses and you must buy new, get in touch and see what we can do. We can salvage spectacles from the hands of children and we’ve even been known to remove the odd dog bite!

Restore glasses to former glory with our restoration services; repairing and reworking broken hinges, replacing broken parts and updating glasses with fresh new lenses and prescriptions.

We always recommend having a spare pair of glasses for use when restoration and repair work is carried out on your everyday frame, some repair services can take 1-2 weeks leaving you without your glasses.

Restoring and rewearing your glasses will keep them in use for years to come. It’s always worth repairing well made frames so when chosing glasses always go for the best quality you can afford and remember loved things last.

Glasses frame repairs

There’s a number of ways we can fix broken glasses and sunglasses with our frame restoration services..

Hinge repairs for broken glasses hinges - new custom made hinges will be made and fitted to your damaged glasses or sunglasses frames. If your sides are damaged we find a best match replacement sides which we’ll source and fit to your frame. Side tips, nose pads and screws can all be quickly and easily replaced. We offer soldering, bonding and pinning and an array of other glasses repair options too.

Frame adjustments when sides have been twisted or pulled out of shape, can be heat treated, adjusted and straightened back to their original state.

Ultra Sonic Deep Clean is a deep cleaning treatment where lenses are removed, before being cleansed, along with frame, in our ultra sonic cleaner ‘Bubbles’ to remove built up dirt from every crevice, before being hand finished and reassembled. This cleaning service is also included in the Peep Polish.

Peep Polish is our polishing restoration and refurbishing service for both glasses and sunglasses (frames only) that removes wear including scratching and discolouration and restores lustre, prolonging the longevity of your glasses.

Frames are dismantled before being polished on our polishing wheel and then buffed to restore sheen. The frame parts go for a dip in our ultra sonic cleaner Bubbles followed by an ultrafine finishing polish, then reassembled, heat treated and reshaped, screws tightened and oiled.

Cut, edge and fit this service is for you if your glasses are beyond repair, but your lenses are still good. We can find a similar style frame - we’ll show you some options for you to choose from and fit your lenses into them.

Replacing damaged scratched glasses lenses

To prevent scratching, keep your glasses in the case and face up when they’re not on your face. If your glasses lenses are scratched, they will probably need replacing.

There are some products around now, usually for jewellery and watch restoration, that may be able to polish out the scratched damage, but this could do further damage creating distortion or damage to the lens coatings so we really can’t recommend it.

If your lenses are cracked there’s no way to salvage them, they’ll need replacing - glasses and sunglasses lenses can be replaced with your updated prescription.

All our premium lens coatings come with a 2 year peace of mind scratch guarantee, so if you find yourself with scratched lenses, they’ll be replaced at no extra cost. This can be a good way to get the most from your lenses if you’re a dropper or share a home with children or animals.

For more info, take a peep at our article on what to do with your old glasses.

If you want to save pennies and planet, extend the life of your glasses with a little repair shop treatment and take a peep at our Repair Services.

Jo

How to care for your glasses + make them last longer

Glasses and sunglasses can last a lifetime if looked after - so treat those babies well. Grow your collection and keep your glasses lasting longer with some tender loving care. The most sustainable items are the ones we already own, so here's our tips on how to care for your eyewear...

Store in a case

Keep them in the case, it's their natural habitat (after your face) and not only keeps dust and dirt away, it prevents bending and breakages. A hard case is great for travelling or storage and soft pouches are great for beach days and picnics. Stow in the glove box on a summers day - don't leave them on your dashboard - they just can't take the heat.

the right way to wear glasses

Whipping frames off with one hand or sporting as a headband (guilty) will result in stretched hinges and your glasses becoming out of shape. If you’re taking your glasses on and off why not opt for a glasses chain and store safely about your person.

Your body naturally changes over time (also hello lockdown gains), so the shape of your frames may need adjusting from time to time to accommodate these changes.

Equally if frames are slipping from your face it’s time for an adjustment to the bend behind your ears - this is done by heat treating and manipulating the frame until it’s fits your head perfectly. Head to your local Opticians and ask for them to be adjusted or chat to us about getting back into shape.

Got a screw loose?

Your glasses go on and off your face many times over their lifetime, causing the screws to loosen over time. It’s worth investing in a glasses repair kit or mini screwdriver to carry out some simple glasses care and keep your sides secure. Cup the frame in your hand and gently tighten, being careful not to overtighten the screws. Tighten in tiny increments - small movements can make a big difference.

Cleaning your glasses

Wiping your glasses lenses with paper towels, napkins or the end of your top is a big no no. Fibres and particles of dirt can scratch your lenses and, unlike glasses frames, scratched lenses can’t be polished and will need replacing.

Regular weekly cleaning of your glasses will keep them sparkly clean and the best way to clean your glasses is with simple warm soapy water and a soft cloth. If you live in a hard water area like me, use filtered or distilled water instead of tap and use a mild soap - avoid detergent, scented soaps or ones containing dyes as they can damage lenses.

After rinsing, gently dry your frame with a smooth, clean, lint-free cloth like the one you get from us (they can be popped in the wash at 30 to freshen). If you can’t put your hands on your optical cloth, you can purchase another – ours are upcycled from recycled plastic bottles.

Take a peep at our article on how to clean your glasses the right way

Restoration services

If your lenses sustain some trauma or just natural wear and tear over time, take a look at our restoration services to bring them back to life and make them last longer..

Glasses Repairs

If your eyewear’s in need of a little tlc, you’ve come to the right place. Be sustainable and prolong the life of your glasses with our repairs services.

We now offer hinge repairs, replacement nosepads and tips, and if it’s something a little more complex like vintage pinned hinges, just get in touch and we can chat intricate repairs.

PEEP POLISH

Our polishing service for plastic (acetate and optyl) frames, cleanses and removes scratches while restoring lustre for frames that have lost their mojo.

We dismantle and cleanse in our ultra sonic cleaner ‘Bubbles’, before taking a turn on our buffer where they’re lovingly polished, before being oiled, re-assembled, heat treated and adjusted, becoming reborn and restored to former glory.

GLASSES REGLAZE

If your lenses are scratched, damaged or have completely broken, our reglazing service is for you.

We can replace the lenses in any frame, vintage or modern, prescription or sunglasses.

If your glasses have sustained serious trauma and there’s no going back, recycle them with us and check out our range of sustainable, planet friendly vintage glasses and sunglasses.

The more tlc we show our eyewear, the longer they will last us. Keeping glasses in action and out of landfill we can do our bit to stay planet friendly.

Jo