Sustainability & Social Responsibility
Our Values—
Since our conception in late 2017, environmental sustainability and social responsibility have been essential pillars of our brand identity. We have made an ongoing commitment to uphold our values across every aspect of our business.
Velvet Canyon believes fully and fiercely in positive change, diversity, and equality, and we’re happy to put our money where our mouth is: 1% of our online sales go to charities close to our hearts, and we’ve pledged never to use animal products and to eliminate single use plastics within our company. When we set out to make something beautiful and lasting, it was important that every step of the process be as simple and sustainable as possible. Our studio is solar powered, our frames are crafted from acetate — a renewable material made of wood and cotton fibers — and our packaging is biodegradable. Our designs may be a nod to the past, but our focus is firmly on creating a beautiful and lasting future, one that’s so bright that you’re going to need a good pair of sunnies.
Code of Conduct—
As a business, we have a responsibility to create a safe, healthy, and fair working environment for our team, and for the workers throughout our supply chain. We have personally visited our suppliers factories and offices in China and Hong Kong to ensure appropriate conditions, and our manufacturers have signed our Code of Conduct.
Our full Supplier Code of Conduct can be read here and covers the following key areas:
Social Responsibility:
— No Discrimination
— Living Wage
— Decent Working Hours
— Health & Safety
— No Child Labour
— The Right to Collective Bargaining
Environmental Responsibility:
— Protection of the Environment
— Responsible chemical & water usage
— Greenhouse Emissions
— Waste management
Production—
Eyewear Partner
Shenzhen, China
BSCI & Signed Code of Conduct
Eyewear Partner
Dongguan, China
Signed Code of Conduct
Packaging Partner
Dongguan, China
BSCI & Signed Code of Conduct
Acetate Partner
Shenzhen, China
BSCI & Signed Code of Conduct
Acetate Partner
Shenzhen, China
Signed Code of Conduct
Lens Partner
Jiangxi, China
Signed Code of Conduct
Lens Partner
Shenzhen, China
Signed Code of Conduct
Modern Slavery—
Velvet Canyon believes that every living person has the right to a life free from slavery in any form. We stand against any form of recruitment that involves coercion, violence or threat of violence, forced or bonded labour, child labour and any form of labour without fair and agreed upon compensation and conditions, or any form of labour or working condition which undermines the freedom and rights of any human being.
It is a requirement that any supplier of Velvet Canyon does not participate in slavery in any form, whether or not these employees are directly linked with our business or not.
Animal Welfare—
Velvet Canyon has never — and will never — use animal products in any form. We are 100% vegan and cruelty free and are committed to remaining so.
Consumption—
Velvet Canyon are advocates of the slow, carefully curated wardrobe. We release three capsule collections per year, consisting of a handful of thoughtfully designed styles in our classic color palette.
We expect our eyewear to last a lifetime, and to ensure they stand the test of time, we offer a 12 month warranty to ensure against manufacturer defaults, and lifetime free repairs (where a repair is possible). We collect parts where pieces are damaged beyond repair and hold an annual sample sale for those pieces that were repaired, but not quite up to our gold-star 12 month warranty standard (along with photo and sales samples, no pieces will ever go to waste!).
The production process of our sunglasses is 3.5 months from us placing the order, to receiving the product in our hands. It’s a little longer than most people are willing to wait for pre-orders, which is why we do our best to forecast demand and order only what we need. We will never dispose of excess stock (in the very rare case that we have over-ordered, you can find these pieces in our Archive Sale). We have made a commitment to keeping things sustainable, and we hope you will continue to share in this journey with us.
Material Focus — Our Frames
Our sunglasses are hand-crafted using high quality cellulose acetate.
Cellulose acetate is made from cellulose obtained from wood produced in sustainably managed forests, cotton linters (the hairy fibers that cling to cotton seeds after harvesting) and acetic acid (the main constituent of vinegar). The cellulose paste is then mixed with dyes and cured to create the beautiful tones you find in our collections. Many of our acetates are custom designed, so you won’t find them anywhere else!
Cellulose acetate is biodegradable and decomposes rapidly in both seawater and soil. Unlike most typical synthetic plastics, those made with cellulose acetate break down after use into cellulose and acetic acid by the action of water in the natural environment. These materials eventually return to the environment with no adverse impact. Water and microorganisms eventually decompose the cellulose into carbon dioxide and water that can be used to nourish plants once again. The production of sunglasses is naturally low in water and energy usage.
While being biodegradable is important, our goal is that your sunglasses stand the test of time, being passed down and worn for generations to come. Our designs may be vintage inspired, but it’s our dream that in 20, 30, 40 years time, they will be worn as actual vintage.
Material Focus — Our Lenses
We use CR-39 lenses in all of our frames. These are created to be highly shatter proof and scratch resistant in order to withstand the test of time.
Material Focus — Packaging
Our packaging is composed of a biodegradable, vegan leather pouch, a cleaning cloth and a recyclable card box.
We ship our sunglasses in a card box using landfill-biodegradable packing tape and paper labels, or cornstarch based envelopes.
We do not use single use plastics — for our (very few) retailers who demand poly bags, we use cornstarch bio-bags and paper barcodes.
Material Focus — Technology Advancements
From November 2021, 100% of our black frames have been made with M49 Eco acetate, a relatively new material which uses vegetable-based plasticizers. Our ‘Eco Tort’ frames are also made from this material. We look forward to expanding more of our collection as the technology advances, to include our full palette range.
As of February 2023, the majority of our frames are made with Acetate Renew for a reduced carbon footprint, and we are expanding our offering of M49 Eco acetate styles.
We are constantly researching and trialling the most eco-friendly options available and are excited to continue along our path to sustainability.
Social Giving—
We believe fully and fiercely in positive change, diversity & equal opportunity for all.
We donate 1% of our online sales to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre — because everyone has the right to safety & security. The ASRC provide food, medical care and legal support to refugees, migrants and people seeking asylum in Australia.
Diversity & Inclusion—
Discrimination of any kind has no place in our world. We stand behind all people regardless of culture, skin tone, gender, sexual preferences, age, class or religion. We are committed to furthering representation within our campaigns, and our workplace as our team grows.
Our Team & Offices—
In our offices in Byron Bay & Paris, we promote flexibility with working hours and personal days, to support the happiness, productivity and mental health of our team. Our offices are dog-friendly spaces.
Our office in Byron Bay is solar powered, and across both offices we are enthusiastic about reducing waste and recycling wherever possible.
We welcome you to reach out with any questions or suggestions you may have, and from the bottom of our hearts, we are so grateful for your support and encouragement in our sustainability journey.
— Cass, Ali & Bec (founders)