Norton Point

Taking a page right outta the playbook of some of the world’s most exciting companies (Patagonia comes to mind), Norton Point makes awesome, premium products — all while staying true to a lofty sustainable mission. Their goal — to clear the world’s oceans of hazardous, floating plastic waste. More than 8 million metric tons of the stuff ends up in the ocean every year, inundating our beaches and leaving about $80 billion worth of plastic afloat, never to be used again. Now, learning this was a bummer to the guys at Norton Point (and should be to you too), but it also presented an opportunity. All that perfectly good plastic floating around out there can be transformed down into premium goods, while providing the world’s most at-risk populations well-paying jobs. Case in point, Norton Point set up their first recycling operation in Haiti, where they pay locals living wages to recycle plastic. Plus, for every pair of polarized, intricately-detailed sunglasses that they make, Norton Point cleans 1lb of plastic from the ocean, and they donate 5% of their net profits toward global cleanup, education, and remediation. So here’s to Norton. When you buy their shades, you’re not only snagging yourself some top-quality eyewear, you’re also scoring one for global sustainable production.