We use bamboo instead of wood or plastic whenever we can, because it’s a strong, fast-growing, renewable, and sustainable building material.
]]>We use bamboo instead of wood or plastic whenever we can, because it’s a strong, fast-growing, renewable, and sustainable building material. We are currently using a product called Plyboo in the construction of our sunglass display cases. It is certified by the U.S. Council on Green Building. Bajío is also looking at bamboo for its breathable, moisture wicking qualities in clothing.
Here are few other reasons we support the use of bamboo at Bajío:
Bamboo is the fastest-growing plant on earth. Bamboo can grow to full size in just 3-4 months, compared to standard trees which can take 30+ years to grow. In the right conditions, it can grow 3 feet tall in 24 hours which means you can literally watch it grow with your own eyes. This makes it a super sustainable alternative due to its naturally renewing properties. Plus, nasty pesticides and chemicals aren't required when harvesting bamboo. This means the cultivation is natural and never harms the environment.
Bamboo is strong & durable. It’s no surprise that bamboo is often named as the new ‘green steel’ for its versatility and strength in construction, with entire homes now being built entirely from this robust plant. Bamboo has an astounding strength and lifespan while remaining light and easy to carry around. With proper care, your bamboo products can be used time and time again without the worry of them deteriorating.
Bamboo is safe & hygienic. Bamboo fibers are naturally anti-bacterial without needing any toxic chemical treatments, all thanks to its substance called ‘bamboo kun.’ Bamboo kun is found in bamboo fiber and is an antimicrobial bio-agent which gives bamboo its natural antibacterial properties. This prevents bacteria and microbes from growing on bamboo products.
Bamboo is good for the community. Bamboo production and manufacturing sustains the traditional industry and creates new well-paying stable jobs for locals in areas that need social and economic stability. Bamboo can be harvested using a zero-waste policy ensuring any leftover materials and remainders are recycled or reused.
Bamboo is great for the environment. Bamboo forests have enormous positive benefits for the environment as this incredibly productive plant efficiently stores carbon. Bamboo absorbs 2x more carbon dioxide than trees, which is why they are known to act as carbon sinks. It also generates a vast amount of oxygen, totaling up to 30% more than most plants and trees. Bamboo plants have strong roots in the ground which makes the soil more stable. This means it can stabilize and restore the land and prevent landslides. Finally, bamboo helps protect biodiversity and endangered species by creating homes for a variety of different animals. Bamboo forests save and protect the species living in that forest, by providing both homes and food. The giant pandas, for example, rely on bamboo alone.]]>Bajío t-shirts are made with sustainable GOTS Certified Organic Cotton. GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard—a worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers.
Bajío t-shirts are made with sustainable GOTS Certified Organic Cotton. GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard—a worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers. GOTS established requirements across the entire supply chain—from fiber to sewing the garment—for both ecological and labor conditions in textile and clothes manufacturing.
By choosing a garment made from GOTS certified cotton you are not only choosing to keep away chemicals from your skin but also minimizing the impact of your purchase on our planet. Organic cotton uses far less water than regular cotton production and the fabric itself is biodegradable.
]]>The majority of our frames are plant-derived. Instead of petroleum-based plastics, we make frames from castor plants.
]]>When it comes to packaging, why wouldn’t we use recycled paper? Using 100% recycled instead of 100% virgin fiber paper saves 100% of the trees, uses 69% less energy, uses 47% less water, and creates 39% less solid waste.
]]>When it comes to packaging, why wouldn’t we use recycled paper? Using 100% recycled instead of 100% virgin fiber paper saves 100% of the trees, uses 69% less energy, uses 47% less water, and creates 39% less solid waste.
If you don't recycle paper, it goes to the landfill. The US EPA cites landfills as the single largest source of methane emissions and identified the decomposition of paper among the most significant sources of landfill methane. A potent gas with 21 times the heat-trapping power of CO2, methane is a major contributor to global climate change.
When you purchase your first pair of Bajío sunglasses, you will see they come in a beautiful box made of recycled paper along with an envelope full of recycled care cards and instructions printed with 100% natural algae-based ink—the safest ink for the planet.
Even the paper tape we use to seal our packages is 100% biodegradable. Most paper tapes feature plastic fiber threads throughout, but Bajío uses the most eco-friendly paper tapes available.
]]>When it comes to storing your sunglasses, Bajío is in pursuit of the best case scenario. We’ve never wanted to use a traditional plastic sunglass case.
]]>When it comes to storing your sunglasses, Bajío is in pursuit of the best case scenario. We’ve never wanted to use a traditional plastic sunglass case. Instead, we have sought sustainable materials. We sampled faux leathers made from mango skins, apple skins and more. Unfortunately, these were thin and delicate, and needed a polyurethane backing to hold them together, negating much of the benefit.
So we took a closer look at real leather. We hadn’t initially considered leather because we thought it had a poor ecological impact—but we were wrong. Like mango and apple leathers, real leather makes use of a by-product of food production. We chose leathers that are tanned using eco-friendly processes and prop 65 certified. Leather also lasts a long time—when properly cared for, it can last a lifetime. If it does end up in a landfill, it’s biodegradable. So we began producing leather cases, but didn’t stop there.
Because we are always adapting and evolving, we kept searching for more options. We recently found an eco-friendly producer of cactus-based leather. Cactus does not require irrigation (minimal rainwater does the trick) and the cactus leather is dried using solar energy. Besides being a long-lasting quality material, cactus leather cases also make sense because they are grown in our backyard and REACH certified. One problem with real leather was the carbon emissions that come from long distance shipping in a container from China to Florida. With cactus leather, we are more or less able to keep it local with a simple overnight drive from Mexico, drastically reducing the impact of shipping. Our current leather cases are being replaced by cactus leather using the same design and a 100% natural cotton lining.
]]>The search for the best bio-based frames is ongoing. Without sacrificing performance, we are driving the change from traditional materials to greener options.
]]>The search for the best bio-based frames is ongoing. Without sacrificing performance, we are driving the change from traditional materials to greener options. We consciously partner with factories who follow this ethos—those who are powered by renewable energy, self-sustaining, carbon neutral, and zero waste (heck yeah, we recycle our scraps).
Bajío offers castor-based bioplastic frames, coconut husk-based frames and we are currently working on frames made from recycled water bottles as well as recycled nylon frames made from ocean trash and carpet remnants. Stay tuned for more information as we test, retest and offer new materials.
]]>While you might think there’s plenty of sand available to make glass, humans use more of it than we do oil. Thankfully, glass is 100% recyclable— it comes from the Earth and goes back to the Earth.
]]>While you might think there’s plenty of sand available to make glass, humans use more of it than we do oil. Thankfully, glass is 100% recyclable— it comes from the Earth and goes back to the Earth. Glass has an unlimited life and can be recycled endlessly.
Glass lenses offer the crispest, clearest visual clarity and the highest scratch resistance, naturally. Measured by Abbe value, glass is the most optically pure material which is why it’s used in tools that require precision clarity such as camera lenses, microscopes, binoculars, and of course, Bajío sunglasses. Measured by Bayer Value, glass is also the hardest material available. The harder the material, the more scratch resistant. Because pure glass offers little protection against UV rays, Bajío applies an additional UV filter to protect your eyes. But we don’t stop there. We also apply a proprietary filter for to absorb blue and yellow light for the best protection, most visual clarity and highest performance.
]]>When we first learned that we could create sunglass frames from discarded coconut husks—a by-product of food production—we jumped for joy.
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