Cactus Leather

Easy may be the simplest way, but it’s not always the best. At Bajío, we work hard to find sustainable products that leave little or no carbon footprint. Our frames are made from a bio-resin from the castor plant, our lenses from glass, and our packaging from recycled cardboard.

Our motivation comes from our mission to protect and renew the shallows, and it all starts with our actions in the workplace. We set the example, so others can see it’s possible to make great products from sustainably sourced materials.

One of the biggest issues for all companies is the packaging of their products. Plastic is king, and it’s also destructive to the environment and made from fossil fuels. We’d rather use recycled paper or organic cotton, but if we have to use plastic, you can bet it’s recycled plastic.

Then there’s the plant-based solutions. Unlike other companies that use plastic cases made from petroleum products or animal leather, we utilize a leather made from the prickly pear cactus, which grows in super arid areas of Mexico where a lot of other plants can’t survive. And they don’t just grow there, they thrive.

That makes them an important income stream for communities that don’t have normal farming channels to support them. And we like supporting the little guy. The underdog.

The cactus is fast growing, doesn’t need much water or pesticides and is really good at sequestering carbon from the air back into the soil to sustain future generations of plants. It’s a win-win for the farmer and the planet.

We could have used leather or plastic for our cases, like other companies, but the chemicals are sketchy, the products detrimental to the environment and the treatment of animals often suspect. It’s cheaper, but it’s not us. They don’t align with our core values, and they’re not sustainable. Screw that.

Cactus leather came from the fashion industry, mainly from Desserto, a small company in
Mexico created by two brothers who wanted to find an alternative to animal leather. Their search led them to their home country, the prickly pear cactus and a manufacturing process that takes mature cactus pads and turns them into a breathable and durable material. Mostly importantly, it’s totally sustainable.

That’s pretty cool. It reduces our environmental footprint, promotes sustainable practices within in the industry and aligns with our company ethos to protect natural resources while supporting the broader movement towards eco-conscious consumerism. It makes life better for people without hurting the planet. That’s pretty easy to get behind.

It’s not easy to find these alternatives to more destructive products, but it’s the Bajío way— pioneering examples of sustainable innovative products for a better life for all. You can do it too. Lead by example, and set the trend for a better world, one product at a time. Dig it.

All Bajío products are made from scratch; designed and assembled in New Smyrna Beach, FL by people who believe in their work and take quality personally.

At Bajío, we strive every day to source sustainable materials that help our planet, and one of the newest products we’ve found is cactus leather, which we use to make our sunglass cases. It’s made from the prickly pear cactus which grows in super arid regions of Mexico where farmers have limited crop options.

Unlike leather or plastic that the other sunglass companies use, cactus leather doesn’t utilize a lot of sketchy chemicals for tanning, or fossil fuels. It’s completely sustainable, pulls a lot of carbon out of the atmosphere and replenishes it into the soil and doesn’t need a lot of water or pesticides.

Cactus leather is the sustainable answer to a lot of leather products, and it’s a plant that provides essential income to areas that have limited resources. So it’s a win-win for the people and the planet. Go cactus!

Others don’t use it because that would require some effort and consciousness to be a better company and set the tone for better environmental practices. We’re trying to lead by example, so others will follow.

It’s part of our ethos to protect our natural resources while supporting the broader movement towards eco-conscious consumerism. We believe that by reducing our environmental footprint and promoting sustainable practices, we can help improve the world we live in for others.

Lead the way, and others will follow. It’s the Bajío philosophy. Come join us.