By Lorrin Windahl.

I’m all for the re-purposing of materials and products that would otherwise spend a long time breaking down in landfill.  Sometimes though, the quality of these ‘re-purposes’ is a little questionable. But not with the guys who created Vinylize Eyewear. Their product’s scream quality and durability too.

Vinylize frames are made from old vinyl records. Image courtesy of Vinylize.

Considering vinyl records now hold a historical value of yesteryear, it is worth questioning where these old fossils have ended up. That is after grandpa’s estate is cleaned out. Gone are the days of trying to drop the needle in the groove without causing that scratchy sound. I still remember my first – Wham: Make it Big. Please don’t be jealous of my good taste. I was only 8. But I do digress. Back to the issue at hand – where is this pressed vinyl disc that held the soulful sounds of George Micheal and Andrew Ridgeley? Landfill, most likely.

Retaining the grooves from the old records helps to tell the history of the material.

But the guys at Tipton Eyeworks have found a great use for these obsolete pressings – re-purpose them into glasses. Vinylize, the brand name for these new products, are sunglasses and eyeglasses that have frames made from old vinyl records. They have developed a process by which they can retain the uniqueness of the records (which has become their signature) whilst also adapting it to be appropriate to the new product’s needs.

The use of the obsolete vinyl records certainly distinguishes the glasses from others in an already saturated market. It also helps to create a robust and durable product. Retaining the grooves in the final product is a nice inclusion as it acts as a visual storyteller for the history of the re-purposed material.

The glasses also come in re-purposed vinyl record cases. Image courtesy of Vinylize.