Sustainability
Our Commitment
Pacifico was born at the water's edge in Bondi. The ocean shaped how we design, and it remains the measure of everything we make. To spend a life beside it is a privilege, and privilege carries responsibility.
Pacifico was built on product integrity — premium components, classic silhouettes, every frame finished by hand — and that same principle shapes how we run the business. It decides the materials we choose, the makers we work alongside, and what we send out into the world.
We're always evolving. Operating as close to nature as we can, without compromising the standard our frames are known for. Considered materials. Longer lifespans. Less waste at every stage.
It's a considered process rather than a finished one, and we'll keep making the changes we can.
Plant-Based Acetate
Our frames are cut from plant-based cellulose acetate, sourced from Mazzucchelli in Italy and Daicel in Japan — two of the oldest and most respected acetate makers in eyewear.
The material starts as wood pulp and cotton fibre rather than petroleum. It's lighter than standard acetate, holds colour with more depth, and is far kinder to skin than injection-moulded plastic. It's also why our frames can be adjusted, re-shaped and re-fitted over their lifetime, rather than replaced.
Each frame is hand-cut and hand-polished. The keyhole bridge, the temple slope and the acetate depth are all finished by hand, which is what gives the frame its shine and its shape retention.
Our hinges are Italian-engineered nickel silver rivet hinges from Visottica. They're the component most eyewear fails at, so we don't compromise on them.
Understanding acetate
Plant-based acetate is often described as biodegradable. That's true in the right conditions — cellulose acetate breaks down where there's moisture, heat and microbial activity. A solid, finished frame is dense, so that process is a slow one.
What it does mean is a material with a lower fossil-fuel footprint than conventional plastic, made from a renewable source, that will eventually return to it. The greatest saving, though, is in how long the frame lasts. Wear it for a decade — or send it back to us.
Carl Zeiss Vision Lenses
Every pair is fitted with premium polarised lenses from Carl Zeiss Vision. Zeiss has been making optics since 1846, and the quality difference is the reason we've never moved to a cheaper supplier.
Our lenses are CR-39 and polyamide polymers — shatterproof, lightweight and category 2 to 3, made for Australian conditions. They carry a multi-layer anti-reflective coating on the interior surface, and a hard, hydrophobic coating on the exterior that repels salt water, dust and fingerprints.
The lens coatings use renewable plant-based sources and are USDA BioPreferred certified.
Built to Outlast the Trend Cycle
The most sustainable pair of sunglasses is the one you don't replace.
We design in classic silhouettes for exactly this reason. Our shapes are drawn from vintage eyewear, aviation and European classicism — forms that have already survived seventy years and won't date in three. We release slowly, and we don't chase seasons.
The engineering follows the same logic. Hand-polished acetate holds its shine. Italian rivet hinges hold their tension. The frames can be heat-adjusted by any optometrist for a proper fit, which is the single biggest reason a pair gets worn instead of drawered.
Every pair ships with a hard case, a microfibre cloth, lens cleanser and a steel keyring screwdriver — the small things that keep a frame alive.
Our two-year warranty covers manufacturing, material and fitting defects, including lenses that aren't performing as they should.
Repair Before Replace
Broken doesn't have to mean finished.
Send us your frames and we'll take a look. We can't promise every repair — some breaks are terminal — but we'd rather try than have you buy a new pair unnecessarily. Screws, nose pads and small hardware are usually straightforward.
Email support@pacificooptical.com with a photo of the damage and we'll tell you honestly whether it's fixable.
Send Your Old Frames Back
Send us any old pair of glasses — ours or anyone else's — and we'll take 40% off your next pair of Pacifico sunglasses or eyeglasses.
How it works
- Email support@pacificooptical.com and let us know you're sending frames in.
- Post your old pair to us. Return shipping is at your cost.
- We'll send you a 40% discount code for any pair of sunglasses or optical frames.
The program is open worldwide.
Packaging
Our packaging is recycled paper and card. We don't use bubble wrap, plastic sleeves or plastic void fill.
Your pair arrives in a recycled Pacifico box with a leather case, a microfibre cloth, lens cleanser, a keyring screwdriver, a specifications card and a wax-sealed thank you card.
The case is designed to be kept, not thrown out. It's the reason most of our frames survive a beach bag.
How Our Frames Are Made
Pacifico frames are designed and tested in Bondi Beach, then hand made by specialist eyewear craftspeople.
Acetate frames take weeks, not minutes. The acetate is cut from sheet, the fronts and temples are shaped, then each frame is tumbled and hand-polished over several days to bring up the shine. Hinges are set by hand. Every frame is checked and adjusted before it's boxed.
We sell direct to our customers. No wholesalers, no licensed brand fees, no department store margin. That keeps the price honest, and it means we make to demand rather than to a wholesale forecast — so we produce less, and waste less.
Make Them Last
Small habits add years to a frame.
- Clean lenses with the microfibre cloth and lens spray provided. Never a shirt — fabric holds grit and scratches coatings.
- Store them in the case, not loose in a bag.
- Don't rest them on your head. It stretches the frame and loosens the fit permanently.
- Rinse with fresh water after a swim. Salt is hard on hinges.
- Tighten the hinge screws with the keyring screwdriver before they work loose.
Sustainability FAQs
Are Pacifico sunglasses sustainable?
Our frames are made from plant-based cellulose acetate rather than petroleum-based plastic, our lens coatings are USDA BioPreferred certified, and our packaging is recycled paper with no plastic. We also run a frame recycling program and repair frames where we can. We don't claim to be a zero-impact business — we make eyewear designed to last years rather than seasons, which is where the real saving is.
What is plant-based acetate?
Plant-based cellulose acetate is made from wood pulp and cotton fibre rather than petroleum. It's lighter than standard acetate, holds richer colour, and is hypoallergenic. Pacifico sources its acetate from Mazzucchelli in Italy and Daicel in Japan.
Is plant-based acetate biodegradable?
Cellulose acetate will break down over time in the right conditions — moisture, heat and microbial activity. A finished eyewear frame is dense and will not degrade quickly in landfill or seawater. It has a lower fossil-fuel footprint than conventional plastic, but the best environmental outcome is a frame you wear for years, or one you send back to us.
Do Pacifico recycle old sunglasses?
Yes. Send us any old pair of glasses and we'll give you 40% off your next pair of Pacifico sunglasses or eyeglasses. The program is open worldwide, with return shipping at your cost. Email support@pacificooptical.com to start.
Can Pacifico repair my broken glasses?
Often, yes. Email support@pacificooptical.com with a photo of the damage. Screws, nose pads and hardware are usually fixable. Manufacturing, material and fitting defects are covered by our two-year warranty.
Where are Pacifico sunglasses made?
Pacifico frames are designed and tested in Bondi Beach, Australia, and hand made using Italian and Japanese acetate, Carl Zeiss Vision lenses and Italian Visottica hinges.
Is Pacifico packaging plastic-free?
Our shipping and product packaging uses recycled paper and card. We don't use bubble wrap or plastic void fill.
Made for the Australian Sun
Handcrafted in plant-based acetate. Polarised Carl Zeiss Vision lenses. Designed and tested in Bondi.
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Last updated August 2026.
