Pune Startup Creates "World's First Recycled Sunglasses" Made From Discarded Chips Packets

A Pune-based startup has created what it claims to be the "world's first recycled sunglasses" made from discarded packets of chips. The founder of the company, Anish Malpani, took to Twitter on Thursday to announce the launch of the trendy recycled sunglasses. He even shared a video which showed what his company does and the whole process behind creating the sunglasses from multi-layered plastics (MLP). 

"This has been the hardest thing I have ever been a part of. Finally: Presenting the world's first recycled sunglasses made from packets of chips, right here in India!" Mr Malpani wrote in the caption of his post. 

Take a look below: 

This has been the hardest thing I have ever been a part of.

Finally: Presenting the world's first recycled sunglasses made from packets of chips, right here in India! pic.twitter.com/OSZQYyrgVc

— Anish Malpani (@AnishMalpani) February 16, 2023

In a separate tweet, Mr Malpani wrote that his firm, Ashaya | Without, recycles not just packets of chips but also all kinds of "impossible-to-recycle" multi-layered plastic packaging (MLP) - including chocolate wrappers, milk packets, essentially any flexible packaging. "This multi-layered plastic waste is considered impossible to recycle with close to 0% being recycled globally. 80% of ALL ocean leakage is flexible plastic packaging. It's honestly the worst," he wrote in his tweet. 

Mr Malpani explained that his company has found a way to extract materials from MLPs and process them to produce high-quality materials and products, starting with sunglasses. "We do all this while genuinely empowering waste-pickers. And a lot more," Mr Malpani said. 

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Further, he stated that these recycled sunglasses might be the most sustainable sunglasses one will ever own. They are highly functional as they are UV-polarized, durable, bendy and comfortable. Customers can also scan a QR code on the side of the sunglasses to see how many packets were used to manufacture them, which waste pickers collected the packets etc.

Meanwhile, on Twitter, Mr Malpani's post has accumulated nearly 60,000 views and hundreds of likes and comments. 

"A. go to shark tank! B. take my money (do you do prescription based glasses?)," wrote one user. "Wow!!!This is amazing. Congratulations and can't wait to see how far Ashaya goes. Well well done mate," said another. 

"This is incredible! Congrats @AnishMalpani and team!! Glad to see Pune on the map and more importantly the important work y'all are doing!!" commented a third. "Very impressive initiative Anish. Ordered my pair. Congratulations on the launch and best wishes," expressed fourth.