Former Farmers Create Hemp Sunglasses to Combat Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century. Last year, global plastic production reached 367 million tons, and it’s clear that a significant portion of this plastic will never make it to recycling plants. Instead, it will accumulate in land and marine environments.

The danger lies in the fact that microplastics are easily spread by air, can pass through many filtration systems, are consumed by animals, and thus accumulate in their bodies—eventually making their way up the food chain to humans. Scientists still don’t have enough data to fully assess how harmful this is to our health.

Plastic pollution has become so widespread that nature is starting to adapt. The global microbiome is now developing enzymes capable of breaking down plastic. One recent study identified over 30,000 such enzymes, with about 12,000 found in the ocean and another 18,000 in soil. Thanks to these enzymes, the natural decomposition time for plastics may be shorter than previously thought, and environmental organizations may be able to further accelerate this process by developing modified versions of these enzymes.

However, there’s another way to tackle plastic pollution: switching from petroleum-based plastics to biopolymers made from renewable resources, such as hemp.

Hemp vs. Petroleum

The idea of helping the planet get rid of excess plastic waste once inspired two former farmers from Nebraska. Their names are Andrew and Steve Bader. Their business is still small, but their ambitions are big. Using 3D printers and an injection molding machine, they manufacture sunglasses and other products from hemp-based plastics.

For the Bader brothers, building a business around biodegradable, plant-based plastics was not only a way to improve the environment. It was also a worthy alternative to growing corn and soybeans, and an opportunity to bring affordable, stylish products to market.

“The world is oversaturated with petroleum-based plastics. If we can create something that breaks down faster and is used more widely, our world can become greener and our future brighter,” said 26-year-old Andrew Bader.

From Farm to Factory

While Andrew spoke, his ten 3D printers hummed in the basement of their ranch house, slowly producing parts for sunglasses. A sign reading “Think Outside the Box” hung nearby on the wall.

Meanwhile, about 25 miles away in a garage in Lincoln, the state capital, 24-year-old Steve worked with an injection molding machine the size of a refrigerator. Using a slightly different blend of hemp-based ingredients, he produces up to 40 pairs of sunglasses a day.

From Prototype to Product

The first prototype of their sunglasses was made back in 2019. Today, the brothers’ company, Hemp3D, offers 11 models—ranging from styles reminiscent of Ray-Bans to designs that Joe Naumann (the Baders’ cousin and marketing director) describes as “a combination of Elton John, Johnny Depp, and Harry Potter.”

Naumann says that people in Nebraska appreciate the fact that the sunglasses are made from plant-based materials.