Based on the world record nomination from Europe Records Institute (EURI) and Decision No. WK/USA.INDIA/953/2023/No.409, World Records Union (WorldKings) officially Ocean Cleanup as the world’s first non-profit organization to develop sunglasses from ocean plastic waste on January 17^th, 2023.

The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organization developing and scaling technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. The organization conducts scientific research into oceanic plastic pollution. It was founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat, a Dutch-born inventor-entrepreneur of Croatian and Dutch origin who serves as its CEO.

The Ocean Cleanup develops technology to extract plastic pollution from the oceans and intercept it in rivers before it can reach the ocean. After initial testing and prototyping in the North Sea, they deployed their first full-scale prototype in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

The Ocean Cleanup has conducted two expeditions to the North Pacific Gyre, the Mega Expedition, and the Aerial Expedition, and continues to publish scientific papers. Their ocean system consists of a floating barrier at the surface of the water in the oceanic gyres, that collects marine debris as the system is pushed by the wind, waves, and current, and slowed down by a sea anchor. The project aims to launch a total of 60 such systems, and they predict this capability could clean up 50% of the debris in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in five years from full-scale deployment.

On October 24, 2020, they launched their first product made from plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), The Ocean Cleanup sunglasses, with funding going to their continued cleanup. They worked with DNV GL to develop a certification for plastic from water sources and the sunglasses were certified to originate from the GPGP.

Designed in California by Yves Béhar and made in Italy by Safilo – they offered a very stylish way for supporters to help rid the oceans of plastic. And, should the time come, they were designed to be easily recycled. 100% of the proceeds from the sales of these sunglasses will go directly to continued cleanup operations.

According to theoceancleanup