L’Oeil de l’Odon, ethical glasses in Normandy – EYESEEMAG

Choosing to make their glasses shop eco-responsible was an obvious choice for the couple. “It’s just been our way of life for years,” Xavier explained. “We ourselves don’t buy anything new unless it’s absolutely necessary and we are also zero waste.”

And so too is the shop: “All of the furniture at L’Oeil de l’Odon was either found at places like La Recyclerie or made by Yoann, the designer of Adopte Ta Palette which reclaims wooden palettes to make furniture”. The professional equipment too is all second hand: “We’re using a lensometer from 1973 along with the heater, and an ultrasonic cleaner that we bought from a jeweler who wasn’t using it anymore. We’re going to buy the grinder second hand from Eim Optic Service, a Normandy-based supplier of second hand optometry equipment”. By upcycling the old, the pair want to prove that “buying new is not always necessary”.

When buying second hand wasn’t possible, they decided to support local businesses: “We commissioned local craftsmen and women for the shop’s renovation, to modernise the ceilings and the change the floors, as well as for the outdoor signage. The carpet will also be made in France, in Indre, by a company that is green and takes care of its people.”

Conscious of how much impact they have on the environment, Xavier and Laura have also thought of a solution to reduce how much water they waste. “We decided to install a filtration system to clean the water used to cut the lenses. Instead of using 20 liters of water to cut one lens, we will be able to use 20 liters for several months. The other advantage is that no organic waste will escape in the water used. This water filtration system designed by Eim Optique Service won a Silmo d’Or in Paris.

This desire to avoid waste and value local craftsmanship is something that can also be found in the glasses sold in the shop.