When we play in the great outdoors, we feel a keen sense of urgency in helping preserve it. That’s why we want to reduce our impact on the land we love to explore, the air we breathe, and the water we ride. Dragon Alliance commits to the sustainability cause down to the design level, leveraging plant-based resin and repurposing single-use plastics as we create our lightweight, durable frames. Beyond the scope of sports eyewear, we also envision a sustainable future for everyone. For that reason, we proudly collaborate with environmentally conscious organizations like the Surfrider Foundation and Plastic Bank.
Here’s what you need to know about Dragon Alliance's efforts to show the planet love, from our sustainable eyewear designs to the sustainable organizations that we work with.
Dragon Alliance Plant-Based Resin: A Cleaner Alternative to Plastics
What Is Plant-Based Resin?
Each sunglass frame in Dragon’s plant-based resin collection features 45% plant-based resin material. But what exactly is this material? Plant-based resin is basically a natural, bio-based plastic that offers a cleaner alternative to petroleum-based plastics. For the resin, we specifically use castor bean oil to create a lightweight yet durable plastic. We love castor beans because they thrive in harsh environments and can be sustainably farmed, requiring little irrigation and fertilization. Because this renewable plant resource flourishes in areas where little else can be grown, it also creates jobs for farmers.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Castor plants are harvested for their beans.
Step 2: The beans are pressed into castor oil, which is then formed into pellets.
Step 3: The pellets are melted and then turned into your favorite Dragon frames.
To add eco-friendly frames to your sports eyewear wardrobe, check out the sustainable styles in our Plant-Based Resin Collection. Here are a few of our favorites — we use cutting-edge technology that not only reduces the need for petroleum-based plastics but also provides you with the best eyewear for your favorite activities. With any pair of Dragon Alliance sunglasses, rest assured that your pick features 100% UV protection and view-enhancing Lumalens technology.
- Thorn: This sporty rectangular shade is perfect for everyday wear with its large injection-molded frame.
- Momentum: Available in vibrant colorways, this single-lens shield offers maximum protection and style.
- Dune: This timeless frame ensures a secure fit with its rubber temple tips.
Dragon Alliance Upcycled: Repurposing Single-Use Plastics
With the Dragon Alliance Upcycled Collection, our mission is simple: We aim to protect Earth and its adventures by repurposing five water bottles at a time. With this process, we upcycle single-use plastics to create the sleek and innovative Dragon eyewear that you know and love, using five recycled water bottles for each frame.
Step 1: Plastic bottles are taken from waste centers.
Step 2: The plastics are separated and washed, then cut into fine chips.
Step 3: The chips are turned into pellets, which are then melted and then formed into a Dragon frame.
To help keep trash out of our beautiful oceans, show the planet some love with picks from our Upcycled collection. Here are a few of our favorite picks.
- The Jam Upcycled: Combining a sporty vintage silhouette with innovative lenses, this sturdy style is just our jam.
- Count Upcycled: Count on this casual style to be versatile with its slightly rounded frame and clean lines.
- Meridien Upcycled: This rectangular frame pays homage to the classic surf era and exudes a maverick personality. To combat excess glare, get it with polarized lenses.
Along with shades, you can also pick up optical frames in this collection, including DR9012, which comes in eye-catching colorations, and DR9013, which features gradient frames and secure rubber temple tips.
Working to Preserve Our Planet: Partnering With Sustainable Organizations
Dragon Alliance x The Surfrider Foundation
Each year, approximately 9 million tons of plastic enter our oceans from land-based sources. Here’s another startling statistic: It’s estimated that by weight, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. With our heritage rooted in the surf community, our love for oceans runs deep. We know how wondrous a place it can be, and we want to do our part in protecting it. That’s why we’ve partnered with The Surfrider Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to protecting oceans and beaches.
We are the title sponsor of the foundation’s Blue Water Task Force, which identifies water quality problems in coastal areas and works with local communities to solve them. Besides ensuring secure beach access and clean water, this team helps preserve the coast, prevent plastic pollution, and protect our oceans. Dragon also educates its employees about the program and engages professional athletes in water-testing activities.
Dragon Alliance x Plastic Blank
We are also partners with the social enterprise Plastic Bank. With each Dragon purchase, you prevent 10 water bottles from entering the ocean. Plastic Bank works with Ocean Stewards who collect plastic from their coastal communities. These collectors exchange plastic for life-improving benefits, and the collected plastic is then reused in products and packaging.
Through working with Plastic Bank, we’re proud to have helped extract 160,500 kilograms and prevent 8,025,000 bottles from entering the ocean.
As leaders in performance sports eyewear, we know how much the athletes and explorers in our community care about the environment. Whether you love to ride the waves, venture the mountains, or shred powder, there’s only one Earth. That’s why it’s vital for us to protect the planet where our great adventures unfold.