Eco-Heroes: An Interview with Kayleigh Fisher from Pala Eyewear

The Scoop is a new content series from Beagle designed to give bite-sized business insights from people who have built successful organisations that put people and planet first. ??

This week we've invited Kayleigh Fisher ?from Pala to share how they’re helping the world see by supporting access to vision care with every pair of frames sold. ??

?? Pala?is a Beagle Eco-Hero. The Eco-Heroes program provides a platform for brands that are dedicated to transparency, and place people and planet at the heart of what they do. If you think your brand could be an Eco-Hero then get in touch with us here:

Did you know that there are an estimated 1.2 billion people worldwide with poor vision, just because they can’t access glasses or receive simple surgeries?

Pala is tackling this issue by providing eye care to those in need while applying the principles of the circular economy and designing with sustainable materials. That makes them a hero in our books!

Let's dive into these insights from Kayleigh!

What materials do you use and how do they make a difference?

“We?use bio-acetate to make our timeless frames. This has a minimum?of 64% plant-based materials, which is the most it can be to maintain the durability required to last for years rather than months. The most impressive thing about bio-acetate is that it produces 54% less Co2 than a standard acetate alternative in its lifetime - pretty cool right?”

What charitable causes do you support and why?

“For every pair of sunglasses sold, we give back to eye-care programmes across Africa. This is achieved through Pala providing grants directly to vision centres, dispensaries and screening and training programmes through our charity partner Vision Aid Overseas. Sadly, 10% of the world’s population is unable to access the eye care they need and yet, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), restoring sight is one of the most cost-effective health interventions to reduce poverty. It enables reading, learning, access to better education and improved overall job prospects. So we focus on the most cost-effective and integrated forms of eradicating poverty, hoping to help better equality.”

What positive impact has your brand had?

“To date, we have funded over ￡43,000 worth of funding to eye care projects in Africa, contributing to building a vision centre, enabling community outreach and education,?conducting over 13,000 eye tests, dispensing over 6,000 spectacles and transforming just as many lives. And our cases have diverted 5 tonnes of plastic from landfill.”

?? Inspired by stories of brands and founders making a difference with their business? Tag or share this with a sustainable brand you'd love to hear from!