A Chat with Sam Whitten, Founder at Hemp Eyewear

Sam Whitten

Being sustainable and unconventional is at the heart of this proudly Scottish start-up, as we continue our venture to showcase the scope of possibilities with the super crop that is hemp. We’re pioneers in using organic fibre in all of our products and after the global success of their eyewear over the last five years; we are now ready to start writing our next chapter.

The company has been exploring and experimenting with more ways in which their styles push the boundaries of sustainable design and utilising the leading-edge sustainable technology we have developed with our Hemp Eyewear.

The material process itself is as clean as it gets, the only by-product from this process is H2O as water vapour. This same strong and lightweight eyewear hemp fibre material has been developed further for a huge variety of projects.
 
 
Hemp Eyewear — The World's First Hemp Sunglasses
 

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

 
For my final project at university, I was inspired by my desire to find long term sustainable solutions after learning about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Initially, I started by creating glasses frames from recycled plastics, but after more research I learnt of hemp.

I then founded the company after graduation, pursuing the mission to bring hemp in various forms to the public, showcasing the super crop and raising awareness of its many benefits. Recently I have been exploring and experimenting with new ways in which our products can keep pushing boundaries in sustainable design and natural materials.
 

 

How has the company evolved during the pandemic?

 
We have been lucky to have befitted in many ways from the pandemic. We have taken the last year as an opportunity to reflect on the direction of the business and focus our efforts on product development. This has allowed us to finally put plans into motion, for example the launch of a specialist design studio and fundraising for our new hemp watches.
 

What can we hope to see from Hemp Eyewear in the future?

 
As mentioned above, the last year has been an amazing opportunity for us to develop ideas that we have been sitting on for several years; such as hemp watches and exclusive coloured frames collections.

We have used our refined process to develop stunning watch cases made of hemp. By also working with ANANAS who produce Piñatex, we have created watch straps out of supple 100% vegan pineapple leather. This further adds to the overall sustainable message behind the watch and our company.

The next big project for the will be our coloured collections. Each collection will have its own unique theme centred on the bright natural dyes in; Beetroot, Spirulina, Chlorophyll and Turmeric. But more details are to come on each collection in the near future!

Additionally, we will soon be launching our ‘Hemp Design Studio’. This will be the design consultancy arm of the business where we will design and develop new hemp products for other companies.