KINGSPORT, Tennessee
Specialty compounder Gibaplast now offers Eastman Tenite™ Renew for eyewear companies seeking to offer increased sustainable content in their eyewear frames through local European production.
Tenite Renew is a new, more sustainable version of Tenite cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), a trusted choice within the eyewear industry for optical frames and fashion sunglasses. Tenite Renew adds more than 20% certified recycled content* to the existing biobased content of Tenite CAP with no compromise to the material’s performance and quality. As a drop-in replacement, Tenite Renew combines injection molding efficiency with the comfort and adjustability of acetate eyewear frames.
“For years, the technical and aesthetic properties of Eastman Tenite CAP have made it the top choice for injection molding in the eyewear market,” said Giovanni Barbieri, CEO of Gibaplast. “We are proud to introduce Tenite Renew for eyewear, adding recycled content to traditional Tenite while maintaining its exceptional quality and performance and contributing to a more sustainable future.”
Gibaplast is ISCC PLUS certified, which ensures traceability of recycled content for verifiable sustainability claims. Gibaplast offers the convenience of small orders and custom colors through local European service, and it ensures high quality and low waste production.
“Italy is famous for its quality eyewear production,” said Rachel Oakley, global eyewear segment lead at Eastman. “Gibaplast has been a reliable, high-quality supplier of Tenite to the local market for decades. Now, with Tenite Renew, Gibaplast is helping eyewear companies expand their sustainable offerings across an even wider range of styles.”
Tenite Renew is part of a broad range of sustainable materials, including Acetate Renew and Tritan™ Renew, now available at scale from Eastman’s molecular recycling technologies, which transform hard-to-recycle plastic waste that would otherwise end up in landfills or incinerators into new materials.
*Recycled content allocated via ISCC-certified mass balance approach
About Eastman
Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive and diverse company, Eastman employs approximately 14,500 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2022 revenue of approximately $10.6 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA.
About Gibaplast
Founded in 1964, Gibaplast specializes in cellulose ester processing with expertise in producing custom-formulated compounds and color-matching solutions for the eyewear industry and for further differentiated markets. For more information, visit www.gibaplast.eu.
Media contact
Jacob Teetzmann
1-423-494-3673
jteetzmann@tombras.com
