Group 5: Warby Parker Eyeglasses Life Cycle Assessment

This website presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Warby Parker Durand prescription eyeglasses. Our goal was to understand the environmental impacts associated with the product across all stages of its life cycle—from raw material extraction and manufacturing to packaging, use, and end-of-life disposal.

Warby Parker’s glasses are composed of cellulose acetate frames, polycarbonate lenses, and titanium screws. While durable and stylish, these materials pose environmental challenges. Cellulose acetate is rarely recycled, polycarbonate lenses are coated with materials that make them difficult to repurpose, and the mining of titanium contributes to habitat degradation—though titanium itself is highly recyclable.

We modeled the system in OpenLCA using a cradle-to-grave approach, with assumptions regarding material sourcing, frequency of use, and recycling rates. The analysis highlighted that electricity consumption during manufacturing is a major contributor to environmental impact, particularly in terms of global warming potential (GWP). Packaging, specifically folding boxboard cartons, also contributed significantly to emissions.

Our study used the TRACI method for impact assessment, focusing on global warming potential, waste generation, and toxicity impacts. The results identified opportunities to reduce impact through:

• Switching from titanium to recycled aluminum

• Implementing a return and redistribution program

• Improving energy efficiency during manufacturing

While data limitations and modeling assumptions affected accuracy, our LCA highlights the sustainability trade-offs in prescription eyewear and offers actionable insights for product design and policy improvements.