Plastic vs Mineral lenses

A quick glance at the difference between plastic and mineral lenses

Lens materials

From an environmental aspect

To minimise our CO2 footprint, we support avoiding plastic in general.

However, in this case, we are lacking facts of the carbon footprint for the individual materials. Both products have pros and cons.

Mineral or glass is made of natural ingredients such as sand and water, put under high pressure.

Plastic lenses are made of fossil fuel with a 7x faster production time (source Optileks), potentially making the actual manufacturing less carbon emitting?!

Until we have more facts we will offer both mineral and plastic lenses.

 

Lens materials

From an optical perspective

Plastic lenses are the most used material due to their properties such as low weight and high breaking resistance. Lens manufacturers have invested more in plastic lens development over the years than for glass lenses.

Plastic lenses are the first choice for sports glasses and children's spectacles, as they are lighter and more shatter-proof. But it is no coincidence that precision optics, such as camera and the touchscreens on modern smartphones are made of mineral glass.