mosevic upcycles denim into fashionable sunglasses collection

in a world full of waste, where old jeans are thrown into landfill, mosevic see an opportunity to upcycle. the uk-based company transforms wasted clothing into something new and extraordinary – sunglasses. although denim is a tough fabric, it is also floppy, so mosevic reinforces each old piece of denim with a strong resin and press them together. between 3-10 layers are pressed together to create the solid blocks of denim, becoming stronger once the resin solidifies and the fibers are reinforced.  

mosevic believes ‘solid denim is a space age material.’ it has all the properties needed to create durable, yet fashionable upcycled sunglasses. it is tough and flexible, similar to carbon fibre. However, unlike carbon fibre, the solid denim is soft, smooth and textured, keeping the look and feel of denim on the front surface. for the sunglasses, it’s been lightly varnished to provide water and dirt resistance. 

the inside surface and the edges have been varnished and polished to a soft, smooth and satin finish that feels great against the skin and repels sweat and sun cream. it’s incredibly tactile and it’s also universally stylish. mosevic has developed a range of frames to suit all sorts of faces. and with their intricate two-part spring system that is laminated inside the temple arms, these sunglasses will fit any type of face. 

the first part of the spring system allows the temple arms to flex and spring back again. the second part is form-able and allows the sunglasses to have stable curve to fit the shape of the head. all this is hidden within the solid denim, meaning that the sunglasses will magically fit heads of all shapes and sizes, with just the right amount of pressure behind the ears. 

mosevic carries out the whole peculiar, patient process in cornwall, uk. keeping an eye for craftsmanship and attentive to detail, the sunglasses result in a beautiful and functional object. they are also lightweight, even with brass reinforcements, proving that solid denim is a substantial material

mosevic handcrafts the sunglasses in small batches, taking their time to make sure that they are of the highest possible quality. the company aims to craft something that is going to be loved and will last a lifetime. they upcycle the denim from various sources and currently use a mixture of discarded jeans that are not fit for resale and redundant denim stock from clothing companies. mosevic explains, ‘by upcycling relatively small amounts of denim fabric into sunglasses, we aren’t solving the problem of fashion waste. but we like to think that we are showing that where there is a will and a little ingenuity (well, quite a lot), there is a way for waste to be reduced.’

product info:

company: mosevic

product name: shades of denim

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: cristina gomez | designboom