THE founders of Northwich-based B.O.S Opticians have launched a new range of sustainable glasses to remove harmful fishing nets from oceans all over the world.

Calvin and Naomi Bailey, who opened their first practice in Northwich in 1997, are now both founding members of Coral Eyewear.

The brand produces glasses and sunglasses from recycled fishing nets and waste plastic taken from seas and oceans across the globe.

Three years after first establishing B.O.S Opticians, the couple had their first child, George, who has helped to set up the family business 20 years later.

This was made possible thanks to a £50,000 grant from the University of East Anglia to scale the business and generate a wide-reaching environmental impact.

It is estimated that 640,000 tonnes of ghost fishing nets have been dumped at sea, resulting in the accidental capture and killing of dolphins, turtles and other marine animals.

World Animal Protection estimates that one abandoned net entangles and harms 30 to 40 marine animals every year.

By using this material to produce their eyewear, George hopes that consumers will have the opportunity to prevent further harm from occurring.

“I hope Coral Eyewear will initiate a shift away from using virgin plastic in the optical industry, and we are working with charities to raise awareness of widespread plastic pollution,” he said.

“The next decade is absolutely crucial for the health of our oceans and the future of the planet, and we need to drastically reduce our emissions.

“The prospect of eventually seeing these recycled frames in Manchester, and potentially even the stores the family helped to establish, is really exciting.”

Coral Eyewear launched its first collection of frames to opticians in London last month, and these will be available to purchase online and in other high-street opticians by April.

The designs are timeless styles to ensure that the products aren’t ‘fast fashion’ items, which add to the problem that Coral Eyewear is attempting to solve.

Coral Eyewear has already been approached by a number of large retailers who want to stock the product in their stores, as well as independent opticians and individual consumers who are seeking eco-friendly products.

To find out more, visit coraleyewear.com.