Daytona Beach, Fla. – November 15, 2018 – Costa Sunglasses® earned top honors for innovation at last week’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market trade show in Denver. The new Baffin sunglass frame from The Untangled Collection, released in 2018, was awarded with the show’s inaugural Innovation Award presented by Capitol One Spark Business and A+E Networks® as the show kicked-off on Wednesday, Nov. 7.
The awards recognized new products in the areas of design, innovation and achievement in the outdoor industry, and will become a fixture at Outdoor Retailer’s Winter Market show each year. Thirty-two products and services were selected as finalists by judges from the outdoor industry, and a panel of 20 determined the inaugural winners. Judges evaluated entries based on a variety of factors, including concept, design, functionality, originality, sustainability and impact. Costa’s Baffin sunglass frame from its Untangled Collection, made from recycled fishing nets, was one of 12 winners with other products including sustainable materials, footwear, apparel and outdoor equipment for all seasons.
“Innovation has always been at the core of our industry and is driven by the desire to make the outdoor experience more joyful and to encourage others to participate,” said Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer vice president and show director. “The 12 winners took that inspiration and created something that can transform an outdoor experience and improve our relationship with the natural environment. We were so thrilled to be able to celebrate the finalists, winners and all of the visionaries shaping our industry.”
The Untangled Collection includes four new frame styles made from 100 percent recycled fishing nets, each featuring mineral glass polarized lenses, recycled aluminum Costa logos, PLUSfoam recyclable temple and nose pads, and a unique tumbled finish. The Untangled Collection includes two male/unisex styles, Pescador and Baffin; and two female styles, Victoria and Caldera. All styles feature Costa’s patented 580 Lightwave® Glass lenses, providing 100 percent UV protection and polarization to offer the clearest lenses on the planet. The Costa 580® color-enhancing lens technology reduces glare and eye fatigue while selectively filtering out harsh yellow light for superior contrast and definition and absorbing high-energy blue light to cut haze and enhance sharpness.
The collection was created in partnership with Bureo, pioneers in recycled fishnet products. Identified as the most harmful form of ocean plastic, discarded fishing nets and gear account for ten percent of ocean plastic pollution, which grows by an estimated 640,000 tons every year. Bureo’s Net+Plus recycling program is working to prevent fishing net pollution by partnering directly with fishermen to collect back discarded nets at their end of life and providing funds to local communities for every pound of fishing net collected. Costa’s Untangled Collection supports Bureo’s ongoing efforts to generate a net positive impact for this once harmful material. To date, the Bureo team has collected more than 220,000 pounds of discarded fishing nets.
“We are truly honored to receive this year’s Innovation Award at the OR Winter Market trade show— the opportunity to create a collection of products that so closely ties to our broader mission of protecting our oceans and waterways, while raising awareness for plastic pollution and giving our consumers the opportunity to be a part of the solution, has been such a rewarding experience for the Costa team,” said Holly Rush, CEO of Costa Sunglasses. “Topping it off by being recognized by the industry that sets the standard in sustainable products and environmental impact has been complete validation of our efforts. We simply could not have brought this collection to life without the full partnership of the Bureo team, and we are so grateful to them for believing in our brand and this project so passionately from the beginning.”
The Untangled Collection is available at retailers now.
About Costa
As the leading manufacturer of the world’s clearest polarized performance sunglasses, Costa offers superior lens technology and unparalleled fit and durability. Still handcrafted today in Florida, Costa has created the highest quality, best performing sunglasses and prescription sunglasses (Rx) for outdoor enthusiasts since 1983. Born on the water, Costa works hard to protect the waters it calls home. Through programs like its Kick Plastic campaign, where the brand seeks to raise awareness about the growing plastic pollution problem threatening oceans worldwide, to serving as a long-term partner to shark research organization OCEARCH, Costa encourages people to help protect the Earth’s natural resources in any way they can. Find out more on Costa’s website and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at @CostaSunglasses.