Evonik, a global producer of polyamide-based materials, is launching a transparent polymer made from recycled plastics. The new material, named Trogamid R, is produced from post-industrial waste generated during the manufacture of high-quality non-prescription sunglass lenses. The waste is collected and processed into granules by the Italian company Poliplastic SRL, a specialist in polymer recycling that operates within a circular economy model in cooperation with premium optical product manufacturers.
Trogamid R starts its life cycle as leftover fragments of Trogamid material arising in standard production processes for eyewear frames and lenses. Trogamid, developed by Evonik, is a durable, transparent, high-performance polyamide used in high-end optical applications, in particular in fashion frames and lenses. Within the Trogamid family, besides Trogamid R, there is also the Trogamid eCO grade, produced using up to 100% bio-based feedstock in a mass-balanced approach.
The cooperation between Evonik, Poliplastic SRL and eyewear manufacturers aims to close the material loop for polyamide plastics in the optical industry. As emphasized by Jennifer Hasselberg, who is responsible for global Trogamid marketing in Evonik’s High Performance Polymers business line, such partnerships are part of a broader strategy to develop solutions for the circular economy in the plastics sector.
"Special collaborations with Poliplastic SRL and high-end eyewear manufacturers are tangible examples of how many in the global eyewear industry share Evonik’s vision of a viable circular plastics economy," says Jennifer Hasselberg, who is leading the global Trogamid Marketing at Evonik’s High Performance Polymers business line.
Source of feedstock and recycling process
The waste that becomes feedstock for Trogamid R is generated naturally during the machining and finishing of Trogamid components at facilities producing non-prescription sunglass lenses. It consists mainly of offcuts and fragments that would otherwise enter the waste stream. Under the established cooperation model, this material is selectively collected by the optical product manufacturer and, once sufficient quantities have accumulated, transferred to Poliplastic SRL.
Poliplastic SRL is responsible for the regranulation process, in which the post-industrial remnants are converted into Trogamid R granules. This material is then used for the production of new eyewear products. The company employs it, among others, in its Nylo Zero Milano and Nylo Zero Roma series, where frames are made from Trogamid R derived entirely from reprocessed waste. The feedstock used for these applications is sourced exclusively from one of the leading manufacturers in the lens and eyewear segment.
"This collaboration allows us to create beautiful, premium eyewear frames in a complete circular economy. We believe people shouldn’t have to choose between style and sustainability. Trogamid R is a great example of how to recycle a high-quality polyamide into new material that enables a circular plastics economy," says Giorgio Algisi, General Manager of Poliplastic SRL.
Application segment: high-end eyewear frames
Trogamid as a base material is intended for applications requiring a combination of high optical clarity, mechanical strength and dimensional stability. In eyewear frames and lenses these characteristics are critical for the quality of the final product, including scratch resistance, color stability and user comfort. Owing to the properties of this high-performance polyamide, Trogamid R enables the retention of performance parameters comparable to virgin material while using secondary raw material from a well-defined waste stream.
The Nylo Zero Milano and Nylo Zero Roma ranges, in which Trogamid R is used, are an example of implementing recycled polyamide in the production of premium eyewear frames. The use of this type of material allows a practical assessment of circular economy assumptions in a demanding area of consumer products, where environmental aspects must be balanced with aesthetic and mechanical performance requirements.
Development of the sourcing program and outlook
Evonik and Poliplastic SRL are working to expand the program for sourcing Trogamid waste for recycling. According to the companies, several lens and eyewear manufacturers have already expressed interest in joining the Trogamid R sourcing program. The involvement of additional partners is expected to increase the availability of this material and broaden its use in optical products.
Currently, Trogamid R is used mainly in Poliplastic SRL products, but it is anticipated that it will soon be incorporated into additional product lines from other manufacturers. The development of the program is intended to increase the volumes of recycled material and further refine the cooperation model between the supplier of virgin feedstock, the recycler and the producers of final goods.
"We see every pair of sunglasses that our customers buy as a conscious vote for a cleaner planet, smarter consumption and stylish sustainability," says Algisi.
