Sticks & Sparrow: Finding a niche in sustainably made sunglasses

Bec Bennett has drawn on a decade-long career marketing eyewear to launch her own sunglasses brand with a sustainable twist.

Sticks & Sparrow is a sustainable sunglasses brand. Source: Supplied

The sunglasses industry in Australia is fiercely competitive, estimated to be turning over $310 million each year.

But Bec Bennett has carved a niche for herself, drawing on a decade-long career marketing eyewear to now launch her own sunglasses brand – Sticks & Sparrow.

“We use bamboo, we use wood, and we use cork, which are all recycled and sustainable,” she says.

“We incorporate that into the design of the sunglasses.”

Bec Bennett's range of adult sunglasses are made from sustainably sourced materials. Source: Supplied

Bec has travelled across the globe to find sustainable materials for her specs brand.

“The bamboo we use comes from one of the largest reservoirs in China, so it's in abundance, and the more you harvest it, the more it grows, so the supply of it is huge.

“Its application is great because it's light in weight, but it's incredibly strong.”

Prior to launching the Sticks & Sparrow brand, Bec started her entrepreneurial journey with her own children’s sunglasses brand.

“I worked in marketing roles at Little Athletics and that’s where I saw an opportunity for eye protection for kids,” she says.

“(Children) are outdoors and on the track, a lot with over-exposure to sunshine and they were suffering from headaches and migraines and nausea.

“That's when I saw an opportunity to design a range.”

Following the success from her children's eyewear brand, Bec decided to branch out. 

"We were lucky that some of the mothers that we were dealing with became our customers for themselves, so that was a really nice crossover and introduction into the Sticks & Sparrow brand." 

Source: Supplied

Bec believes one of the key drivers for online sales is offering customers the opportunity to order sample sunglasses to try at no cost and no obligation to purchase.

“Purchasing sunglasses, it's such a personal decision,” she says.

“Your sunglasses are a reflection of your identity, and they're very visible.”

"The service allows them to just take the pressure off and have more of a selection." 

Bec has started selling to stores into the United States and is also looking into the Nordic market as well.

“The Nordic market has such a great eye for design and styles so their interest in eco-friendly products as well, I think sits really nicely with our brand," Bec says.

“That's a region we're really keen to explore further.”