When Ace & Tate launched in 2013 it completely shook up the eyewear category. In the ten years it’s been operating, it has become known for its simple but timeless frames, its refreshing ad and marketing campaigns, and its imaginative retail stores. But after making a splash and turning a profit, the impact of creating a brand and selling products became a priority after CEO and founder Mark de Lange read Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard’s book Let My People Go Surfing.

“To be honest, going into this Ace & Tate venture sustainability was not really on my radar. But when you start developing, making and selling product, and you see the volumes grow, you start thinking about the impact that we as a brand are making,” says de Lange. “But it seemed like a very binary thing back in the day. You were either sustainable or you weren’t.”