What Good Citizens does

Good Citizens (legally Good Citizens Eyewear) is a privately held Australian eyewear manufacturer founded in 2018 in Sydney by Nik Robinson alongside his two sons, Harry and Archie, who collectively hold 50% of the voting rights. The company designs and produces sunglasses, reading glasses and prescription optical frames built around a proprietary five-part modular system made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles, with a click-together architecture that eliminates metal, screws and tools. Frames are manufactured in-house in Sydney in approximately 100 seconds per unit through a solar-powered, zero-waste process, and the company fits premium Carl Zeiss Vision CR39 UV400 lenses. The product portfolio spans three core silhouettes (Palm Beach 2.0 wayfarer, Newport aviator, Clovelly round), each available as sunglasses, readers or prescription optical frames, with modular spare parts (arms US$27, clip kits US$16, matching clips US$4) and a free end-of-life take-back program.

The business is run as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand on a Shopify storefront, shipping globally from Sydney to NZ, US, UK, Europe and Rest of World, with a supplementary 'Become a Stockist' wholesale channel and a flagship placement at Selfridges London. Revenue is one-time unit sales across sunglasses (US$99–137), frame-only (US$85), prescription single vision (US$202) and progressive lenses (US$348), augmented by spare-parts customisation. The company has accumulated 25,068 customers, 1,486 reviews at 4.94/5.0 with 96% five-star ratings, and 126,045+ plastic bottles recycled into products, supported by 28+ Australian health-fund rebate partnerships and ocean-plastic offset alliances with Clean Hub and C2Zero. The brand is the most awarded eyewear label in Australia (Marie Claire UK 2022, International Good Design Awards Best in Class 2022, UN 2020 Global Impact speaker) and its design case study is part of the Victorian Education Curriculum, with a 1–10 employee headcount and no disclosed external funding.

Name

Good Citizens

Legal name

Good Citizens Eyewear

Website

https://goodcitizens.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Good Citizens Eyewear is an Australian direct-to-consumer brand that designs and manufactures modular sunglasses, reading glasses and prescription frames made from 100% recycled PET bottles, sold globally via its Shopify storefront and wholesale stockists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Eyewear

NAICS

Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Optical Goods Retailers (456130)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Prescription Eyewear Frames (Optical) (CRAAAKAA), Sunglasses (Non-Prescription) (CRAAAKAB), Reading Glasses (OTC) (CRAAAKAG)

Keywords

• Sustainable eyewear
• Recycled sunglasses
• Modular eyewear frames
• Prescription reading glasses
• Eco friendly accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Rozelle

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Eyewear Product Sales: One-time purchase model for sunglasses, reading glasses, prescription eyewear, frames, and spare parts. Products sold at various price points from $4 accessories to $348 progressive lenses. Multiple product categories allow upselling across frames, lenses, and customisation parts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Good Citizens designs, manufactures, and sells sunglasses, reading glasses, and prescription eyewear frames made from 100% recycled single-use plastic bottles. Their proprietary five-part modular click-together system uses no metal or screws, enabling users to swap arms, hinge clips, and lenses for customisation and repair. The company manufactures in Sydney, Australia, and pairs Carl Zeiss Vision lenses with recycled rPET frames, selling direct-to-consumer globally and through selected stockists.

Product overview

Good Citizens is an Australian eyewear brand offering a unified modular glasses system. The core product line consists of three main frame styles: Palm Beach 2.0 (square wayfarer), Clovelly (round), and Newport (aviator), each available as sunglasses, reading glasses, and prescription optical versions. All frames are made from 100% recycled single-use plastic bottles with a five-part modular clip-together design requiring no tools or screws. The portfolio includes coloured lens fashion variants, prescription lens add-ons (single vision, progressive/multifocal), and replacement parts (arms, clips, clip kits). The company also offers a Curated Collection of pre-styled combinations and Gift Cards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Palm Beach 2.0 Sunglasses Classic square wayfarer-style sunglasses made from 100% recycled single-use plastic bottles. Features modular design allowing swap of arms, clips, and lenses. UV400 CAT3 lenses with 100% UV protection by Carl Zeiss Vision.
• Newport Sunglasses
• Clovelly Sunglasses
• Palm Beach 2.0 Readers
• Clovelly Readers
• Newport Readers
• Palm Beach 2.0 Coloured Lens Sunglasses Palm Beach 2.0 sunglasses with coloured fashion tint lenses (yellow, blue, orange) offering UV400 CAT1 protection with limited sun glare reduction.
• Newport Coloured Lens Sunglasses Aviator-style sunglasses with coloured fashion tint lenses (yellow, blue, orange non-polarised) UV400 CAT1 with 100% UV protection.
• Clovelly Coloured Lens Sunglasses Round frame sunglasses with coloured fashion tint lenses (yellow, blue, orange) UV400 CAT1 protection.
• Palm Beach 2.0 Optical Prescription optical glasses version of Palm Beach 2.0 frame. Accepts single vision, progressive/multifocal, light responsive, blue light, and sun prescription lenses. Compatible with most Australian health funds.
• Clovelly Optical Prescription optical version of Clovelly round frame. Supports single vision, progressive, light responsive, blue light, and sun prescription lenses. Accepts health fund claims.
• Newport Optical Prescription optical version of Newport aviator frame. Supports single vision, progressive, light responsive, blue light, and sun prescription lenses. Accepts health fund claims.
• Single Vision Lens Prescription single vision lenses available in standard and deluxe variants. Options include light responsive, blue light, sun grey, sun brown, sun polarised, and sun green. Multiple index options (1.56, 1.67).
• Progressive Lens Multifocal/progressive lenses combining long distance and reading vision in one lens. Available in blue light, sun, light responsive, and polarised variants in 1.56 and 1.67 indexes.
• Arms Replacement and swappable arms for Good Citizens modular frames. Allows colour customisation and style changes without purchasing a new frame.
• Single Matching Clips Replacement hinge clips that match frame colour. Set of two clips for customisation and repair of modular frames.
• Clip Kit Colour clip kit for customising frame appearance. Includes multiple coloured clips to swap and change frame look.
• Palm Beach 2.0 Frame Only Palm Beach 2.0 frame without lenses, made from one 600ml discarded single-use plastic bottle. Fully modular with interchangeable arms and hinge clips.
• Curated Collection (e.g., Newport Ocean Blue Mix 1) Pre-styled curated collection combinations pairing frame with matching arms and clips. Ready-to-wear polarised sunglasses.
• Gift Card Digital gift cards for Good Citizens eyewear products.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70-75% less CO2 in manufacturing compared to virgin material brands
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Clean HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent ocean plastic removal partner. Each pair sold stops 0.5kg of plastic (equivalent to 25 plastic bottles) from reaching the ocean. Process is 100% traceable and certified. Plastic is collected, processed and given a new home.
• Plastic BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrevious ocean plastic prevention partner. Process 100% traceable and certified. Has since transitioned to Clean Hub for plastic removal tracking.
• Surfrider FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOcean conservation partner in previous years. Collaborated on preventing plastic waste from reaching waterways.
• Sea ShepherdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOcean cleanup partnership organisation. Worked together in previous years on marine plastic prevention initiatives.
• ReSea ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOcean plastic cleanup partnership. Part of historical collaboration network for plastic removal efforts.
• C2ZerocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarbon removal partner. Locks away 10kg of CO2 per pair through Mastercard Blockchain verification. Audited carbon offset program.
• Carl Zeiss VisioncoreTechnology or IntegrationPremium lens manufacturer supplying CR39 UV400 CAT3 lenses with 100% UV protection. Manufacturing in Hong Kong with lens cutting and fitting at Zeiss Adelaide facility.
• Bondi RescueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental partnership with Australian lifeguard team. National news story about joint quests to untrash the planet of single-use plastic.
• Selfridges LondonflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive launch partner giving entire window display for 3 months, positioned next to Prada. Selfridges voted Best Department Store in the World four times. Their 14 window displays change only four times yearly and signal fashion direction.
• Australia PostcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShipping and delivery partner for all orders, including carbon neutral postal service for domestic Australian deliveries.
• Australian Health FundscoreOthersMultiple health fund partners accepting rebates: ahm, Medibank, NIB, Bupa, HBF, GMHBA, HCF, HIF, La Trobe, Australian Unity, Defence Health, Doctors by Avant, Westfund, Health Partners, Police Health, Peoplecare, QCH, Navy Health, AIA Health, Mildura District Health, CBHS, St. Lukes, Teachers Health, TUH, Phoenix, CDH, One MediFund, ACA, HCi.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sea2see: Spanish eyewear brand producing sunglasses from recovered ocean plastic, with the same 'turn marine plastic into frames' mission and retail positioning as Good Citizens, making it the closest functional and narrative comparable.
• SunGod: UK-based sustainable sports and lifestyle sunglasses brand selling directly to consumers with a strong premium DTC model and emphasis on lifetime guarantees; comparable in DTC mechanics and sustainability positioning.
• eco Eyewear: Italian eco-friendly eyewear brand offering frames made from bio-based and recycled materials through optical retail and DTC channels, overlapping on sustainability narrative and prescription frame category.
• Proof Eyewear: US-based sustainable eyewear brand using wood, cotton-based acetate and other eco materials with a DTC and wholesale model aimed at environmentally conscious consumers, directly competing for the same conscious- consumer dollar.
• Karün: Chilean sustainable eyewear brand built around natural and recycled materials with strong storytelling around impact; comparable in mission, materials emphasis and premium DTC positioning.

Emerging players

• Durra Eyewear: Smaller sustainable eyewear maker producing frames from recycled aluminium and other materials; comparable on the recycled-materials angle but at lower scale and narrower distribution.
• Pela Vision: Eyewear extension of Pela (compostable phone cases), entering recycled-material eyewear leveraging an existing sustainability-first consumer brand; emerging overlap rather than full direct competition.

Broad incumbents

• Oliver Peoples: Established luxury eyewear maison owned by EssilorLuxottica; represents the premium optical-shelf competitor Good Citizens is positioned alongside at Selfridges and is a benchmark for premium eyewear retail positioning.
• Warby Parker: Large US DTC prescription eyewear and sunglasses brand; broader portfolio and far greater scale, but competes for the same DTC prescription-eyewear customer and has proven the vertically integrated DTC model Good Citizens is building toward.
• Prada Eyewear: Global luxury fashion house whose eyewear lines occupied the Selfridges window adjacent to Good Citizens; serves as a benchmark for the fashion-validating retail placement Good Citizens is leveraging into the luxury eyewear adjacency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/goodcitizens_official
• Facebookfacebook.com/goodcitizensofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Good Citizens