Cocoplum: Building a Sunglasses Business from Recycled Pill Bottles
- Molly Sneddon
- 5 minutes ago
- 4 min read
"Sustainability is built into every part of the process, from sourcing materials to day‑to‑day operations. Frames are produced in small batches to help reduce waste and avoid overproduction. Leftover plastic is reused or recycled. The packaging is minimal and recyclable too, making sure every part of the product reflects the same values," explained Claire Ring, founder of Cocoplum.
On the Cocoplum website, Claire shares her story, noting that, after moving to a new town and becoming a mother, she became increasingly aware of her plastic usage. "We were in a new city where we didn’t know anyone, had a newborn at home, and were deep in the midst of Covid," She writes. "So, I was at home a LOT. Being at home so much made me acutely aware of the plastic waste we were generating, even while trying to reduce it. It got me thinking about the unfathomable amount of plastic on our planet, which sparked the idea to make something with some of it. And that was the beginning of Cocoplum."
When asked why she chose to recycle pill bottles especially, she said, "I really wanted to work with an item that people could instantly recognize, rather than generic recycled plastic. It felt like it would connect better if someone could picture exactly what their sunglasses were made from. So I started looking for that one item, and came across pill bottles while browsing online at the Precious Plastic Bazaar, where someone was selling shredded pill bottles. I bought some, started experimenting with it, and the idea just grew from there!"
Precious Plastic Bazaar, self-described as "the community marketplace for plastic recycling", has been critical in the creation of Cocoplum. In a recent Instagram post, Claire explains how this website connected her with local recycler David of Peninsula Precious Plastics, who has provided invaluable help in building her business. "[David has] been a huge part of getting Cocoplum off the ground. Not only does he let me shred pill bottles at his workshop, he's also a walking encyclopedia of recycling knowledge," she writes. "He's looped me into sustainability events, introduced me to an incredible network of people doing meaningful work, and offered thoughtful advice when I've hit roadblocks".
Another factor in getting Cocoplum off the ground was the use of Kickstarter, an online crowdfunding platform. "I’m a huge fan of Kickstarter! it’s such a fun way to bring new ideas to life," exclaimed Claire. "In my case, I was making sunglasses from recycled pill bottles, and donations of those pill bottles started pouring in much faster than I could save up for a new mold. Without Kickstarter, I would’ve been buried in pill bottles long before I could afford the tooling I needed! The campaign didn’t just help fund the new mold, it also built an amazing community of people who were excited to support the project".
While sustainability is a core value of Cocoplum, it has forced Claire to creatively navigate problems that less eco-conscious companies don't often have to worry about. "Most sunglasses brands order large quantities from overseas factories because it’s cheaper, faster, and more convenient," Claire explained. "But I’ve chosen to grow Cocoplum in a way that’s better for our planet. Because I work with discarded pill bottles, the process is very hands‑on. It involves collecting, sorting, cleaning, and shredding the plastic before it can ever become sunglasses. It’s a slower approach that doesn’t benefit from the volume discounts and efficiency of big factories. But for me, that’s exactly the point. Being eco‑conscious takes more patience and creativity, and to me it’s worth it to build something that goes against the standard way of doing things when that standard is harming the planet".
However, a sustainability-focused mindset also allows Cocoplum to stand out from the competition. "Cocoplum is designed to be circular," noted Claire. "When customers are done with their sunglasses, they don’t have to wonder whether to throw them away or let them sit unused in a drawer. Instead, they can send them back to me, keeping the plastic in circulation where it belongs. In exchange, they receive a discount code for a new purchase. This approach helps reduce waste and creates a more sustainable cycle, which really sets Cocoplum apart from other brands".
When asked about the future of Cocoplum, Claire envisions even more recycling. "There are billions of pill bottles ending up in landfills every year, and what I’m doing with Cocoplum is just scratching the surface. I’d love to increase how much plastic I recycle by offering more styles of sunglasses and potentially adding new products like home goods or jewelry". She continued, stating, "down the road, I’m also thinking about accepting other types of plastic to keep even more materials out of landfills. Beyond that, I hope to shine a light on this problem and inspire change so fewer pill bottles (and less plastic in general) is produced in the first place. I have lots of ideas and goals and it’s really exciting to imagine growing Cocoplum in ways that make a bigger impact on sustainability".
Thank you to Claire Ring for speaking with us! To keep up to date with all things Cocoplum, visit https://cocoplumco.com/ or follow them on Instagram @cocoplumsunglasses.
If you have a business you would like featured on the blog, please contact us at smealsustainability@gmail.com.