STICKS AND SPARROW
Sticks and Sparrow grew out of a combined love for eyewear and a strong connection to nature.
What began with some handmade prototypes for friends and family, soon became a more substantial collection and was introduced to the EYETRIBE SUN collection in 2014.
Following a 10+ year career in the eyewear industry and despite a personal promise not to enter into the crowded and competitive adult eyewear market, Bec (Designer & Director, EYETRIBE) could not resist working with sustainable materials such as bamboo, reclaimed wood and cork that offered a more responsible approach to eyewear design.
Plant based acetate is used in front frames and combined with natural bamboo, wood and cork temples and fitted with high grade scratch resistant CR39 lenses that comply with world leading Australian Eye Protection Standards (AS/NZS 1067.1, 2016).
Committed to utilising sustainable materials that not only minimise wastage but also provide new applications for nature's underutilised renewable resources, we also look to locally to source nature's goodness.
Our Harvest collection incorporates hand pressed native flowers and foliage into frames, that have been grown and preserved in farms across regional Victoria.
We are passionate about eye protection too and ensure our lenses provide the highest level of UV protection in our overexposed Australian climate.
Sticks & Sparrow’s light weight, high strength frames are individually packaged in soft pouches inside protective pressed cork hard cases.
We design all of our product in Melbourne and have a close network of toolers and makers across the global community who assist us to construct each piece.
Designed for wearers with an eye for style and a social conscience.
Welcome to our flock!
WHY CORK?
Cork is the bark of the cork oak tree, and for thousands of years, the cultivation of cork oak trees has proven to be one of our planet’s most sustainable and environmentally responsible types of farming.
Harvesting the cork doesn't harm the tree because only the bark is extracted. The harvesting process actually enhances the health and lifecycle of the forests which support high levels of biodiversity and foster a great diversity of plants and endangered species. Its growth reduces up to two times the amount of CO2 compared to other trees.
The cork used in the Sticks & Sparrow collection is sourced from some of the largest cork forests in Portugal. The cork is stripped and treated and then hand wrapped around the temples which provide the frames with flexibility, a soft texture and incredible light weight comfort.
Cork is reusable, fire and water resistant, insulating and biodegradable. In summary, it is a pretty amazing natural resource!
WHY BAMBOO?
Bamboo is the fastest growing grass on earth. It can grow up to one metre per day in tropical climates and holds the promise of a sustainable, ecologically responsible alternative to widespread clearcutting of hardwood trees.
After harvesting, bamboo does not require replanting, its extensive root system continually sends up new shoots, naturally replenishing itself & making it one of the most renewable resources on earth.
In addition to its natural beauty, bamboo is intrinsically light in weight, is stronger than steel and can also tolerate extreme heat conditions. All of which make it ideally suited to eyewear frame construction.
The bamboo used in Sticks & Sparrow's hand crafted bamboo temples is sourced from China, where the world's largest bamboo reservoir is located.
