From Waste to Vision: FUNK Launches the "FUNK PHOENIX PROJECT“

The Bavarian eyewear and acetate manufacturer is revolutionizing recycling: How production remnants and recycled cigarette filters are transformed into new, high-quality spectacles.

What do acetate scraps from the workshop and discarded cigarette filters have in common? For most, they are waste…
For the FUNK manufacturer, they are the raw material of the future.

The traditional company is immediately bundling its pioneering recycling activities under the umbrella name "THE FUNK PHOENIX PROJECT."

The goal: a true circular economy where resources are not wasted, but, like the mythical Phoenix bird, are brought back to life. 

Two Pillars, One Vision: Turning Waste into Vision

The project is based on two strong pillars that converge at the company's in-house factory in Kinsau:

• The Internal cycle: 
  Acetate scraps and remnants are generated daily during eyewear production. Instead of disposing of them, FUNK consistently collects these remnants, shreds them, and locally compresses them into new acetate sheets using a thermocompression process.
  This creates new, direct material for the eyewear collection from the company's own "waste."
  The unique aspect: Even remnants resulting from these recycled sheets can be fed back into the process – again and again and again. A truly infinite circle.
  
  
• The Global Innovation: 
  In cooperation with the startup Celion (IMEKO) from Chile, FUNK is tackling a worldwide environmental problem: cigarette butts.
  The chemical logic behind this is compelling, as filters were originally made from cellulose acetate, among other traditional base materials for eyewear. Celion has established its own collection system in Chile and uses innovative technology to purify the filters. The process is extremely resource-efficient, uses hardly any water, and ensures that all pollutants are professionally separated and disposed of. The resulting granulate is certified free of any residues.
  
  In the FUNK Manufaktur in Bavaria, this pure recycled material is then further processed into acetate sheets, which in turn are used to create beautiful eyewear models.
  
  
• Why Chile? A Commitment to Innovation and the Future. 
  Naturally, the question of transport arises.
  For FUNK, however, this is a conscious investment in the future: IMEKO / Celion is a young startup that needs brave industrial partners to survive and scale its technology now. Without buyers, this groundbreaking solution would disappear from the market or become dependent on large corporations. We support Celion from the start to establish the technology.
  
  The shared vision is clear: to make the process successful today so that in the medium term, production and collection can also be brought to Europe – because there is enough of the "raw material" right on our doorstep.

Exclusive Stage for Innovation:
The New FUNK/SCHUSTER Models Made from Celion Material

To ensure that the revolutionary story of cigarette recycling doesn't get lost in the assortment, FUNK has decided to feature exclusive models within the established FUNK/SCHUSTER collection that are made purely from the Celion material.

"We didn't want to simply hide this special material in the collection," explains Dieter Funk, founder and eyewear maker. "The new models are designed to put the material's unique history in the spotlight. Anyone who wears these glasses is wearing a statement for environmental protection and craftsmanship."

About FUNK
FUNK is one of the last true eyewear manufacturers in Germany. Since its founding in 1992, the company has stood for manual perfection, extravagant design, and transparent production. At the Kinsau location, eyewear is created that is far more than just visual aids—they are an expression of personality and attitude. With the FUNK PHOENIX PROJECT, the company once again underlines its role as a pioneer for sustainable innovations in the optical industry.

German Eyewear Heritage since 1992

Premiere: The new models and the FUNK PHOENIX PROJECT will celebrate their world premiere at the upcoming opti in Munich (Hall C2, Stand 270) and will be presented to the public for the first time there.