PRESS RELEASE: Arise Collective and WWF-Australia Celebrate a Milestone to Protect Marine Life

Arise Collective and the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia (WWF-Australia) celebrate a significant milestone to protect endangered marine life. As part of ongoing efforts to achieve a Net Free North, WWF-Australia successfully secured a 100,000 square kilometre refuge for marine animals, free from dangerous commercial gill nets.

The achievement is a result of WWF-Australia’s hard work, as well as fundraising from projects such as the limited-edition Arise Collective x WWF ReefCycle sunglasses that have supported the purchase of the last commercial gill net license in the area. As a result, 90-95% of the far northern Great Barrier Reef is now net-free.

To continue this important work, the partnership welcomes customers to make their own contribution through the ReefCycle collection. The sustainable, stylish frames are made from upcycled commercial gill nets from the northern Great Barrier Reef. With each frame sold, Arise Collective donates 50% of the sale to fund WWF-Australia’s conservation work.

With prices starting at 89 AUD, the sporty sunglasses feature a print of the endangered marine animal that you are helping to save. The lenses come in earthy green, grey or brown hues with polarised variations. Vision Direct also makes it simple to fully customise the sunglasses with prescription lenses. When wearing the sunglasses, customers will truly feel like they’re making a difference.

Julia Ritchie, Merchandising Manager at Vision Direct, notes “We are so honored to have the exclusive rights of offering our Australia’s customers ReefCycle sunglasses. These sustainable, upcycled sunnies from Arise Collective X WWF-Australia, are limited edition sunglasses that have been made from a once deadly commercial gill net in the northern Great Barrier Reef. As part of the Net Free North initiative, these sunglasses have actively contributed to a 100,000 square kilometer refuge where dugongs, inshore dolphins, and turtles can be free from commercial gill nets.”

Richard Leck, WWF-Australia Head of Oceans emphasises, “Australia’s nature needs us now more than ever. If we’re to Regenerate Australia and give our precious wildlife and wild places a fighting chance in a warming world, decisions like this one, creating a net free north across the iconic Great Barrier Reef world heritage site, benefit both people and nature, and should be our way forward.”

Help make a difference and protect marine life with the Arise x WWF-Australia ReefCycle Sunglasses, available exclusively at Vision Direct.

About Arise Collective
Arise Collective was founded in 2017 to create stylish, socially driven, quality eyewear at an affordable price. Developed by a global community, the Arise Collective team has a clear vision to offer the latest eyewear designs, whilst celebrating diversity and driving social and environmental impact.

About WWF-Australia
WWF-Australia is one of the world’s largest and most experienced independent conservation organisations, with over five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF-Australia’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.