Costa sunglasses landed in France in the summer of 2016, distributed by Essilor. Conceived in 1983 by a group of enthusiasts, these polarized glasses were designed on the coasts of Florida, in the United States. The objective: to protect the eyes of adventurous fishermen from the strong luminosity, the harmful rays of the sun and the mirror effect of the ocean. Since then, Costa has become synonymous in the United States with eye protection for water activities. They were first particularly popular with fishing guides and sport fishing aficionados âeuros popular activities on the U.S. coasts âeuros before being integrated into all sailing communities.
The American brand âeuros through the Essilor âeuros network now wants to establish itself in France for fans of water sports, long-distance sailors, adventurers, tour-du-mondistes or fishermen.
Polarized glasses designed for water sports
In the U.S., Costa is synonymous with protective (100% UV filtering) and polarized sunglasses. Developed by experts, the lenses feature the exclusive and patented 580° technology. Developed in Florida laboratories, this technology ensures selective light filtering. The lenses absorb the color yellow (90% elimination) and thus provide better color definition. They eliminate high-energy blue light, which is very dazzling and scattering, and thus offer better contrast. The lenses are polarized, limiting the glare associated with the reflection of light on water and provide excellent UV protection.
Hand-fitted, these goggles are made of innovative materials that allow for the practice of all sports activities. Hydrolite is a hypoallergenic non-slip material, while Monel is a metal alloy that is particularly resistant to corrosion. The plastic frames are made of castor oil-based TR90 nylon to respect the brand's strong commitment to sustainable development.
Environmentally friendly glasses
Costa used eco-friendly materials to make the glasses, especially for the frames. Made of TR90 nylon, they require much less fossil fuel thanks to the use of castor plant resins. These bio resins have reduced emissions in the manufacturing process of plastic sunglasses by 40%.
Essilor, Costa's reseller
70 Costa brand models, for a wide range of practices and desires, are offered at opticians. Each model can be adapted to a particular vision, from single vision to progressive lenses.
Prestigious ambassadors
The three Breton surfers of "Lost in the Swell" who are going in search of waves around the world will be equipped with Costa glasses for their next trip. For their expedition where heat, waves, light and efforts are mixed, Costa polarized glasses bring them resistance and protection.
"We've tried a lot of glasses and these are absolutely amazing! They make all the details on the water, they bring out the colors like never before. For the surfer that I am, it's an incredible comfort: you don't miss anything of the reliefs. For the adventurers that we are, the fact of knowing that they are going to bring us this quality of vision in the activities that we are going to practice on the African coasts (bicycle, sea, travel, fishing), while protecting us effectively the eyes it is very exciting "explains Aurélien Jacob, a member of the Lost in the Swell collective and a surf instructor.
Jeremie Beyou, a well-known skipper who will leave on November 6, 2016 for the Vendée Globe he will take the polarized glasses of the American brand with him. A good way to protect his eyes, since the sailor will spend more than two months at sea, looking at the horizon or at his sails, and therefore at the skyâeuros¦
"I was really impressed during my transatlantic race by the performance of the Costa 580 lens technology, which gave me exactly what I was looking for, namely perfect protection, visual comfort and a reduction in eye fatigue, which tends to set in quickly when you spend your days on deck or scanning the weather files. A race is won on the performance of the boat, but also on the total commitment of the skipper. Therefore, every element counts: our eyes are damaged by the sun and its reflections on the water, by the sea spray and the water bubbles that break over us when we are at the helm or when we maneuver at the front. Comfortable and resistant, the Costa goggles that I tested between New York and the Vendée totally convinced me. And then I am very proud to be the ambassador in France of a brand that has become cult in Americaâeuros¦" explains the skipper of Maître Coq.
