Blue leads 2.5 m euro investment round in world’s first premium sunglasses made from 100-percent recycled materials

Stockholm, Sweden, January 15, 2019 – Blue, a Stockholm-based investment company that serves as a catalyst for sustainability-driven innovation, has invested 1.25m euro in sustainability-driven Chilean eyewear maker Karün, which turns reclaimed materials such as fishing nets into premium, high-quality sunglasses.Karün sunglasses have already caught the attention of world top sporting celebrities such as top Chilean surfer Ramón Navarro as well as organizations like the Volvo Ocean Race.

The Blue investment, which is part of the total 2.5m investment round including investors such as Luna, an investment organization founded by Lucy Ana Walton, is designed to significantly strengthen Karün’s fast-track global brand building and development of a number of new product lines, marketing and organization in new markets around the world.

“Karün shows how entrepreneurs can embed environmental concerns into their business vision as it trailblazes the integration of green practices into its material sourcing and manufacturing that reflect the humanity of its founders and management team,” said Blue co-founder and CEO, Anders Jacobson.

He notes that lost or abandoned plastic fishing gear comprises 10 percent of all the plastic waste in the sea, ensnaring marine wildlife and ultimately destined to break down into micro plastic particles that will enter the human food and water chain to threaten the future health and wellbeing of every inhabitant on the planet.

“Karün sunglasses are symbols of the change we want to see happening in the world by making a positive impact on the environment and local communities,” said Thomas Kimber, founder and CEO.

Mr. Kimber said his company’s eyewear are beautiful products designed and sourced in Patagonia and made in Italy with the aim to directly contribute to protecting the environment by turning reclaimed noble and natural materials into positive products and by creating a source of income for micro-entrepreneurs in Patagonia.

“We are enabling small-scale business people to scale their sustainable businesses and create economic opportunities empowering their own communities,” said Thomas Kimber.

“Instead of a linear and extractive production process - which is used by most companies in the world – Karün is building our entire value chain under a circular and regenerative model designed to help restore natural ecosystems and local economies, he added.”

Anders Jacobson said Karün sets an exemplary example of circular economy thinking by up-cycling discarded materials backback into highly desirable new high value products.

Karün’s approach helped the company become the official sunglass supplier to the recently concluded Volvo Ocean Race. Its frames became the top choice for many of the sailors who raced around the world, such as Martin Strömberg, Mark Towill and Charlie Enright.

Blue today owns companies such as Bluewater, a world leader in drinking water technologies and solutions, and is investing in a growing portfolio of game-changing companies, including Climeon, Baseload Capital, Save by Solar and Visiba Care.

“Karün are change-makers who are demonstrating it is possible to solve the problems facing the planet and humanity in sustainable ways,” Mr Jacobson said.

For more information, please contact David Noble, Blue PR & Communications Director, at dn@blueab.se or +44 7785 302 694.

About Blue
Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Blue is an investment company that serves as a catalyst for innovations that can solve some of the major challenges facing our planet and all living on it. Blue invests in and operates Nordic and international companies and organizations that apply human ingenuity to deliver resourceful, sustainable solutions serving as a force for good in society.

About Karün
Based in Puerto Varas, Patagonia, Chile, Karün is a Chilean B corp that makes sunglasses as a tool to inspire people into looking at the world from a different point of view; one in which we are all nature. They create high quality eyewear, made under a very different way; using reclaimed, natural and noble materials while working alongside local communities in Patagonia. www.karunworld.com