I love Marc Jacobs, not only because he provided me with the best bag I’ve ever owned and which I use pretty much every single day on this earth, but because Marc Jacobs loves nature.

Indeed, Marc by Marc Jacobs chic, vintage-inspired eyewear, is derived from a company well-known for a commitment to charitable projects. This new collection supports The Nature Conservancy, the conservation organisation working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and water through a newly created programme called Plant a Seed – Grow Your Tree and Save the Forest. The programme is aimed at promoting and supporting The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign through an important awareness-raising activity for the preservation of our planet’s natural resources. The campaign’s mission is to protect and restore the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, one of the world’s most endangered tropical forests. To date, only 12% of its original area remains and only 7% is well conserved.

At the centre of this worthwhile project are Marc by Marc Jacobs MMJ 261/s bio-based sunglasses, made from a material derived from castor-oil seeds. The chocolate-coloured sunglasses, which feature leaf-textured temples and brown gradient lenses, are packaged in a chic case made from repurposed leather. In support of this project, Marc by Marc Jacobs will make a contribution to The Nature Conservancy to support the restoration of the Atlantic Forest.

A dedicated website for the project provides full details about the campaign and enables site visitors to plant a virtual tree and make it grow. A Facebook application will allow visitors to invite their friends and involve them in the project: a tangible and lasting involvement in an important environmental cause.

Marc by Marc Jacobs eyewear and sunglasses collections are manufactured and distributed by Safilo Group, a company based in Padua, Italy, which is the second-largest manufacturer of eyewear products worldwide and is the world leader in the premium eyewear market.