Ophélie Vanbremeersch – The Visionary Behind Zac
In the heart of France, amidst the quiet elegance of cobbled streets and artisan culture, a young woman saw more than just discarded objects—she saw potential. Ophélie Vanbremeersch wasn’t born into luxury, nor did she follow a linear path. What set her apart was her ability to see value where others saw waste. And from that singular vision, Zac was born—a company that reimagines eyewear not as a fashion statement alone, but as a revolution in sustainability and accessibility.
From an early age, Ophélie had an eye for design and a mind shaped by purpose. While others were captivated by the glitter of new things, she often lingered in flea markets, enamored by the forgotten, the second-hand, the stories etched in scratches and worn-out hinges. Where many saw broken glasses, she saw untold tales—frames that once sat on the noses of dreamers, thinkers, doers. Her mission: to give them a second life.
It started with a simple idea. Ophélie noticed that millions of eyeglasses were discarded every year—not because they were broken, but because they were no longer fashionable. Perfectly functional lenses, elegant frames, quality craftsmanship—cast aside in the name of trends. It troubled her deeply. She asked a bold question: What if refurbished could be desirable?
Thus, Zac was launched. Not in a grand corporate tower, but in a modest workshop that smelled of metal polish and creative fire. The name Zac—short for “Zone à créer” (Zone to Create)—was not just a brand; it was a manifesto. A commitment to circular fashion, environmental ethics, and social good. Ophélie built the company with a mission to make quality eyewear both sustainable and accessible for all. No pretension, no compromise—just beautifully reimagined frames that carried both style and soul.
Zac’s model was daringly simple. They partnered with opticians, donation centers, and recycling hubs across France to collect unused or discarded eyewear. Each piece was thoroughly cleaned, repaired, reimagined, and then sold at prices that undercut the high-end market without sacrificing design or function. A team of artisans, many of whom had been marginalized in traditional employment structures, were brought in and trained—reviving both glasses and livelihoods.
But the innovation didn’t stop at recycling. Ophélie infused Zac with a spirit of collaboration and empowerment. Customers weren’t just buyers—they were changemakers. Every purchase from Zac supported environmental education programs in schools, and every pair of refurbished glasses came with a small card sharing its previous journey. From “formerly owned by a Parisian architect” to “recovered from a vintage collection in Lyon,” each pair told a story—allowing wearers to feel a part of something far greater than fashion.
Zac grew organically, powered by word-of-mouth and community love. Ophélie resisted venture capital offers that might compromise her values. She chose instead to scale slowly, mindfully, ensuring that each step stayed aligned with Zac’s founding spirit: a better world, seen clearly.
Today, Zac stands as a beacon in the global movement for sustainable fashion. Its collections are found not in mega malls, but in curated concept stores, eco-fairs, and through an online platform that ships across continents. Yet its heart remains rooted in its founding belief—that the future of fashion lies not in creating more, but in cherishing what already exists.
Ophélie Vanbremeersch, in her quiet yet fierce way, has done more than build a company. She has reshaped an industry. She has turned waste into wonder, and wearers into warriors of the Earth. She reminds us that vision is not just about seeing—it’s about seeing differently.
In a world clouded by fast fashion and disposable habits, Ophélie offers us clarity. Through Zac, she invites us all to look again—to find beauty in the overlooked, strength in the recycled, and power in every restored pair of glasses. The future, thanks to her, is clearer than ever.
🌍 1. The Circular Economy in Eyewear: Zac’s Silent Revolution
How Zac is not just recycling glasses—but redefining the very system of production and consumption in the fashion and optics industry.
✨ 2. From Waste to Wonder: The Art of Refurbishing Eyewear
A behind-the-scenes look into how Zac artisans transform abandoned glasses into wearable art, blending sustainability with craftsmanship.
💬 3. Every Pair Tells a Story: The Emotional Value of Reclaimed Frames
Explore how each refurbished pair comes with its own backstory, creating an emotional connection between past owners and new wearers.
👓 4. Empowering Through Vision: Zac’s Social Inclusion Program
Learn how Zac trains and employs marginalized individuals—especially women and youth—in artisan roles, giving them dignified, skilled employment.
🌱 5. Zac in Schools: Teaching Kids About Sustainability Through Eyewear
Discover how Zac is reaching into classrooms, using recycled glasses as tools to teach about environmental responsibility and conscious consumption.
💡 6. Affordable Vision, Accessible Style: Fighting Eyewear Inequality
An inspiring look into Zac’s initiatives to provide low-cost or free glasses to underserved communities in France and abroad.
🏪 7. Zac Pop-Up Labs: Urban Workshops for Green Innovation
Zac’s temporary pop-ups across European cities where locals can bring old glasses, learn to refurbish them, and participate in eco-design workshops.
🧵 8. Eco-Fashion Meets Eyewear: Zac Collaborations With Sustainable Designers
Highlighting partnerships between Zac and eco-fashion pioneers, blending vision care with haute couture sustainability.
📦 9. Packaging That Protects the Planet: Zac’s Zero-Waste Logistics
How Zac has gone beyond the product to innovate in eco-friendly packaging, shipping, and carbon-offset delivery systems.
🔍 10. Transparency Is the New Luxury: Inside Zac’s Open Supply Chain
A breakdown of Zac’s commitment to showing customers where every component of a product comes from—restoring trust in conscious brands.
🎨 11. From Local Flea Markets to Global Eyewear Racks: Zac’s Growth Journey
A motivational chronicle of how Ophélie scaled Zac without compromising her ethics, proving mindful business can thrive globally.
🤝 12. Seeing the Future: Ophélie’s Mentorship for Young Eco-Entrepreneurs
How Ophélie is mentoring the next generation of sustainable business leaders, especially women, through workshops and fellowship programs.
🕊️ 13. Vision for Peace: Zac’s Role in Post-Crisis Recovery Zones
Zac’s pilot projects that bring eyewear and economic empowerment to regions affected by conflict or natural disasters.
🎓 14. The Zac Academy: Teaching Optics, Repair, and Eco-Innovation
A vocational program initiated by Ophélie to teach underserved youth about optics, eyewear design, and entrepreneurship.
🌐 15. Global Impact Through Local Craft: Zac’s International Expansion
The inspiring story of how Zac maintained a French artisan soul while expanding operations to communities in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
