Zeal Optics, an American brand of sunglasses that recently joined the European Conservation Alliance, continues to spread its environmental message. As we already reported on Aug. 9, Zeal released earlier this year the world's “greenest” sunglasses, using a patented biodegradable compound based on cotton, called Ace. The company, which is based in Boulder, Colorado, has come out now with a special line of sunglasses with frames in biodegradable stainless steel that comes from buildings damaged in the nuclear disaster around Fukushima. The temples are made with Ace. Meanwhile, Zeal is gradually expanding its footprint in Europe with the help of a bigger American producer of sunglasses, Maui Jim, that took it over two years ago. The U.K. and Irish markets will be handled by Maui Jim and Zeal through a 45-year-old veteran of the sporting goods industry, Gareth Evans, who has been appointed country manager for the whole Maui Jim group in the region. He worked previously in the U.K. for Reebok, Fila and Lacoste Footwear, one of the collections of Pentland Group.