Jonny and Alyssa Scalese, along with C. Joe Anaya, are bringing bamboo sunglasses to BYU–Hawaii. Jonny Scalese, a senior graduating this semester with a degree in business management, and his wife Alyssa, a recent BYUH graduate, are both originally from Maryland. They own the company along with C. Joe Anaya, a senior from Texas studying finance. Island Sunnies are now available in the BYUH Bookstore in the Aloha Center.
Island Sunnies are made of bamboo, a sustainable resource that grows more like grass than trees, according to Alyssa Scalese.“We love everything about Hawaii … the flow, lifestyle, beach, surf, and overall island feel. We wanted to take that with us no matter where we went. Island Sunnies was created to spread the amazing vibe of the island with a reliable, useful product. We can’t promise that a pair of Island Sunnies will improve your surfing, but we are positive that they will make you look better while doing it.”
Abigayle Butler, a BYU–Hawaii alumna from North Carolina, said she loves her wooden sunglasses. For her it was the uniqueness that drew her to buy a pair. “They are waterproof, lightweight, environmentally friendly, and wood sunglasses last for a long time,” she said. Butler said she also loves how they are very natural looking.
Alyssa Scalese said she got the idea for bamboo sunglasses when she was working on a different start up project with T-shirts. “The idea came, and I was obsessed with it for a week straight.” She explained how bamboo sunglasses available elsewhere are so expensive. “We wanted to get some with just as good quality, but for a lot less money,” she said.
As a part of the business, Island Sunnies donates a portion of its profits to the American Reef Coalition, according to Anaya. He has taken the lead in heading up this area of the business. This coalition helps preserve the coral reef on the islands of Hawaii by implementing projects that promote cleaning up waste and disposing of garbage the best way possible, according to Anaya. “This team loves Hawaii, and we want to give back to Hawaii for what Hawaii has given us,” he said.
DJ Magee, a junior from Maryland studying business management, worked with the Scaleses and Anaya in putting together a video showing off the features of their glasses. When asked about his glasses, Magee said, “Island Sunnies has a cool Instagram, and you can follow them @islandsunnies.”
They are launching their new dark brown bamboo sunglasses in the BYUH Bookstore.
Students can purchase a pair online at their website islandsunnies.com for $84, or they can buy a pair in the BYUH Bookstore for $42 as a part of their pre-launch special that will last until Oct. 15. In the near future, the sunglasses will for sale in local surf shops around the North Shore.