How can I reuse or recycle glasses cases?

glasses caseAs well as finding a myriad of broken belts while tidying our bedroom the other week, I found an assortment of old spectacle cases dotted around the room too.

Most of the glasses have gone bye-bye – either lost or, in the case of my beloved plastic frames last month, snapped in half – but the cases still linger. I use one case for my spare pair and have another for my sunglasses, but that still leaves me with four empties – hard ones from the opticians, from when I got the glasses in the first place. I obviously will try not to accept any more in the future but what can I do with the ones I’ve got now?

While there are a lot of charities that collect old spectacles for redistribution overseas, those that filter them onto Vision Aid Overseas won’t take the cases – because presumably they use their own branded cases or the like during the redistribution process.

So does anyone know of any charities that specifically ask for old cases? Or have any other suggestions of things to do with them?

(Photo by ppreacher)

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31 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle glasses cases?”


  1. Jon says:

    I’ve got a charity junk shop near me (Cardiff) called ReCreate which accepts any reusable stuff. I noticed they had loads of glasses cases there before. Any place like that would take them. They would make pretty useful containers for loads of things I imagine…

  2. Delusion says:

    You could store plasters, germoline etc in them for car trips.

    Or if you buy a pack of car bulbs, you usually get about 4 in the pack and only need one – the rest can be stored in one of the hard cases in the glovebox.

  3. Bellen says:

    Pad the inside top, cover with pretty material – use for a sewing kit, needles and pins in the top; small cards/spools of thread, small scissors, etc in the bottom. Keep in purse, work, car.

    Use as a safe stash for spare house/car keys – put in shed – who’s going to look there?

    Mini office for your purse or car – pens, stamps, scissors, stapler, paper clips, notebook – all in mini sizes

    Tampon/mini pad holder – for those of us who like to keep personal items personal, especially in a desk drawer at work

    For the guys – fish hook holder, those odd screws/nails, tie wraps, mini bungee cords

  4. JeffConn says:

    Take them to any local charity that has a thrift store. I haven’t bought a new glasses case in around a decade, because i can always find a cool old one in good shape.

  5. Bobbie says:

    I was thinking that they would perhaps make a good cell phone case. The soft ones could be cut down and sewn. The hard ones perhaps could have some elastic strapping added to the interior to hold down the phone with room enough for a tiny notepad and pen.

  6. I use one of mine as a pencil case

  7. Nicole says:

    I use one for my hair barrettes.

  8. AmyS says:

    Decorate the outside with paper collage or fabric, and reuse for the same purpose. Might make a nice holiday gift for a four-eyed friend…

  9. If I were you I would embellish the outside maybe with a collage or buttons & use it instead of wrapping paper for a tiny gift that would fit in. Or also you can use them to hold your rouge a levres or any make up in your purse. it will stay in one place.

    The blogger next door!

  10. Susie says:

    Could also use for small jewelry items (especially if you’re like me and have too much jewelry for a box).

    • justn1185 says:

      my wife does this! great idea.
      we decorate our boxes on the out and inside.
      line the inside with a pretty fabric and fabric or hot glue it in. Old pillowcases or dresses work for memories.

  11. Tate says:

    As mentioned elsewhere, give the boxes/cases to kids to store and keep “stuff” in. They love all sorts of containers. (I did!)

  12. My response would probably be less relevant to the question of reusing and repurposing, but it would still apply to the topic of spectacles cases. I have only one, and that is because each time anyone in my household has glasses made/reframed/repaired, we specifically decline a new/extra glasses case. After all, we only wear one pair at any given time. Either put your new glasses on in the shop itself, or bring your empty case with you to put your glasses in. I prefer the waste minimisation approach.

  13. Gulia says:

    You can grow tiny plants inside the case.

    Store tampons to carry in your purse for concealment.

    A child can paint the case as a tomb, make a tiny mummy and place it inside for the school project.

    Carry soap in it when you travel.

  14. glasses case says:

    It would be ideal to store in the car to keep all your loose change in

  15. Wendy says:

    Use them to store those pesky cables we now have for everything: iPod, iPad, ereaders, etc. Phone chargers are probably too big though.

  16. Kathleen says:

    Soft, thick sunglass cases are perfect for carrying and storing your iPod or other hand-held device.

  17. Vicky says:

    They make great storage for rotary cutters, that quilters use.
    So just take them to any quilt store, and am sure they will be a blessing to whoever needs one.

  18. Maureen says:

    Thanks for all the comments about the specs case can’t beleive I was so narrow minded I’m always using old boxes for stuff. Now realised I don’t have enough specs cases for what I want to do ! 1st aid kit in the car is a good one I’ve just put all the little bits and bobs you like to hang onto from the bottom of my sewing box into one and am starting a sewing kit for when were travelling also those small and super small screwdrivers that are handy to have have gone into another. I’m off to see if I can find any more cases but in future I will think about refusing a case thats if I don’t need one !

  19. justn1185 says:

    Storage boxes are a great idea. They are PERFECT for that job they were made for it!
    We get a group of friends together (we’re all art kids) and decorate them. Take old clothes or pretty material and fabric glue them to the inside or hot glue. Super glue wont work because it makes an ugly saturated hard part.
    We also shellac the outside and paint and seal it. You could cover this in fabric too but it wears out pretty fast!

  20. Janet says:

    It seems a lot of us have the same problem! The idea is to get rid of them! They still take up house room if you just use them in other ways. I don’t need things for little children anymore and I have a small sewing kit etc., already, also a first aid kit rather larger than that for my needs in the car and house. So apart from just throwing them in the dustbin which seems a waste, and for me getting into a charity shop which “might” take them as I’m disabled, doesn’t solve the problem. so it seems no-one wants them. I just can’t understand the fact that they recycle the glasses, so why not the cases as well?

  21. Along the Way says:

    Women can cary sanitary pads in them, in case purse opens or falls and everything falls out. You don’t want people to see your hygiene items or medicine, or extra set of pentyhose or extra underwear.

  22. Along the Way says:

    Keep your dollar bills and important cards in it, thieves will reach for your wallet instead.

  23. Alenka says:

    Use the case that closes loudly as distraction, when during conversation you don’t say truth but don’t want people look into your face and guess. :)

  24. Alenka says:

    Make a slit in it and collect coins. It is easy to retrieve them from such piggy bank.

  25. Alenka says:

    Turn it into emergency sewing kit buy carrying inside needles, threads, buttons, small scizors.

  26. Alenka says:

    Carry in it mini snacks.

  27. Paul says:

    DON’T GET VISION AID OVERSEAS WRONG>
    These guys are volunteer opticians that give up their holiday time to serve the needy and their luggage allowance they give up too so that they can take out as many donated spectacles as they possibly can and spectacle cases are extra weight and bulk in their luggage which they prefer to have as usable glasses space.
    So no they don’t use their own cases either. Lets face it, even in Africa you can easily make a cloth case but the glasses are a luxury that is either unaffordable or simply not available.

    • None of your business says:

      No offence but why are you saying “even in Africa” because not all of Africa is poor it’s just a lot of white people think that. For example, South Africa isn’t even poor.
      So you can’t go stereotyping africa for it all to be poor cuz that’s just damn right rude ugh
      What’s wrong with you
      I am offended

  28. Karen says:

    I belong to one of the groups that collect old glasses for overseas, but as was mentioned, we don’t send the cases. I’m the person who goes around and collects the glasses from the boxes we have placed in different parts in our town. Many people put the spectacle cases in the box along with the glasses so then I’m stuck with trying to get rid of them. I haven’t come up with any satisfactory answer and they are piling up. I hate to see them ending up in a landfill.

  29. Paul says:

    Re: ‘Non of your business’ comment. AUG 28 2019

    I am from Africa and I am fully aware that we are not all poor and I never said we were. I am saying that whatever Country you reside in, everyone has the basic skills to improvise .
    Why be rude and be so quick to take offence?

    There was no offence intended and my sincere apologies !



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