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How a Ukrainian designer turned coffee waste into the world’s first circular eyewear brand — and a symbol of sustainable creativity.
Welcome to The Changes We Make — the podcast about small choices that create a big impact.
I’m Vitalina, and in each episode, I talk to entrepreneurs, activists, and changemakers about the why behind what they do.
In this episode, I speak with Maksym Havrylenko, founder of Ochis — the world’s first eyewear brand made from coffee grounds. We explore how Maksym transformed a small workshop in Kyiv into a brand that’s redefining sustainable design — turning what most people see as waste into something beautiful, functional, and circular.
Together, we talk about taking risks before sustainability became a buzzword, balancing creativity and purpose, and staying grounded while leading a mission-driven business.
Maksym also shares his honest reflections on leadership, resilience, and the quiet strength of believing in what you do — even when no one else does.
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About Maksym and Ochis:
Born in Kyiv, Ochis is the world’s first coffee-based eyewear brand, creating biodegradable glasses from recycled coffee grounds, natural oils, and plant-based biopolymers. The result? Durable, waterproof, lightweight frames that keep their subtle coffee scent and decompose naturally within about ten years.
Founder Maksym Havrylenko grew up in Izium in a family of opticians and repaired over 20,000 pairs of glasses before deciding to design his own — without plastic. After months of experimenting and over 300 failed prototypes, he created the first coffee-based biopolymer. Early funding came from personal savings, Kickstarter, and later Ukrainian investors.
Today, Ochis sources around 20 kg of coffee grounds every two days from local cafes in Kyiv. The brand has since expanded globally, with over 60% of sales abroad — including the US, Germany, and the UK. Ochis represents more than innovation — it’s a philosophy of circular design and cultural storytelling, proving that sustainability and style can, in fact, go hand in hand.
Learn more about Maksym and Ochis:
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/max.havr
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/maksym-havrylenko-b609b5166/
Find me here:
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/vitalina_makakenko/
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalinamakakenko/
Support Podcast - https://buymeacoffee.com/thechangeswemake
