Narrator: This machine is cutting out eyeglasses.
But the frames aren't plastic.
They're made of used coffee grounds.
Narrator: The company Ochis makes its
biodegradable frames in Kyiv,
the capital of Ukraine,
a city which has withstood deadly Russian airstrikes
on and off for months.
As Ukrainians deal with the damage,
many cafes remain open, despite the risks.
Narrator: And one of them gives their used grounds
to Ochis.
People around the world drink about 2 billion cups
of coffee every day.
What if there's a new plastic replacement right
under our noses?
We went to Kyiv to see how workers make glasses
from worldwide waste.
As the war drags on,
coffee shops offer Ukrainians a sliver of normalcy.
Narrator: This shop closed for about three weeks
after the war began.
But when it reopened in March, customers came right back.
Narrator: The barista discards 11 pounds
of coffee grounds every day.
An Ochis staff member collects the used grounds
a few times a week.
Turning coffee grounds into glasses
keeps them out of landfills.
That's good news, because when organic waste breaks down
without oxygen, it creates methane, a powerful type
of planet-warming pollution.
At the company's production facility, the first step
is drying them out.
The team grinds them into an ultrafine powder.
Then they blend the powder with plant oils.
Narrator: Workers spread the mixture into molds.
Some Ochis frames also include flowers, coconut,
or other decorative accents.
Then they put these molds into a press
and allow the oil and coffee blend to harden under pressure.
Narrator: Workers here place the decorated plates
in a machine that cuts them into basic shapes.
These will become the rims and temples of the glasses.
Narrator: Maksym Havrylenko grew up surrounded
by eyewear.
His parents met working
in the region's largest glasses factory.
After the Soviet Union fell, they began selling them
at markets, and they eventually opened their own shop,
where Maksym learned to repair glasses.
Narrator: He tested out lots
of materials, including sesame pulp, flax, and hemp.
Narrator: Maksym and about a quarter of Ochis' employees
started working remotely after the war began,
and the company paused making glasses.
After about two months,
the team returned to the workshop.
Narrator: Insider filmed here in early October.
About two weeks later, Kyiv faced deadly drone strikes
that forced many people to shelter again.
The nearby attacks have left their mark.
Narrator: But hanging on to daily routines
is an act of defiance.
Narrator: Even as rolling blackouts
and air raid sirens interrupt their work,
Ochis staff return to the workshop whenever possible.
Narrator: And they're making a line
of glasses dedicated to their country.
Narrator: A team of craftspeople shapes
and polishes the pieces.
Narrator: A laser engraver adds finishing touches.
Then the team puts the pieces together.
Narrator: After final inspection,
the frames are ready for lenses.
Narrator: The whole process for one pair takes
about four days, but the team's work isn't done.
They make cases out of coffee, too.
Narrator: Globally, coffee drinkers create
more than 2,000 large dump trucks' worth
of these grounds every day.
Ochis would have to make a lot more glasses
to make a dent in coffee ground waste.
Right now, it can fulfill all its orders with the leftovers
from just one local cafe.
Eventually, Maksym plans to expand.
Narrator: For now, most Ochis glasses are sold online
to foreign customers.
Narrator: About a tenth of sales happen
at local retailers like this one.
Narrator: Customers in the Kyiv shop said they're eager
to support a locally made product.
Narrator: Since the time of filming,
Russian attacks have damaged infrastructure,
creating water shortages and putting Kyiv
at risk of a total blackout.
City officials told The New York Times that if that happens,
they might tell all residents to evacuate.
And much of Max's hometown lies in ruin
following a withdrawal of Russian forces.
Narrator: But despite the grim situation,
Maksym is committed to getting his product out
into the world.
Narrator: It's a sentiment that keeps his team going.