Alistair Barnes

Alistair Barnes is the founder and CEO of BALLO, an ethical fashion brand specializing in sustainable eyewear.12 He established the company in 2013, driven by a desire to reconnect humans with nature and inspired by the outdoors.13

Background and Motivation

Barnes grew up in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands in South Africa, where his father worked as an architect.4 His journey to founding BALLO was influenced by a previous experience with a US-based wooden sunglass brand that falsely claimed to manufacture in the USA while actually producing in China. This deception motivated Barnes to create his own authentic and sustainable eyewear company.1

BALLO's Mission and Practices

Under Barnes' leadership, BALLO is committed to:

• Sustainability: Using recycled and upcycled materials for their frames, including wood offcuts, recycled paper, fabric offcuts, and bio-resin.1
• Local Manufacturing: Producing handmade sunglasses in Cape Town, South Africa, through 23 unique hand-crafted processes.1
• Social Impact: Addressing unemployment in South Africa by creating jobs and empowering people through their manufacturing process.1
• Environmental and Social Causes: Supporting various initiatives related to the environment, gender equality, and education.1

Recent Initiatives

In 2024, Barnes launched the BUY 1 GIVE 1 project, where for every pair of BALLO sunglasses purchased, the company donates a frame to a schoolchild in need of glasses in South Africa.1

Alistair Barnes continues to serve as the Founder and Creative Director of BALLO, based in Cape Town, South Africa.25 His LinkedIn username is alistairbarnes, where he shares updates about the company and its initiatives.3