Solios: Beautiful Solar-Powered Vegan Watches

Solios is a Canadian brand of solar-powered watches, with vegan straps. A one-time purchase, then you never need buy watch batteries ever again. It’s a one-time purchase, even if made abroad. One solar watch saves the manufacture of around 20 watch batteries.

You can recycle watch batteries (choking hazards) at any jewellery shop.

Send broken and unused watches (and other jewellery and bank notes from any country) in a freepost envelope to Animal Free Research UK (they send these off to a partner who recycles the metal to raise funds). Or send to War Paws, which helps animals caught up in conflict abroad.

Designed to charge for 6 months (after just a couple of hours in the sun), the charger even works by daylight, so you don’t have to worry that these watches won’t work, even on rainy days. The solar panel hidden under the dial, should charge your watch for an entire lifetime!

The watches are sold in many styles and colours, and all the materials are vegan-friendly (no leather). You can also just swap the strap if you want a change, using the tool-free quick release mechanism, so you don’t need to replace the entire watch.

The eco-vegan leather straps are also free from PVC (just wipe with a damp cotton cloth, to clean).

Some of the watches are water-resistant, but note that the watch industry measures by pressure, rather than distance. So someone diving into a pool is not going to be guaranteed no damage. So don’t swim with your watch on! Nor take a shower with them!

The Sunseeker is available in several colours, made with recycled stainless steel and has 10 ATM water resistance, with quick-release straps. It also glows in the dark, so you don’t have to reach for your phone, to tell the time!