Making the most of materials

OT spoke to eyewear companies at 100% Optical (27–29 January, ExCeL London) about the materials their frames are made from.

For David Green Eyewear, it’s about bringing nature to the world through its eyewear by embedding it in its frames. Founder, David Green, explained: “We use up to 40 leaves to make a frame and each piece is unique because it’s not a screen print. The real nature itself is inside the frame.”

Sustainability is paramount for Silhouette and a major focus of its operation. Managing director of Silhouette UK, Perry Moore, said: “Silhouette invests a lot of time, energy and money into sustainable products. The plastic that we use is a natural plastic. A lot of it is made from castor oil with an eye on the environment.” 

Managing director of Kirk & Kirk, Jason Kirk, explained that the company had developed its own unique grade of acrylic. “The reason we use acrylic is because it’s incredibly light and very comfortable to wear. Also, we get this amazing range of glassy, transparent colours that shines through,” he told OT.