29 July 2020
Sustainable eyewear brand, Proof Eyewear, has launched its new UK website with its European distributor, commenting that the team are “ready to receive orders from optometrists who want to join us on our journey.”
Headquartered in Idaho, US, the family business launched its UK website last month with plans to bring its range of handmade frames to independent practices.
The sustainable eyewear brand was founded in 2010 by three brothers, Tanner, Brooks and Taylor Dame. With the initial idea of developing a wood consumer product, the business was built from a garage “with a laptop and glasses display.”
“We are ready to receive orders from optometrists who want to join us on our journey. We have the collection in stock and if not, we are able to serve the demand within a working week,” explained agent and distributor, Eelco de Vries.
The company explains that every pair of its handmade frames is sustainable, eco-conscious and renewable. Proof Eyewear has three continuous collections; ‘Acetate’, ‘Aluminum’ and ‘Wood’, all of which are available in the UK.
The Acetate Collection is made from a cotton-based Acetate and is 100% renewable, biodegradable and hypoallergenic. The Aluminum Collection is made from breaking down and recycling discarded products and scraps, while the Wood Collection is crafted from sustainably-sourced wood and hand polished and coated with a water/sweat-resistant natural plant-based sealant.
“Our products offer consumers the possibility to wear a handmade sustainable frame that is affordable,” added Mr de Vries. “Because our frames are handmade from natural materials, each frame is unique and no two frames are the same.”
The company also offers conditions tailored to specific practices without the pressure to stock a full collection, Mr de Vries said, as “Everyone chooses the frames they want to sell.”
Discussing the company’s re-entry into the UK market, Mr De Vries said: “We believe the UK market has so much to offer us because of the diversity of people in the United Kingdom. We will offer all of our collections to independent opticians only and the UK has a good position of various independent practices.”
As part of the company’s dedication to sustainability, Proof runs a recycle programme, through which customers can hand in broken glasses for recycling and to receive a discount on a new frame.
Giving back also forms a key part of the brand’s ethos, with a portion of every purchase donated to its Do Good programme, supporting charities and projects around the world.
“We offer more than just eyewear and sunglasses, we offer the awareness that sustainability doesn’t have to be boring and expensive,” Mr de Vries summarised.
This is a side of the brand’s work that has been particularly impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19 as its Do Good project work has had to be postponed.
“It has been a challenge to keep going but we managed,” commented Mr de Vries. “Now that restrictions are getting less severe, people tend to go and visit the opticians and other healthcare providers. We all need to try and get going in the new community.”
Headquartered in Idaho, US, the family business launched its UK website last month with plans to bring its range of handmade frames to independent practices.
The sustainable eyewear brand was founded in 2010 by three brothers, Tanner, Brooks and Taylor Dame. With the initial idea of developing a wood consumer product, the business was built from a garage “with a laptop and glasses display.”
“We are ready to receive orders from optometrists who want to join us on our journey. We have the collection in stock and if not, we are able to serve the demand within a working week,” explained agent and distributor, Eelco de Vries.
The company explains that every pair of its handmade frames is sustainable, eco-conscious and renewable. Proof Eyewear has three continuous collections; ‘Acetate’, ‘Aluminum’ and ‘Wood’, all of which are available in the UK.
The Acetate Collection is made from a cotton-based Acetate and is 100% renewable, biodegradable and hypoallergenic. The Aluminum Collection is made from breaking down and recycling discarded products and scraps, while the Wood Collection is crafted from sustainably-sourced wood and hand polished and coated with a water/sweat-resistant natural plant-based sealant.
“Our products offer consumers the possibility to wear a handmade sustainable frame that is affordable,” added Mr de Vries. “Because our frames are handmade from natural materials, each frame is unique and no two frames are the same.”
The company also offers conditions tailored to specific practices without the pressure to stock a full collection, Mr de Vries said, as “Everyone chooses the frames they want to sell.”
Discussing the company’s re-entry into the UK market, Mr De Vries said: “We believe the UK market has so much to offer us because of the diversity of people in the United Kingdom. We will offer all of our collections to independent opticians only and the UK has a good position of various independent practices.”
Proof Eyewear was launched by founder Brooks Dame and his brothers, Tanner and Taylor, from a garage in Idaho.
Giving back also forms a key part of the brand’s ethos, with a portion of every purchase donated to its Do Good programme, supporting charities and projects around the world.
“We offer more than just eyewear and sunglasses, we offer the awareness that sustainability doesn’t have to be boring and expensive,” Mr de Vries summarised.
This is a side of the brand’s work that has been particularly impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19 as its Do Good project work has had to be postponed.
“It has been a challenge to keep going but we managed,” commented Mr de Vries. “Now that restrictions are getting less severe, people tend to go and visit the opticians and other healthcare providers. We all need to try and get going in the new community.”
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