Echoes of the Past: Acetate frame design in the 1970s

This week’s Echoes of the Past looks back at the January 17 issue of Optician from 1975. Around the time the issue went to press, NBC television show Ironside showed its 199th and final episode after a run of eight seasons.

In his 'Designing frames in acetate' article, William Brett covered the topics such as the quality and evolution of material, the impact of lens forms and future trends.

Brett said the acrylics that became available after WW2 moved acetate frame design into a ‘different league.’ The new material had a number of benefits, including increased shaping opportunities and the ability to retain form. Increased sophistication of materials also led to lower breakage rates and reduced glazing costs.