5Loops
5Loops is the joint venture of twin sisters Caroline and Andrea Vega. Originally from Germany, but having grown up in Peru, both sisters have lived in many different countries across the world and observed the negative impact human activity has on the natural environment. In response to this, 5Loops aims to pair minimisation of waste creation during production with a commitment to recycling.
The company was making its trade show debut at Opti and launched with three ophthalmic designs in seven colours.
‘The frames are named after Peruvian beaches,’ said Caroline Vega. ‘The first one is Punta Hermosa, which is targeted more for women. Then we have Tortugas, which is targeted at women and teenagers, and completing the set is Caballeros, which leans towards a more masculine shape. They are all classical shapes that allow people to express themselves through choice of colour.’
The frames are constructed out of BioAcetate S70, a 62% bio-based material from Wingham that is non-toxic, free from harmful phthalates, and bio-degradable according to ISO 14855. The company also undertakes to receive used 5Loops frames for refurbishment and distribution to social projects in Peru.
Raydiant
Having worked as an eyewear designer for several different companies over many years, Carmelo di Termini has now launched his own brand, Raydiant. Based in Cologne, Germany, Raydiant produces lightweight, 3D printed ophthalmic frames with optional sun clips that are named after film directors and actors.
‘Raydiant has been going for a couple of years now,’ said di Termini. ‘We chose 3D printing for production, not just because it is better in terms of sustainability but because we wanted to make a sun clip system that could be applied to every frame. 3D printing allowed a better outcome for the clip system with the materials we wanted to use. The clips have magnets and make a really satisfying sound when clipping in.’
Raydiant’s frames weigh in at less than 20 grams, allowing for a featherlight wearing experience, and are made in Germany from polyamide. The available colours are generally slightly muted, which di Termini feels allows for more adventurous shapes.
‘I want the collection to be edgy but it must still be wearable,’ said di Termini. ‘If the colours are more restrained then I can explore the possibilities of shape more. With very bright colours, some of the frames would be limited to wearing only on very particular occasions.’
Lars
Based in Bern, Switzerland, newly minted eyewear company Lars is guided by the 10 design theses of modernist industrial designer Dieter Rams. In terms of the company’s product, this means everything non-essential is omitted and construction limited to one front piece, two temples, and four pins that make up a patent-pending click-in hinge. Such simplicity aims to make the frames durable, replaceable in terms of spare components, and, ultimately, easy to dismantle and dispose of in an environmentally friendly fashion.
Lars utilises a 3D printing process with polyamide powder applied layer by layer while a laser draws the front of the glasses and temples in the material. This is followed by a compression process that prevents moisture or sweat from entering the frame and results in a matt finish with pleasing tactile qualities. The next step sees the hinge section reworked manually to assure accuracy and the fit of the pins. Finally, the front and temples are dyed using an infiltration process that keeps the frames bio-compatible, food-safe and scratch-resistant.
‘We founded our company 18 months ago and this is our first time at Opti,’ said Simon Krähenbühl, co-founder and head of design and innovation at Lars. ‘One hundred percent of our design and production is done in Switzerland. The hinges allow for really good grip from the temple pieces and the nose bridge. We gathered a huge amount of ergonomic data that informed the nose section to have the highest comfort possible for wearers.
‘Our latest additions mean we now have 14 designs for prescription frames and six for sunglasses,’ added Krähenbühl. ‘We feel the existing shapes and colours are easy for opticians to sell now. In the future, we are thinking about expanding our more adventurous designs and colours. We also have a second brand, Ileve District, which comprises cycling eyewear made in the same way and ethos as Lars.’
During the show, an expert jury made up of industry journalists and influencers judged Lars the winner of the Opti Box Award for the best start-up after assessing the various companies in terms of innovation, design, functionality and sustainability. ‘We travelled to Opti to learn and to get to know the international industry scene. The fact that we were able to return home with the Opti Award exceeds all our expectations,’ said Silvia Nadenbousch, co-founder and head of branding and marketing.
Poplar Shade
Poplar Shade is a new Italian eyewear company that aims to provide luxury products through a rigorously socially conscious approach.
‘We want to create luxurious eyewear that gives something back to the community and environment,’ said Ian Devercelli, founder of Poplar Shade. ‘Firstly, we do this through our commitments on using only natural or bio-degradable materials. For the frame, we use bio-acetate from Mazzucchelli or buffalo horn, with bio-nylon lenses. All materials and components are from local suppliers in northern Italy. We are also very careful in selecting the materials for our boxes and other elements. It is very important to source as locally as possible to reduce carbon emissions in transport. For example, the company that creates the lenses that we use is only 30km from our site.
‘Secondly, we plant a tree in Guatemala for every frame we produce and also donate 1% of the final cost of the frame to projects within the country. The person who buys the frame actually gets a QR code that provides the exact coordinates of the tree and photos of it being planted and afterwards. We aim, through the tree planting and the money donated, to support reforestation in Guatemala.’
Production is limited to 200 pieces per design with individual frames numbered. Many of the acetate Poplar Shade designs feature a distinctive curvature to accommodate the ear at the end of the temples.
‘The M49 acetate that I’m using is actually a bit softer than normal acetate and I wanted to play with that characteristic to make something distinctive,’ notes Devercelli.
O-CCX Eyewear
O-CCX Eyewear is a frames company that was set-up by independent optical practice owner Peter Meyer in the Lower Saxony region of Germany. The company was conceived three years ago and offers 3D printed optical and sun eyewear. Individual models are all named after characteristics such as ‘The Brave’ and ‘The Calm’.
‘When setting the company up, we thought about what was most important for eyewear in the future,’ said Carlotta Meyer, marketing assistant at O-CCX Eyewear. ‘We are very much inspired by nature and wanted to do something to help protect the environment. Sustainability is very important so we elected to use a 3D printing process using an organic material and the 17 different colours we use are all derived from nature.
‘The frames can be personalised with colours and size to allow a wearer to express themselves in a certain way. The names of the frames are the look that the wearer is aiming to achieve with them. We have three collections at this point, the latest one is the most avant-garde and offers some bolder choices for people who want to experiment.’
Leipzig Eyewear
As the name suggests, Leipzig Eyewear is rooted in the German city of Leipzig, both in terms of production and inspiration.
‘We are trying to represent our city, which is diverse and has a special vibe, through our eyewear,’ said Paul Nestler, co-founder at Leipzig Eyewear. ‘We name all the frames after streets within the city. For our polyamide models, we use a 3D printing method that means we are minimising any surplus materials. We have some designs in stainless steel and we apply the best possible methods to those too. Also, having the entire production cycle across the collection localised within Leipzig is good for a positive ecological balance.’
Nestler noted the idea for the brand came about during the pandemic. ‘I’ve worked in eyewear production for some time, making frames for some of the biggest independent eyewear companies. During the pandemic, we thought to ourselves that we had the know-how so why should we not create our own brand? So, here we are today.’
Leipzig Eyewear uses some bold colours alongside more sombre shades and, across the collection, the optical frames are sometimes slightly oversized, allowing for conversion into sunglasses.
‘We like the opticians who stock us to have the attitude to work with colour,’ said Nestler. ‘In general, we like to push that element a little. People do like to put sunglass lenses into some of our optical designs and it works really well but we will be coming up with some more dedicated sunglasses soon.’
James Ay
Danish Sunglass brand James Ay is named as a tribute to 18th century optician and scientific instrument maker James Ayschough. Ayschough is known to have supplied tinted lenses to some patients, making him, in the view of James Ay founders Daniel Uggerhøj and Torben Holt, the modern inventor of sunglasses.
While design and manufacturing are undertaken in Denmark, the sunglass models are all constructed from Italian acetate, specifically the plant-based and bio-degradable Mazzucchelli M49.
‘The quality and price of this product really speaks for itself,’ said Henrik Bruun, sales representative for Austria and Slovakia at James Ay. ‘I started representing the brand in May 2022 and took it on a sales tour. All 35 locations that I displayed the sunglasses to, elected to stock it, which is very unusual to say the least.’