Bird Sunglasses is a newcomer to the frame design scene, but this did not stop the sustainability-focused brand from scooping the Optician Award for Frame of the Year with its nature-inspired frames. Launched in March 2017 with a successful crowdfunded campaign, the company has gone from strength to strength.
Part of Bird Sunglasses’ Strata range, the winning unisex Blackcap frames feature a wooden construction and a distinctive horizontal colour split, with the bottom half of the rims employing a contrasting light-coloured wood to create a stand-out look. Blackcap took its name and two-tone look from the bird of the same name, with the company’s owner Ed Bird explaining that the natural world has always inspired him: ‘If you want beautiful, purposeful design then there’s no better place to look than nature.’ This is further evidenced through the frame’s use of multiple layers of sustainably sourced ash, bamboo, sandalwood and beechwood.
Sustainability and a wider consideration for the impact of its products runs through the company’s eyewear. Bird explained: ‘We noticed the shift in recent years towards all things sustainable, and we’re really proud to be one of the first brands in the eyewear industry to take this seriously. Right from the beginning of Bird Sunglasses I knew that it was going to be a purposeful business.’
The company operates a partnership with SolarAid, called Share Your Sun, which means that for every pair of Bird Sunglasses sold, a solar light is distributed to a family in either Malawi, Uganda or Zambia. In its first year of trading, Bird impressively provided 870 lamps to families in need. Families who receive solar lamps are able to save money on buying gas, which is used to light homes in many part of Africa, and can extend the amount of time to study and work for a family by hours a night.
Bird was confident when putting together his entry for the Awards, explaining: ‘Entering was one of those things that just seemed like a good idea. Even though we’re brand new to the industry we really felt like our frames had something bold to say. Our brand has been really well received by both customers and the eyewear and fashion community at large. We love the work that Optician does and wanted to start out as we mean to go on.’
Having won the award at the ceremony in March, the company has since communicated the win to its customers. Bird said: ‘We celebrated the win with lots of champagne, and have featured Blackcap exclusively in our blogs, mail-outs and promotions.
Excitingly, the frame was then picked up by the Museum of Optometry where it’s now featured as part of their collection. Our frame now sits alongside some of the most important frames in the world, including many celebrity frames like Harry Potter’s glasses and other frames worn by Mel Gibson, Agatha Christie, Matthew Bellamy, Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. We’re absolutely thrilled that Bird is now part of this legacy.’
Blackcap features four varities of wood
Bird says that winning the award has helped to inspire the brand by giving him and his team ‘confidence in our product and our ability to create world-class frames that have an impact’.
Casting his eye to the future, Bird is hopeful about the continued growth of Bird Sunglasses. He explained: ‘It’s important to aim high in everything we do, even if it’s just feeling confident enough about our products to enter the award in the first place. We’re currently gearing up for our first investment round, which will unlock a lot more potential for us. I would love to see the sustainable trend in eyewear continue to grow, and of course I’d like to see Bird stocked by more and more opticians across the country.’