How Does Eyewear Manufacturing Process Work?

Introduction

Understanding the process of how eyeglass frames are made can equip frame sales representatives with knowledge that can increase their sales numbers, but it can also provide opticals with the information they need to inform their patients about the brand story of the frames they are recommending. 

If you want to learn more, please visit our website.

High-quality eyewear frames begin their life by selecting the best materials available. After material selection, design teams work together to craft frame styles that represent the brand’s identity and are inspired by current trends, harmonious color palettes, and other elements. After the frames are designed and manufactured, it is time to effectively communicate their value to the opticals and their patients.

Keep reading to dive deeper into how frames are made and how the process can lead to better sales in your practice.

The Eyeglass Manufacturing Process

Eyewear frames begin as sketches created by a brand’s design team. These sketches are then converted into CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawings, which are utilized by the multi-axis milling machines responsible for shaping the frames. These CAD drawings provide more in-depth details about the frame’s dimensions, allowing the machines to make more precise products.

Material Selection and Usage

Eyewear manufacturing utilizes a wide variety of materials, such as carbon fiber and aluminum, to create long-lasting, comfortable frames. Of these materials, metals and acetate tend to be some of the most commonly used.

Acetate comes from cellulose powder, and these frames also usually include a mixture of pigments, solvents, and plasticizers. Because of their extended drying time, these frames take about 45 days to complete. Acetate frames are then rounded and smoothed using a tumbling process and then hand-polished by operators. 

This material’s color blending and layering process is an artistic endeavor that requires an expert touch and plenty of patience. The result is a myriad of color combinations and patterns.

Metals, like stainless steel and Monel, are wrapped into spools or flattened into sheets to be used as eye wire or the actual frame of the glasses. Recently, titanium eyeglass frames have also grown in popularity because of their durability and long-lasting quality. Using the details from the CAD drawings, eye wire is wrapped to the necessary diameter for the frames, and frames are shaped and stamped. After being shaped and cut, the frames are ready to be plated. 

Assembly & Inspection

After the cutting and shaping process, the frames are then assembled piece-by-piece. Nosepads and embellishments are added, and screws are adjusted to the correct torque. Once assembly is finished, the frames are inspected one last time before packaging to ensure that the final product matches the initial CAD renderings.

Marketing & Sales Impact

Once frames reach the optical practices, marketing materials should be strategically utilized to convey the uniqueness of the frames and highlight the qualities and craftsmanship that set them apart. Communicating brand story and having messaging reach across multiple channels is crucial to effectively reaching your target audience.

It’s also essential to educate your patients about the intricate manufacturing process and craftsmanship that goes into creating a pair of high-quality prescription frames. Helping patients understand the production process can increase the product’s perceived value, leading to higher sales margins and increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Conclusion

Understanding the art and technology that goes into the manufacturing process of eyeglass frames can benefit every level of the optical sales funnel. Sales representatives can better articulate the quality of their product and improve sales metrics, optical offices can make better recommendations to their patients, and patients feel more confident in the quality of the frames they are purchasing. 

Choosing A&A Optical for High-Quality Frames

If you’re looking to bring higher-quality frames to your optical practice, look no further than A&A Optical’s premium eyewear frames. Add some variety to your boards with some titanium eyewear options from the XXL collection, or find the perfect women’s frames for every type of head with the Alexander collection. With nine fashion brands and hundreds of styles to choose from, you can ensure that every patient can be fit with the perfect set of frames, even if they require special fitting needs.  Visit our website to learn more about how to bring A&A frames to your practice today.

Eyewear is all about making a statement while obviously serving a purpose, but to be honest with the rise and fall of fashion trends, the one thing we have noticed to be constant is the contribution of eyewear in fashion and how it frames a look and makes it better or worse. 

Eyewear is a sector that most brands hesitate to explore and even the ones that do, have some queries or hesitations regarding the manufacturing. The concern is legit because of the need to balance aesthetics, structure, materials, and optical technicalities to make the best sunglasses/eyewear to suit the brand requisites.  

While most people assume sunglasses might be easier to produce than prescription eyewear because all it takes is tinted lenses and a frame to make it, they cannot be far away from the truth. Sunglasses can be just as technical as prescription eyewear because, at the end of the day, they serve a purpose too, which is to protect the eyes from the harmful rays of the sun.

To start with or be more efficient in the Eyewear sector, there are certain things to think about, and when it comes to Eyewear or other technical products, it is always an additional advantage and strength to have someone with experience and expertise to guide you make the most optimum decisions. To know more about how Deepwear can help you with Manufacturing, designing, and sourcing fashion eyewear, click here.

TYPES OF EYEWEAR

PRESCRIPTION EYEWEAR

Prescription glasses (commonly referred to as glasses) are eyewear that aiding someone to help see better with minimum pressure on the eye. These eyewear can help people with myopia, hypermetropia, and other types of eye ailments to see more comfortably. Also, this may include reading glasses, bifocal lenses, etc too. The main purpose of these glasses is to serve the purpose of good vision, but aesthetics can always be incorporated and is very much appreciated.

SCM GROUP LIMITED COMPANY Product Page

DIGITAL PROTECTION EYEWEAR

These glasses are not necessarily framed for eyes with some sort of index and are instead used to minimize the exposure of the blue rays emitted from various devices like Laptops, TVs, phones, tablets, etc. A majority of adults in today’s scenario have an avid exposure to digital devices which can cause serious medical conditions like dry eyes, irritation, blurred vision, inability to focus properly, etc. Even for people who do not require prescribed indexed glasses, digital protection glasses can aid in protecting their eyes from digital devices.

FASHION EYEWEAR

The main objective of Fashion eyewear and sunglasses is to accessorize and complete a fashion look. Fashion glasses do not have any necessary additional value except for serving aesthetics. But with more brands and designers understanding the importance of designing with form and function, It has become common to add certain technical advantages to the pieces depending upon the occasion for which they are designed. For example, summer/day sunglasses could have UV protection and sun protection lenses, whereas night-vision lenses and anti-glare features can be incorporated into glasses designed for a more evening look. To know more about the different ways and possibilities of manufacturing and designing Fashion sunglasses, click here.

SPORTS EYEWEAR

Sports glasses are usually designed to protect the eyes while playing different sports and to also enhance a player’s ability to see. They come in different shapes and sizes since each sport demands different features, shapes, and structures. Most commonly glasses are usually worn for harsh sports like soccer, racquet sports, and sometimes the glasses are also designed to fit inside the helmets for sports like hockey, American football, and baseball. Mostly these glasses are made of a component called Polycarbonate since it is such a durable material and resists a majority of sports-related impacts. It is also UV resistant and is lightweight which works perfectly for various indoor and outdoor activities. Most snow activities like skiing also demand protective glasses for better vision and protection.

While there are many more categories of Eyewear like medical-grade protective eyewear, safety glasses, Industrial eyewear, sustainable glasses, etc. Do you want to go ahead with manufacturing eyewear for specific occasions, usages, or trends? Contact Deepwear and let our experienced teammates guide you better.

TYPES OF MATERIALS FOR EYEWEAR FRAMES

Eyewear frames greatly influence the occasion of the products. The colors, the resistance to abrasion, strength, weight, properties, flexibility, and price decide which material can be used for a particular purpose. For example, designing eyewear for a younger clientele like kids or teens requires the frames to be as flexible as possible to avoid breaking. Hypoallergenic materials are used for sensitive skin, water-resistant materials can be used for beachwear/ resort wear pieces, Lightweight materials can be used for versatile concepts, etc. In fact, filtering out and choosing which combination of properties to choose can help[ shortlist your design options to a great extent. There are so many materials to work with when it comes to eyewear.

• METAL: Using metals like Monel, titanium, Berylium, stainless steel, Aluminum, etc for eyewear frames can ensure stability and structure in the product. They are lightweight, durable and with the correct plating, can be corrosion resistant and hypoallergenic. 

• PLASTIC: Plastic frames or Acetate frames to be specific are an excellent choice that can provide affordable and creative options. The plastic ensures maximum color options, lightweight frames, and water-resistant properties. Another great property of plastic is that it is hypoallergenic and resistant to cold or hot temperatures. 

• WOOD: Wooden frames can be lightweight, scratch-resistant, and sustainable. Since the base raw material is natural wood, It is comparatively quite environment friendly. These frames are usually handcrafted and have unique designs and give rustic, down-to-earth vibes.

• BAMBOO: Bamboo glass frames are mostly handcrafted as well and ensure every piece has a distinct characteristic. Bamboo frames have excellent perspiration absorption, which ensures sweat or oil does not loosen the frame and ensures the grip is good. It also is so lightweight that it floats on water.

• RECYCLED MATERIALS: A few of our factories can produce eyewear from recycled nanomaterials extracted from CO2 pollution etc. There are so many other recycled options like frames made from recycled PET bottles etc, that can be a part of your sustainable sunglasses venture. 

STEPS OF FASHION EYEWEAR MANUFACTURING

CONCEPT/DESIGNING 

To work on any product and Eyewear, in particular, requires setting up a clear concept or inspiration. You need to figure out why and what you want to produce in terms of seasons, materials, design details, etc. Designing sunglasses is a combination of science, math, and creativity. The technical concepts ensure stability and the inspirations make them unique. If you require help with designing and need a consultation with an experienced Industry professional like Deepwear, to guide you through market trends, techniques, possibilities, etc, Click here.

TECHNICAL DESIGNING

Once the final glasses design components are shortlisted they are translated into visual elements in the form of sketches. These sketches are digitized as vector images and are made into specification sheets or technical packets(Tech packs). Tech packs contain all the necessary information and specifications that a custom sunglass manufacturer might need to produce efficiently.

EYEWEAR / SUNGLASSES SOURCING

The primary thing to ensure while sourcing an eyewear factory is to ensure that it is actually an eyewear/ sunglass manufacturer and not just an agent. There are a lot well established and furtive traders under the guise of being manufacturers, and to distinguish them apart requires avid research and a trained eye. Once a good and legitimate manufacturer is found it is necessary to compare what the manufacturer can offer in terms of quality, quantity, techniques, etc, and what you require. 

It is important to understand the quality and cost bracket you’re looking for since you will find a spectrum of qualities being offered and sometimes the same manufacturer can offer different degrees of finishes and qualities. To source quality Eyewear factories that fit your brand requirements, click here.

EYEWEAR / SUNGLASSES MANUFACTURING & QUALITY CONTROL

Once a factory is sourced, we move on to the next step which is manufacturing. Manufacturing sunglasses and eyewear can be simple if one has the base technical knowledge to analyze if the work is being done correctly and efficiently. To ensure that the manufacturing happens correctly, it is important to constantly supervise the entire process within the premises of the glasses manufacturer. This can be efficiently done by being on the ground throughout the entire production process, which is what Deepwear does. Deepwear has our own exclusive team living and working from the site of production to check if your products are being made according to your requirements.

To ensure your eyewear is not very prominent in your visual field when you wear them, it is always recommended to have the inner side of the frames be of a lighter color, whereas a darker frame like Prussian blue will always be noticed when wearing.

WHERE TO MANUFACTURE EYEWEAR?

The global eyewear manufacturing sector is focused on two countries: China and Italy. Most eyewear manufacturing companies in these two countries have premium brands sourcing from them. Italy is known for its premium craftsmanship stemming from decades of historical significance. The made-in Italy label in itself is considered premium. 

China on the other hand has a big share when it comes to Global eyewear/sunglasses exports, but somehow the “bad and cheap Chinese quality” perspective still retains. To be frank the location has very little to contribute to the quality of the product. You can find excellent quality eyewear in China and some bad products in Italy too. It’s all about sourcing good factories and communicating your needs precisely. 

There are so many eyewear/sunglasses manufacturers and suppliers that have pre-existing collections, ready to be bought with small amounts of customization or rebranding to fit the buyer’s design aesthetics and directions.

HOW CAN DEEPWEAR HELP YOU? 

Deepwear has more than 40 factories globally in prime Eyewear and sunglasses manufacturing/sourcing locations like China, Italy, Thailand, Brazil, etc. We have experienced product designers and merchandisers in the team who can provide you with the best creative, technical, efficient, and effective inputs to ensure your products are trendy, durable, and cost-efficient while being sustainable, ethical, and transparent. 

Our all-round service ensures that our input is not just restricted to the actual product, but instead, we believe in the importance of creating a good brand and not just good products. We can help you with all your packaging needs, designing needs, branding, trims, tags, labels, etc too.

Our exclusive offices in various countries like China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Spain, Morocco, Bulgaria, Portugal, France, Turkey, The Netherlands, Uk, Australia, and the US make Deepwear extremely accessible. Contact us to view our Eyewear factory brochure and discuss your ideas and brainstorm manufacturing and production possibilities. 

Are you interested in learning more about Eyewear Manufacturing Process? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!