Materials & Lens Technical Specifications
Frame Materials
Acetate (Cellulose Acetate)
• Characteristics: Plant-based polymer, high luster, adjustable via heating, excellent color depth through multi-layer lamination.
• Manufacturing Notes: Requires 72-hour tumble polishing and barrel seasoning to prevent shrinkage before hinge insertion.
• Key Parameters: Density: 1.30 g/cm³, moisture absorption rate: 2.5% max.
• Testing Standards: Passes 5,000-cycle mechanical hinge fatigue test; verified drop-ball impact resistance.
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 300 pcs per colorway; custom tooling lead time: 15–20 days.
Common Application: Premium optical frames and optical-grade sunwear.
TR90 (Grilamid)
• Characteristics: Swiss-engineered thermoplastic memory polymer, extreme flexibility, ultra-lightweight, stress-crack resistant.
• Manufacturing Notes: Injection molded with strict temperature control to eliminate internal stress marks.
• Key Parameters: Density: 1.00 - 1.06 g/cm³, heat distortion temperature: 120°C.
• Testing Standards: Tested for thermal stability up to 80°C without warp deformation.
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 500 pcs per injection mold setup; custom Pantone matching available.
• Common Application: Active lifestyle, children's frames, and lightweight optical styles.
Polycarbonate (PC) Frame Grade
• Characteristics: High impact resistance, cost-efficient, rigid structure, gloss finish injection molding.
• Manufacturing Notes: Prone to solvent stress cracking; requires specialized coating for solvent resistance.
• Key Parameters: Izod impact strength: 600 - 900 J/m.
• Testing Standards: Drop-impact certified to meet standard commercial safety thresholds.
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 1,000 pcs per model run; rapid tooling options for prototypes.
• Common Application: Budget-tier optical frames and promotional sunglasses.
Nylon (PA/Polyamide)
• Characteristics: High tensile strength, chemical resistant, flexible at low temperatures, matte or high-gloss finish.
• Manufacturing Notes: Hydroscopic material requiring pre-drying at 80°C for 4 hours prior to injection.
• Key Parameters: Tensile modulus: > 1200 MPa.
• Testing Standards: Chemical resistance tested against common sweat, cosmetics, and facial oils.
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 500 pcs; available in custom translucent and solid matte finishes.
• Common Application: Wrap-around sports frames and technical tactical eyewear.
Monel & Stainless Steel (Metal)
• Characteristics: Monel offers high corrosion resistance and easy solderability; stainless steel provides high tensile strength and ultra-thin profiles.
• Manufacturing Notes: Laser welded joints; electroplated with nickel-free finishes to comply with EU Nickel Directive.
• Key Parameters: Yield strength: 250 - 500 MPa depending on alloy grade.
• Testing Standards: 48-hour salt spray corrosion test (ASTM B117) to verify plating durability and prevent peeling.
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 300 pcs per metal finish (IP Gold, Gunmetal, Silver, Rose Gold).
• Common Application: Classic metal optical frames and wire-rim sunglasses.
Titanium (Beta-Titanium & Pure Titanium)
• Characteristics: 100% hypoallergenic, high strength-to-weight ratio, zero corrosion in salt water, memory retention in beta grades.
• Manufacturing Notes: Requires argon-shielded laser welding and specialized vacuum ion plating (IP plating).
• Key Parameters: Density: 4.5 g/cm³ (Pure Ti), tensile strength: > 850 MPa (Beta-Ti).
• Testing Standards: Nickel-release test verified below 0.5 µg/cm²/week per EN 1811 standard.
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 200 pcs; laser-engraved branding options available on temples.
• Common Application: High-end lightweight optical frames and minimalist luxury collections.
Carbon Fiber
• Characteristics: Extreme rigidity, ultra-low weight, distinct directional weave pattern, low thermal expansion.
• Manufacturing Notes: Compression molded resin-infused carbon sheets, CNC milled to final tolerance.
• Key Parameters: Tensile strength: > 1500 MPa.
• Testing Standards: High-load bending stress endurance verified across extreme temperature swings.
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 150 pcs due to specialized sheet layup and CNC processing times.
• Common Application: High-performance sports frames and aerospace-inspired luxury editions.
Lens Options
TAC Polarized (Tri-Acetate Cellulose)
• Structure: 7-layer laminate featuring a central polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polarizing film protected by TAC layers.
• Optical Performance: Polarization efficiency > 99%, average visible light transmission (VLT) varying by tint cat 0-3.
• Testing Standards: Polarized axis alignment tested within ±1° tolerance.
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 300 pairs per color tint; scratch-resistant hard coat applied standard.
• Application: Standard outdoor sunglasses and casual wear.
Polycarbonate (PC) Lens
• Structure: Single-extrusion injection-molded thermoplastic.
• Optical Performance: Natural UV380/400 block, high velocity impact resistance (ANSI Z87.1 and EN 166 compliant).
• Testing Standards: High-velocity steel ball impact test (6 mm steel ball at 45 m/s).
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 500 pairs; custom base curves available (Base 4, 6, 8).
• Application: Safety glasses, children's eyewear, and sports sunglasses.
UV400 Protection
• Standard: Blocks 100% of UVA and UVB rays up to 400 nanometers.
• Integration: Applied via bulk monomer integration or vacuum-deposited UV-blocking thin film coatings.
• Testing Standards: Spectrophotometer transmission analysis verifying zero transmission below 400 nm.
• Supply Parameters: Standard across all production lens lines.
• Application: Mandatory specification for all sun lenses.
Prescription (Rx) Lenses
Availability: Single vision, progressive, and bifocal designs.
Materials: CR-39, 1.56, 1.60, 1.67, and 1.74 index optical monomers.
Processing: Freeform digital surfacing with CNC generators accurate to 0.01 diopters.
Testing Standards: Optical power mapping and cylinder axis verification via automated focimeter.
Supply Parameters: Available for individual custom RX lab orders or bulk uncut lens blanks.
Application: Prescription optical frames and custom ophthalmic dispatch.
Photochromic (Transitions / Sun-Sensors)
• Mechanism: Silver halide or proprietary organic molecules react to UV radiation, darkening within 60 seconds and fading indoors within 3 minutes.
• Performance: Temperature dependent; operates fastest between 20°C and 25°C.
• Testing Standards: Fade-back and activation speed test under simulated solar radiation chambers.
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 200 pairs; available in standard grey and brown color shifts.
• Application: All-day indoor/outdoor prescription and plano eyewear.
Mirrored Coatings
• Structure: Multi-layer metallic vacuum deposition (chromium, titanium, or aluminum oxides).
• Function: Reduces glare by reflecting high-intensity light; custom gradient and flash mirror options available.
• Testing Standards: Cross-hatch adhesion tape test to ensure coating delamination resistance.
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 300 pairs; custom color mirror options (Silver, Blue, Red, Gold, Green).
• Application: High-glare environments (marine, snow, desert).
Blue Light Blocking
• Mechanism: Substrate monomer absorption combined with multi-layer blue-violet light filtering AR coating.
• Performance: Blocks high-energy visible (HEV) light in the 415 - 455 nm wavelength spectrum.
• Testing Standards: Transmission curve audit confirming measured cut-off efficiency within the target HEV band.
• Supply Parameters: MOQ: 300 pairs; available with anti-reflective (AR) backside coating to prevent ghost reflections.
• Application: Screen-use computer glasses and indoor optical frames.
Custom Lens Colors
• Process: Batch-specific liquid dye immersion or vacuum tinting calibrated to exact Pantone or client-provided physical color swatches.
• Tolerance: Delta E < 1.0 across production runs.
• Testing Standards: Lightbox visual inspection and spectrophotometer colorimetry confirmation.
• Supply Parameters: Sample color matching lead time: 3–5 working days.
• Application: Custom fashion collections and brand-specific capsule lines.