made to move
FLEXIBLE FRAMES provide new twists for eyewear sales
By Amy Spiezio
New materials and designs enhance the flexible market. Shown top: Konishi Memory Plastic from Clariti; above: Ogi Spinners
More than any other frame category, flexible frames meet the needs of every optical demographic, from toddlers to seniors. And while these workhorse frames may have the reputation of putting practicality before style, increasingly aesthetics are getting into the picture as well.
A NEW MOVE
One of the most significant changes in the field of flexible frames is how manufacturers are approaching the issue. While memory metals still rule the day, firms are finding new technologies and exploring new options for flexible frames in plastics and other material hybrids.
Temples in materials such as plastic and rubber provide twisting and turning choices as well as styling that more closely resembles the chunky acetates that are capturing the imagination of today's consumers.
In addition, the designers of several new eyewear collections utilize innovations in the way their frames work to provide flexibility. Hinge design and other construction issues have enhanced motion options built into the blueprint of each model.
METALS ENDURE
Even as designs develop in their complexity and style, traditional memory metals retain a stronghold as people experience their resistance to wear and tear and become permanent fans of the option.
Flexibility and style are increasingly compatible traits. Clockwise from above: EasyTwist eyewear from Aspex, rubber-templed Tommy Bahama sunwear from Altair, and Turaflex eyewear by Tura
The category, which came into its own more than a decade ago, has become the go-to product for dispensaries serving a wide variety of patients of all age groups.
INVENTORY PLANNING
When planning a flexible eyewear inventory, there is a full spectrum of potential buyers.
SENIORS: Glasses that can take falls and naps without losing their shape tempt the senior marketplace. A long-lasting product story is compelling to this portion of the market.
ADULT MEN: Whether working on the computer or on the latest house project, men are ideal candidates for the traditional style and toughness of memory metal and flexible frames.
ADULT WOMEN: Moms on the run fit the profile for flexible frame users to a T. They need go-with-everything style that can stand up to grabbing babies and flying soccer balls while still looking presentable at office meetings.
A pioneer in the flexible market, Marchon's Flexon frames continue on strong
KIDS: Making the connection for young people and flexible frames is child's play. Their daily demands combined with a tendency to mistreat frames in storage or transportation, i.e., stashed in the bottom of back-packs, means that dispensing flexible frames to youngsters gives eyewear a fighting chance. EB
| Science Corner: FLEXIBLE METAL TECHNOLOGY |
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| According to the article "Shape Memory Alloys" by Darel E. Hodgson, Shape Memory Applications, Inc., Ming H. Wu, Memry Technologies, and Robert J. Biermann, Harrison Alloys, Inc., flexible—or superelastic—metal was first recorded as early as 1932. The shape memory transformation was observed in a gold and cadmium (AuCd) when scientists noted the reversibility of the transformation in the metal mix. Further observations of the material's changeable form, noted by the scientists as the shape memory effect (SME), took place in 1951. Some similar flexible traits were seen in brass (which is a blend of copper and zinc, CuZn). "The term Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) is applied to that group of metallic materials that demonstrate the ability to return to some previously defined shape or size when subjected to the appropriate thermal procedure. Generally, these materials can be plastically deformed at some relatively low temperature, and upon exposure to some higher temperature will return to their shape prior to the deformation. Although a relatively wide variety of alloys are known to exhibit the shape memory effect, only those that can recover substantial amounts of strain or that generate significant force upon changing shape are of commercial interest. To date, this has been the nickel-titanium alloys and copper-base alloys such as CuZnAl and CuAlNi," the report notes. The real impact to the optical market came about in 1962 when William Buhler, a metallurgist working for the U.S. Naval Ordinance Lab, discovered the same self-repairing traits in a nickel titanium (NiTi) blend in 1962 which came to be known at Nitinol. The mythology of the product involves a meeting of the scientists at the lab: One of the team members was playing with a tangled up piece of the Nitinol material during a meeting. When he put the mixed up metal into a flame, it straightened itself out, thusly launching an effort that would find its way into optical. Today, eyeglass frames that use superelastic materials to absorb deformities without permanently mangling the frames are now marketed by a number of frame companies. Other medical device industries have also found use for superelastic metals, including catheter guide wires for heart and other procedures as well as orthodontic wires for braces. |
| Flexibility Moves Up |
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| Memory frames aren't just in metal any more…and flexible frames have moved beyond materials for a more, well, flexible definition of the category. While high-end eyewear with extra give, such as the astronaut-friendly options from Silhouette, have been around for over a decade, finding styles that were more cutting-edge and fashion-focused along with flexible were a rarity in the upper portion of the frame market. But there has been a fresh crop of eyewear designed with the specific purpose of intense day-to-day durability that doesn't sacrifice style. These frames offer high-end style that wraps flexibility and motion into its artistry. At Vision Expo West, designers Venessa and Mehdi presented their new line of eyewear from Mikli Studios that was inspired by nature but created for easy adjustment and comfort using H.D.N., a flexible, high-density nylor that can be cold adjusted, that was created just for their collection. Last year, Bevel Specs unveiled its betaplast material, a beta titanium core with a zyl overlay, which provides a chunky plastic look with super light weight and increased flexibility. While these are not flexible frames in the traditional sense of the word, the designs embrace the spirit of memory metals and enhance the effort with a super dose of style. |
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