FRAMES: Tech DRIVERS

A hit list of how technology is impacting eyewear from designing to dispensing

Technology is changing the world of frames. New materials, new construction techniques, and new support tools have renovated the methods of taking eye-wear from concept to consumer.

Following is a look at how technology influences frame manufacturing through the process.

TECH DRIVER: DESIGN

Alain Mikli says he starts designs with paper and pencil. From that a prototype is hand made. “We don’t want to work by computer,” he notes. “The work by hand is incredible. It brings to each frame something unique, something different.”

But even the French frame master looks to technology for developments such as the biolink, a microarticulation hinge used in Stark eyewear that is based on the human shoulder.

Technology is impacting not only the motion of eyewear, but its aesthetics as well. Where frames in the past were flat surfaced or relied upon inserted stones and details for texture, production advances for metals and plastics are resulting in more three-dimensional eyewear.

“New evolutions in hinge designs are allowing them to be part of the overall frame design. The 3D effect of the hinge we use on the Evatik collection enables it to be a visual focal point,” says Beverly Suliteanu, vice president of product development of WestGroupe.

Beveled temples in acetate eye-wear extend the design beyond the frame front, another three dimensional factor. In addition, frames made from one piece of metal create a more sculptural effect.

In the sports arena, increasingly complex designs that allow lenses and frames to interact for peak performance are driving the market.

Alleviating distortions in periphery and creating good ventilation are major factors says, Steve Tripi, Nike brand manager for Marchon. This includes the way lenses are attached to frames and which lens works best for the specific sports the frames have been designed to suit.

TECH DRIVER: MATERIALS

Materials are also pushing boundaries, with new styles turning Trivex, generally a lens material, into a frame material as well. Green materials made from sustainable or recycled matter are also taking frames in fresh directions. In addition, carbon fiber’s availability is expanding from the highest-end to more mid-level frame designs.

Materials such as rubber provide extra grip and stability, as well as adjustability for a greater nose fit, notes Tripi.

1. Serengeti’s all Trivex style Nunzio; 2. Clair Goldsmith’s beveled temples on style Lomax; 3. Clariti’s style KL3681 features carbon fiber temples; 4. New designs for hinges add a three-dimensional touch in Evatik style 9065433 from WestGroupe; 5. Titanium and plastic combine for light weight and high style in Lindberg style 9801A 6. Road Machine from Nike by Marchon integrates lens and frame performance; 7. Lightec sun style 3 from Morel is made from one piece of metal with no screws or springs

ClearVision’s tech marketing tools include: 1. The weekly Men’s Day Wednesday release, 2. Online product information, 3. and The Look, that can be reposted in ECPs’ social media TECH DRIVER: COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS It’s not just the design and manufacture of eyewear that has been dramatically changed by technology. The way eyewear is marketed and sold is also changing. Cyber selling Frames are being marketed in the cyber universe more than ever. This year, online operations are up for ECPs and consumers alike, notes Sheila Haile, marketing director for ClearVision Optical, Inc. “It’s a reality. The bulk of people go online before they purchase. Consumers are definitely spending more time and trying before buying. It’s an added benefit for sales. The consumer walks in the door with a higher propensity to make the purchase.” The consumer, who is increasingly interested in getting educated online prior to making a purchase, benefits from an ECP website with product on it and a virtual try-on (VTO) system or other interactive options. “Having virtual try-on technology on your website is a definite add,” Haile says. But the consumer isn’t the only one to benefit from a more advanced website. Having product visible on your website that allows a shopping experience online provides an alternative to the Warby Parkers and Zenni Opticals of the web. The eyecare practitioner can also track patients’ interests and inclinations by keeping an eye on what’s happening at the VTO or online catalog. With this data, dispensers can glean insider information about patient preferences. “It lets the doctor know what should be in the dispensary,” she notes. Social media And then there’s the social media world. Though the dollar-for-dollar return on investment isn’t always obvious for small businesses, social media can be a sales tool if you pick the right locations and put in the right content. “You have to know what you want first, what you want to get from it and who should be doing it. You can’t be doing 17 outlets and do them well; and I don’t think you should have the same content in the different places,” notes Haile. ClearVision posts sharable, engaging content such as Wednesday Men’s Day and The Look, men’s and women’s trend sheets. “We take care of two posts a week for ECPs. They just have to know to go there and share and promote it.” What’s big for 2013? Haile predicts mobile advertising, “Mobile phones outsold PCs for the first time this year,” and Twitter. She is also betting on blogs and has launched ClearNation Exchange, uploading new content every five to 10 days. “It’s not a sales tool, it’s a PR tool. It’s an awareness tool for the ECP.”

But that’s not to say that lasting favorite materials are being left behind. In metals, “thinner profile stainless steel provides increased flexibility of temples as well as an even lighter, more comfortable fit,” she says, adding: “Titanium continues to be a key material in the men’s market due to its strength, lightness, and hypoallergenic properties.”

Some classic materials are even on the upswing. “On the plastic side, TR-90 is increasingly popular, again, due to its very light weight compared with regular zyl,” Suliteanu adds.

TECH DRIVER: COMFORT

The true driving force behind all technical developments is wearer comfort. Technology updates such as adjustable arms that fit over the occipital bone for more comfort and improved corewire in temples enable more people to wear frames with less problems.

“Advances in material technology as well as component design allow us to design better fitting, more comfortable eyewear that is stylish and interesting,” says Suliteanu.

Oakley’s Airwave (1) and Zeal Optics’ iON (2) are pushing eye-wear to integrate technology in brand new ways TECH DRIVER: GOGGLES Some of the true trendsetters in optical technology will be hurtling down ski slopes this winter. Goggles are the gear of the future thanks to the addition of gadgetry ranging from GPS systems to cameras and friend-tracking capabilities. “This is a whole new market. We are able to bring something new to the optical market,” says Joe Prebich, director of marketing for Zeal Optics. The company started integrating media and eyewear with a goggle offering a GPS. The company’s latest release, the iON, has a camera that shoots HD video and eight megapixel photos that can be replayed or downloaded to social media. Oakley has also entered the tricked-out goggle arena with the launch of the Airwave goggle, which syncs up with an app on smartphones and utilizes a variety of non-Oakley technology in tandem with Oakley’s gear to track runs and stay in touch with friends on the mountain and beyond. Taking lessons from the Thump launch and other high-tech projects, the sports eyewear firm says this launch is a change from previous efforts. “Our mindset has shifted radically. You don’t have to create it all in one package. There are different systems that plug into something we’re really good at,” says Oakley CEO Colin Baden. It combines Oakley’s goggle technologies with a heads-up display developed by Recon Instruments, integrating GPS and Bluetooth. “Our icon defines the leading edge of performance innovation, and the new Airwave goggle brings alpine sports into the future with a stunning array of capabilities,” says Baden. “It utilizes cutting-edge electronics to give skiers and riders instant access to a world of information. Airwave represents the power and possibility of technology, and it comes with world-class optical performance, comfort, and protection engineered over decades of Oakley innovation.” What’s the ceiling for this technology? There may not be one, notes Prebich. “We learn a lot from how tech has grown outside of optical. I think this will constantly grow. It’s not a trend. As technology becomes more and more a part of our daily life, it will become part of things that don’t have that technology now. We continue to experience, there’s always a design to stay ahead of the trend and be asking if it can be done.” In fact, the goggle technology may very well jump from the sports world to the realm of ophthalmic eyewear in years to come. Predicts Oakley’s Baden, “I believe we can grow it to the point where we can put it in eyewear.”

Joe Prebich, director of marketing for Zeal notes, “The goal is to make consumers comfortable in their own skin. How do we make people feel comfortable? High-quality optics, good fit, and function is first.”

Notes Tripi, tech should not be added for tech’s sake. “Sometimes technology is wasted and one doesn’t take advantage of it. Athletes don’t want bells and whistles that get in the way.” Keeping comfort in mind will be key as technology pushes design options forward. EB