Wires

Varda - Black/Green/Green

Regular price: £165.00
Sale price: £165.00
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Materials / Ingredients

Nature

Description

Stainless steel wire frame
Bio-plastic 3D printed rims
Bio-plastic lenses
Screw-less invisible hinge design
Handmade in Italy
Each pair comes with a case, and microfibre cleaning cloth
Nose bridge width 23mm | Arm length 145mm

Why we love it

Did you know these glasses are 3D printed? Read more below!

Sizing

Nose bridge width 23mm | Arm length 145mm

More information

Wires are always looking at ways to improve their supply chain: to minimise any negative impacts and increase positive impacts. Wires believes that in this critical moment in time, companies - and the people who support them - have a critical role to play, at the forefront of driving more sustainable and fair practices within supply chains. Wires hope to demonstrate that sustainability is not only possible - but that it can be beautiful too.

Wires 3D prints the rims of their sunglasses that hold the lenses in place, using a bio-based polymer made from castor oil (PA11). 3D printing is “additive manufacturing”: this describes a process that only consumes the precise material it needs to form the product. Gradually, layer by layer, their rims are built up from a powder. The powder that’s not used is gathered up and re-used in the next print run, meaning there is zero waste in the production.

When we think about mindful consumption, cost per use is a way of evaluating whether or not your purchase is sustainable or not. Asking questions like “will I use/wear this piece more than 30 times?” “Will I fix it when it breaks?” “When I’ve finished using it, will I extent the lifespan of the item by giving it to someone I know/charity?” All of these actions will decrease the overall carbon footprint of your purchase.

How do you work out the cost per use? Divide the price of the product by 30! We use 30 as this is the average amount of uses items are thought to have.

Wires glasses are handmade in Italy by a family-run workshop. ‘The business was born 35 years ago out of my desire to start a business of my own. I created a small laboratory where I put all my efforts. It grew quickly and that’s what I am most proud of. Being able to create something out of nothing. It was all in my head and all my know-how as none of my family are craftsmen, but it would be nice to leave my laboratory to future generations.” Mr. Paolo, the founder of the factory.

No animal products are used

For more sizing enquiries check out the sizing tab next to the product.

The story behind Wires

The first collection of Wires was handcrafted by a small team of artisans in Harare, Zimbabwe, using the African wire craft tradition. Wires then designed a patented invisible hinge to allow the glasses to fold, and they are now handmade by eyewear specialists in Northern Italian. Wires use stainless steel wire for the frames and 3D printing for the lens rims, producing a minuscule amount of waste in comparison to conventional eyewear manufacturing. They champion quality, craftsman/craftswoman-ship and consider their frames akin to jewellery - to be loved and looked after.

Eyewear Innovation

The majority of high-end eyewear use traditional “detractive manufacturing” techniques. This means materials are cut away from a material block (usually acetate – i.e. plastic) to leave behind what’s needed for the frame. The materials cut away from the frame are then often thrown away, or sometimes – if lucky – recycled (and as you know well, recycling still uses more energy). Wires sourced a bio-nylon derivative from the castor bean for both the 3D printed rims, and all of the sunglasses lenses. Meanwhile, the temple tips contain 43% natural rubber.

3D Printing

Wires 3D prints the rims that hold their lenses in place, using a bio-based polymer made from castor oil (PA11). 3D printing is “additive manufacturing”: this describes a process that only consumes the precise material it needs to form the product. Gradually, layer by layer, the Wires rims are built up from a powder. The powder that’s not used is gathered up and re-used in the next print run, meaning there is zero waste in the production.

Supporting Communities

For every mask Wires sell, they donate a mask & hand sanitiser to refugee camps, in partnership with Help Refugees. For their most recent mask collaboration, all proceeds were donated to a range of charities such as; Cool Earth, Women Aids and Black Curriculum.

Supply Chain

Wires is not perfect, and they are always looking at ways to improve their supply chain: to minimise any negative impacts and increase positive impacts. They believe that in this critical moment in time, companies - and the people who support them - have a critical role to play, at the forefront of driving more sustainable and fair practices within supply chains. Wires hopes to demonstrate that sustainability is not only possible - but that it can be beautiful too.

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