Rising stars

Continuous enthusiasm for fresh, original eyewear galvanises designers to express their innovative ingenuity into purposeful and artful eyewear. Four up-and-coming labels in the UK are redefining the elements that are the foundations for creative eyewear and developing businesses.

Young, energetic, forward-thinking and demonstrably passionate about the environment, Ffin Eyewear in Wales, Waterhaul Eyewear in Cornwall, Bird Eyewear in Devon, and Good Karma in Worcestershire bring exhilaration and intensity to eyewear design, business principles and the joy in ‘giving back’ to the planet.

in Welsh: the frames are designed on the Welsh coastline and produced in Italy. For Anna, creating eyewear is a natural progression, as she is a jewellery designer and eager eyewear collector. The environment is also Anna’s passion, and her concept initially came together with the launch of Ffin sunglasses. Sustainability is a defining factor in how Anna wants to present and position Ffin.

Anna will be showcasing her designs at 100% Optical later this month. She says: “It’s really very exciting – and although it’s certainly been a learning curve, I do like challenging myself. We want to develop the brand, and would like to participate at Silmo and perhaps Mido in the future, as we see how the collection unfolds.” She is also adding ophthalmic frames to the collection.

With her jewellery background, Anna understands asymmetrical lines and attention to detail. “I’m a fan of monochrome tones, and black and white is my signature. However, for the next collection I’m thinking of design features with a flash of pink, or inky blue or greens.”

Sea, surf and shorelines are the manifesto behind the launch of Waterhaul Eyewear. Marine scientist and founder, Harry Dennis, discovered how fishing gear and nets –which contain copious amounts of plastic – could be recycled into amazing eyewear that’s strong and durable.

The company was founded in 2019 and moved forward during the pandemic. Head of sales, Kieran Hill, explains: “2022 was quite exciting for us. We are a small team, and have an in-house approach meaning we are totally hands-on. We are growing organically and definitely getting better known.”

Kieran notes that for the moment, the focus is developing the UK market, but Waterhaul has plans to move into the US optical scene later this year. “However, people find us on the internet and we do have orders from around the world. We’ll also be exhibiting at 100% Optical in London.”

Brave, bold and brimming with creative ideas, Anna Lewis launched her eyewear brand Ffin in 2022. “I like to take risks,” says the Welsh designer, “and in difficult times it is good to take risks.”

Ffin means ‘boundary’ or ‘border’

Kieran explains that abandoned fishing nets and those at “the end of their life” are gathered from Cornwall, and the high-quality plastic in the nets is totally sustainable. The contemporary design elements in the frames are sleek and timeless in both sunnies and opththalmic versions, with the sunglasses featuring Barberini polarised lenses. All packing is sustainable, with cork used for protective cases.

Kieran describes the Waterhaul customer as “an interesting one”. “We find that our customers are passionate about the outdoors and the sea. They are very conscious of buying habits and have a connection to the ocean: they are aware of marine life and its safety,” he adds.

Director Lisa Laurent launched Good Karma Eyewear at 100% Optical in 2022, and will exhibit at this year’s event with bio-acetate designs plus a new men’s line and designs in metal. The brand is represented in UK outlets, with plans to expand internationally.

Lisa’s eyewear ideas were formulating for a long time, as she explains:. “The idea of an eyewear collection had been in my head for 15 years. I have an optical practice and discovered there was a gap in the market for frames for women with larger faces. Our models are real people who actually wear glasses.” machinery and skills are not here.” appearance at 100% Optical in January. “This could have been either the best or the worst time to start a business,” recalls Ed, referring to the pandemic lockdowns that followed shortly after the exhibition.

Good Karma Eyewear is an advocate of the Princes Trust and Women supporting Women. For each frame sold, £1 is donated to the charities. Additional uplifting is ensured as frames are inscribed with positive affirmations – such as ‘Live your best life’.

“We don’t have a fashion background, but we are very interested in nature and the environment,“ continues Ed. “When it came to creating a name for the company, we had a list in the hundreds. We finally decided our last name was probably the best.”

Bird is particularly proud to be the first UK B-Corp eyewear company, endowed upon labels that meet the highest standards of social and environmental impact. The brothers are personally interested in reducing their carbon footprint, and are ardent supports of communities in Malawi and Zambia.

Materials in the collection include bio-acetate and woods with plant-based dyes. Cleaning cloths are made from recycled plastic bottles, with all metals recycled. Castor bean seeds are used in the children’s collection – Birdies – that are adorable designs for little faces in cheerful colours including Ocean Blue, Yellow and Green. The frames are also extremely durable with shatterproof lenses.

Lawrence designs the collections, and frames for men and women include both ophthalmic and sunglasses in a variety of colours and shapes. Sustainable materials are utilised in wonderfully creative imaginings – such as bio-acetate teamed with cork.

“At the moment we are selling to mostly UK practices,” notes Ed. “However, we do have aspirations to be a global brand. Right now though, we are concentrating on the day-to-day.”

Good Karma’s vibrant, colourful frames are designed in Worcestershire, and produced in the Far East. “This isn’t a complicated process,” observes Laura, “but it is expensive. However, to produce the frames in the UK is not viable as the

All of these young brands provide independent opticians with the opportunity to showcase emerging UK designers and offer customers eyewear with character, spirited imagination and eco-credentials for a healthier, safer planet. ■