Feb 15, 2018 | By Tess
Octobre71, a French eyewear startup, is leveraging 3D printing technologies to design and produce customized sunglasses that are 100 per cent made in France. The stylish sunnies are 3D printed in partnership with French 3D printing service Sculpteo.
With over 15 years of experience in the optics field, Christophe Mouty, the founder of Octobre71, ended up starting his own eyewear brand almost by chance. As he explains to Sculpteo, he first started exploring the potential of additive manufacturing for optics in a purely experimental context.
As he began seeing the power of the technology and the types of frames that 3D printing could make, he realized the commercial value of his research and started Octobre71. So far, the company seems off to a good start, as Mouty claims ELLE fashion magazine will soon be featuring and selling his frames.
The frames themselves are made using a selective laser sintering (SLS) process which works by fusing polymer particles together into a pre-determined (CAD) shape. “[SLS] is fast, reliable, and economical,” Mouty says.
Made from a polyamide material, the 3D printed glasses are also reportedly 30 per cent lighter than standard acetate or plastic frames and can be customized to the client’s preferences thanks to on-demand production.
Importantly, 3D printing (in collaboration with Sculpteo) has enabled the startup to keep its production completely local and flexible. For the latter point, Mouty explains that using CAD design and 3D printing to prototype new designs quickly means that Octobre71 will be putting out new collections and frame designs on a regular basis.
Currently, there is a limited range of frames (in a variety of bright colors) available for order on Octobre71’s website. The 3D printed frames are retailing for €89 (about $110). We assume only the frames are made using 3D printing, though it is possible to make 3D printed optical lenses.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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