[2022] Materials for Glasses/Sunglasses (Acetate Edition) I METRONOME-Tokyo

Hello, I'm OKD from METRONOME-Tokyo Online, the official Japanese online store for METRONOME DESIGN INC., which sells METRONOME®, an eyeglasses and sunglasses brand founded in London.

This site delivers stylish and uniquely designed glasses and sunglasses, mainly from our original brand, to all over Japan.

When it comes to glasses/sunglasses, the first thing that comes to mind is the design, but if you dig deeper, you'll find that there are a wide variety of materials. The materials used can make it easier for designers to pursue designs, or they can be made hypoallergenic. If you go to your local eyeglass store, you'll see a wide variety of frames, from thick to thin, and made of plastic or metal.

Well, this time we will introduce acetate, a material known for its design and cost-effectiveness. As mentioned on the material page, here is an explanatory article by a designer.

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Most eyeglass manufacturers are located here. Acetate is a synthetic resin derived from plant fibers that overcomes the drawbacks of celluloid, which is difficult to control and maintain quality. It is also a material that our shop specializes in.

This material is the easiest to handle and process, and anyone with a bit of skill can work with it with just a jigsaw and a file. All of the "plastic frames" at our company are made from this material. (The "at our company" part will be explained later.)

It is characterized by a wide variety of textures, and the prices of raw materials vary widely. Famous manufacturers include "Matsukeri" and "Daicel," and there are also many fabric brands from Chinese manufacturers.
So, I usually use "Daicel" or "Jinyu", and I have a mysterious rule that only blue-toned (cool colors, blue or green) fabrics are "Matsukeri".

In terms of price

Matsukeri > Daicel > Jinyu

That's how I feel, but it seems that when you order in Japan, almost all manufacturers send products made in China (except Matsukeri, who sometimes sends them from their Italian headquarters when planning fabrics with complex texture designs or cool colors), so I don't think you need to be too strict about this. (However, I personally think that none of the manufacturers have the same expressive power as Matsukeri when it comes to cool colors.)

It's said to be a little heavy, but there are other materials like compressed acetate, so it's hard to generalize. Some manufacturers use pineapple pressing, which is fine, but the pineapple isn't dry.

They come out squishy. And yet they're expensive. Any plastic frame maker would nod in agreement and say, "The fabric that fits is mostly Matsukeri." So, it's not like you can just say, "Matsukeri is the best!" I mean, it's strange that they've commercialized it. It's nothing but terrifying! That's how it is.

The main reason for this is that when the board is made, it still contains moisture, which causes it to warp.

As a solution

・Most people probably just hand it out without asking for permission and say "It's Matsukeri! It's expensive!" (as long as they don't make the customer think it's a bad product), but I can't do that, so

・Dried dough (left in a storehouse for about a year) is used

Disadvantages

You can't ride a trend for about a year, it takes time to prepare and then let it sit.

Forced drying

Disadvantages

The above two options are more expensive.

It's always nice to find some good dough lying around in the storehouse. Or, and this is a little tip, you can try layering the above-mentioned clear dough (it doesn't have to be clear, just a hard dough that has been laid down) by pressing it against the grain.

It's the same logic as a guitar neck, where multiple layers of wood are stacked to create a "3-piece" or "7-piece" neck, and the theory goes that the more layers there are, the stronger the acetate becomes. The logic behind this is exactly the same: a "core" (also called "core gluing" or "shooting") is used to prevent warping and when warping occurs, and in the case of a guitar, a "truss rod" is embedded.

I've gone off on a tangent here, but that's basically it: acetate is great!

And one more thing.

Recently, we have started to offer custom matte finishes, but do you know why we don't only do it on the inside?

For some reason, both acetate and cellophane gradually become whitish in parts as they are used, as if they have been matte-finished. This can be fixed by polishing (using a buff), but polishing makes them shiny again. When this happens, the matte finish must be applied again, and each time the printing is erased, so you have to re-apply it.

Therefore, please take good care of frames that are matte on the inside. (On the other hand, repairs are extremely time-consuming and expensive. Also, losing the printing is a bad sign for the brand.)

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By the way, this is what acetate glasses/sunglasses look like when they are matte-finished. By deliberately reducing the shine, they have a more chic look.

Our shop's acetate products are primarily the Resonance. While retaining the design of the original METRONOME, we've managed to keep costs down by using acetate.

These stylish glasses/sunglasses are recommended for those who want to start off with something simple. They come in a wide variety of colors, including the popular clear type and black, which suits any situation. They also come in a variety of shapes, so you can choose the one that best suits your face.

Lens replacement and frame surface treatment are also available, so the possibilities are endless depending on the customization. They are highly versatile and suitable for both men and women.

First, please take a look at this frame list and find an item that catches your eye. Each style comes in a variety of colors, so please check them out.

Well then.

OKD↓