When shopping for eyeglasses, the availability of different frame materials expands your options. However, the large variety could be overwhelming and sometimes confusing, especially when you’re buying glasses for the first time.
While each of these materials offers a distinct look, it could be hard to decide which one is the best option for you. Decisions related to buying prescribed glasses should be taken while keeping your lifestyle and vision needs in mind.
If you’re a first-time glasses buyer, you don’t have to navigate between different options. We’ll tell you about the various frame materials out there and what they have to offer so you always come prepared when buying glasses.
Different types of frame materials
Don’t neglect the frame material when buying glasses. The right material could make a world of difference in the comfortability and durability of your glasses.
Metal Frames
The most popular in eyeglass frames, metal glasses are available in a wide array of options, each one having distinctive properties and features.
1. Titanium
Extremely resilient to damage and pressure, titanium is a hypoallergenic material that feels ultralight on your face.
Titanium is the best material in eyeglasses because it requires the least frame maintenance. The clean look of the frame lends it a sophisticated touch making your glasses look expensive.
Pros- Strong
- Durable
- Lightweight
- Malleable
- Corrosion-resistant
- Recyclable
- Expensive than other materials
- Limited colour choices
- Not ideal for a bold look
Titanium is often mixed with other metals which makes it even more flexible than pure titanium. Thus, making adjustments in your frames gets a little easier. The best rimless eyeglasses are either made from titanium or metal to create the lightest eyewear design ever.
2. Memory metal
Frames containing memory metal are made from a titanium alloy containing equal quantities of nickel and titanium. It has the ability to shift from one shape to another under changes in temperature.
Pros:- Bendable material
- Strong
- Corrosion-resistant
- Best for kids who are rough with their eyewear
- Robust against damage
- Might break in extremely cold weather
- Overpriced
3. Stainless steel
This material is an alloy of carbon steel and iron with other elements such as chromium. Adding 10% chromium to this material makes it less prone to rust or strain.
Pros- Long life
- Non-corrosive
- Lightweight
- Hypoallergenic
- Flexible
- Comfortable
- Can be easily coloured
- Less expensive than titanium frames
- Not as flexible as titanium
- Not as heat resistant as titanium
- Not as lightweight as titanium
4. Aluminium
Aluminium is a soft metal that could be carved easily. It could provide the benefits of steel frames while being only half of their weight. It is also one of the most abundant metals on the planet.
Pros- Lightweight
- Resistant to corrosion
- Since it’s a soft material, it could be carved into different shapes and designs
- Aesthetic merits
- Could be recycled
- It gets rigid in low temperatures
- Integrating other elements in aluminium is difficult
5. Beryllium
Found in France, Beryllium is a high-performance material that’s six times more robust than steel and a lot lighter than aluminium. However, the use of beryllium in eyewear is still limited to the manufacturing of some memory metal eyewear.
Pros- Strong
- Lightweight
- Can withstand high temperatures
- Could be brittle
- Some people are allergic to beryllium
Cellulose acetate
Acetate is also called cellulose acetate and is made from cotton and wood pulp. It’s a plant-based plastic that first came into the picture in the 1940s.
Plastic frames used to have so many problems such as being too brittle or prone to heat damage. And also the condition of the plastic frames used to deteriorate after a few years of use.
But, cellulose acetate does not have any of these problems and is still lightweight and comfortable. It is easy to mould and colour with different hues and patterns.
Clear Glasses are made from acetate as it’s the material that’s widely used in designer frames.
Pros- Eco-friendly material
- Affordable
- Comfortable to wear for a long time
- Have a natural look
- Can be coloured
- Hypoallergenic
- Can get out of shape in extreme heat
- Not elastic enough
Wood
If you’re looking for a designer prescription or blue light glasses, then the choices in frame materials could be endless. However, going for something as new and exotic as wooden frames will help you look unique and make a bold fashion statement.
Carved from natural and raw wood, these glasses boast minimalism and simplicity. The wood effect lends you a raw or unfinished look.
Pros- Environment friendly
- Durable
- Stylish
- Unique
- Customisable
- Trendy
- Lightweight
- Hypoallergenic
- Comfortable
- Taking care of wooden glasses
- A little costlier than acetate or metal frames
TR90
Popular in sports glasses, the TR90 frame material is bendable, impact-resistant and performs best even under high pressure.
If you’re looking for toughness and durability in glasses, don’t look any further than TR90 frames. If you have an active lifestyle, then you will benefit the most from this frame material.
Pros- Ultra-lightweight
- Durable
- Easy to bend
- The rubber-like texture gives it a nice grip
- Tough
- Water & sweat-resistant
- Resilient to intense impacts
- Costly
- Not easily available on the physical stores
All our sports glasses are made from TR90 material. Different from normal glasses or sunglasses, TR90 offers grip and makes sure your glasses don’t fall off your face when you’re making intense movements.
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