The Most Durable Frames Have This One Ingredient

The Most Durable Frames Have This One Ingredient

You have plenty of choices for your eyewear frames, but if your frames aren’t metal, they need one ingredient in them above all other ingredients.

The most durable frames you can find are those made of cellulose acetate, which is a plastic containing plant fibers. The process of combining plant fibers such as cotton and wood with plastic has been in use for some time. In fact, you see – and use – the results of this polymer on a daily basis, from the plastic wrappers of candy to nail polish and even some foods.

Cellulose acetate makes up your modern eyewear frames, too, and that makes for a strong pair of eyeglasses. Early vintage sunglasses from the 1940s were made of a brittle plastic that was less than durable. Today’s plastics made from cellulose acetate are stronger and last far longer due to their resilient qualities.

The fiber embedded in the plastic allows the eyewear frames to bend and return to their original shape more than the plastics of the past.

So how are your cellulose acetate frames made?

In general, cotton flakes make up a cellulose paste that is rolled out and pressed much like homemade pasta. Once rolled out to the desired thickness, color and acetate are added, and the sheet is re-rolled and pressed several times before it is cubed and pressed again to create beautiful patterns. Next the cellular acetate is allowed to cure, and then it is sliced into the desired thickness for creating your eyewear.

Of course, cotton isn’t the only fiber used in cellular acetate. High-end designers today are experimenting with trendier and more exotic fibers such as silk, alpaca wool and rayon in their eyewear frames.

A great pair of eyeglasses frames is about more than its durability. These frames reveal gorgeous interplay of pigmentation hues and varying levels of color saturation. The beauty of your cellulose acetate frames is that this material affords the greatest versatility in options for color and design, so you can expect endless possibilities in both pattern and chromatic schemes.

There are many other benefits to wearing eyeglasses made of cellulose acetate.

Cellulose acetate frames are also hypoallergenic, which is a plus if you have had adverse reactions to other materials. In addition, these frames are incredibly lightweight, so you can order those oversized glamour frames without fear that their weight will be uncomfortable.

The other benefit of cellulose acetate is that it is a renewable and energy efficient resource because it is not based on petroleum products.

Select a pair of cellulose acetate frames, and you may have found the one pair of frames that you’ll be able to wear for a long time.