THE MONC BLOG

Tinted lenses are the perfect colourful compliment to any outfit, with a similarly colourful history, we thought we’d explore how tinted lenses went from rocks and minerals to the fashion statement accessories of today.

If you’ve been following our What We're Made of Series so far, you’ll be familiar with Mazzucchelli’s M49 bio acetate. A key material used as the base for 90% of our frames, M49 is composed of 68% natural and renewable materials.

When it comes to sourcing a bioacetate producer, there are two key considerations we take into account, quality and location. Fortunately for us, Mazzucchelli ticks both boxes. Founded in 1849, they've been honing their craft for 175 years, from button makers to material innovators.

We're starting our 'What we're made of' series with the material that makes up 90% of our frames; Bioacetate. A bit of an oxymoron, bioplastics are a hybrid plastic, but what makes them bio? And what are the pro's and con's of this material? Explore how we've broken it down, empowering you with facts and our vision for the future.

At this time of year, most of us will be wearing our favourite pair of sunglasses daily. With this in mind, we wanted to share a few simple tips to keep them looking as good as new.

Championing craftsmanship and finding the best local partners has always been a priority for us. Which is why for our hand-dyed tinted lenses, we sought out the best local experts based in North London. But what constitutes the perfect tint?

We want to go beyond just repairable design, and create a robust repair programme that challenges the industry status quo. Explore how our head of repairs fixes up the broken hinge on these Kallio frames.

In use since the birth of optics, mineral glass lenses have undergone several hundred years of innovation. It might seem...

Every year, Brits chuck out 300,000 tonnes of old clothes. This wasn’t always the case, historically, the value of an item was measured by how long it lasted. With globalisation, this way of thinking was lost. Slowly, with Fashion Revolution, the Mend it Movement and other initiatives, this culture is returning. As we launch our repair program, we wanted to spotlight some of the brands that have inspired us.

Its all too easy to break a pair of glasses. Squashing, dropping or smashing can happen no matter how careful you are. This is why all of our frames are repairable, using traditional design features to extend the lifespan of your frames and save them from landfill. But how do you spot repairable eyewear?

This year, we’ve been dreaming up something special. One compact modular cart with three wheels (or four if you count the polishing wheel) - we’d like to introduce you to the MONC Repair Cart. With over 50% of the global population wearing spectacles, and even more wearing sunglasses, we’re on a mission to save eyewear from landfill by giving that old pair a second chance…

The eyewear industry is littered with problems. One of the most poignant is waste.  We partnered with the BA Product and Industrial Design students at Central Saint Martins to rethink some of these issues. Visiting their 2024 degree show, we got to see all the amazing ideas they have been working on.