True. But it's still relevant to the rest of us readers. The Kala frames were pretty cool, and I'd never heard of them before.Originally Posted by rdcoach5
True. But it's still relevant to the rest of us readers. The Kala frames were pretty cool, and I'd never heard of them before.
Kala Eyewear. Resonably priced, hand made in the SFO Bay Area now for 25+ years.
Victory Optical is starting to make sunglasses in the USA. They are remaking some of their old 50's frames. Love them. They will be at VEE15. ExoVault in Brooklyn is making Frames in the USA, Spectaculars is making frames in the USA out of NY. In addition, Europa bought Frieze Frames who was making frames in the USA and I anticpate that they will continue on with the collection. Many of the wood frames, Shwood, Drift, Annie Shades, Homes Eyewear and more are also producing product in the USA. The list is growing and I believe that quite a few companies are exploring options as China is getting expensive, plus the shipping. Schedule
I don't think Shuron is made in the USA, Randolph might be they say they are and AO is up in the air, Wiley X does some USA stuff as well. Also you can look at 3D eyewear companies of which there are about 4 in the USA, technically they are made in the USA.
The issue than occurs of which consumers get confused as the lenses by local labs are made in USA.
VisionEase Lens makes some of their lenses in the USA (Coppertone).Schedule
Back in the day the Attleboro, MA area was the gold/gold filled findings center of the known world. Today, I do not believe that there are any metal findings manufactured in the US. Similarly we used to be able to source sheet plastics locally but I believe that all of that stuff is produced off shore.
I think that about the closest that you can come today is not "Made in the USA" but "Assembled in the USA from foreign components." Too bad! A lot of mothers and grandmothers were able to put the their children through college working in the polishing department at The AO, Titmus, Shuron and the many other domestic frame manufacturers.
India will be the next industrial giant and is well underway doing it
I know of some China manufacturers who want to start up in the USA within the next 2-3 years, but they are in the camera business.
In the meantime the big action is in India which is way ahead of everybody else to becoming the new China in industrial development. They have totally changed their old fashioned red tape government regulations against imports. Over the last 10 years some of their large manufacturing corporations have grown from a few hundred to close to 50,000 employees in the electronic sectors.
Even our optical giants from France are now the dominating factor in India's Optical sector.
You can not manufacture in the USA at the prices those countries can. You might at the most assemble parts made in other areas of the world, where the cost of living is much lower.
Historical facts in the optical trade starting after the end of WorldWar 2:
In the 1950's, Germany rebuilt their factories and produced the best selling frames. Also some Austrian manufacturers where important.
In the 1960-1980's it was the French and Italians that dominated the frame market, with the Japanese introducing some inferior lousy products for real cheap
Then the Japanese started to flood the world with just about everything from glasses to cars in top quality. Until their products become more expensive because the standard of living went up with their world wide success.
Now the Chinese have one of the most modern and updated countries and the cost of it is starting to reflect on their exports.
So the cycle is starting all over again with India taking over the big industry is all prepared for it and is moving their resources into it. Just look at our own Essilor who owns already all the big labs and has the largest on-line optical in that country.
There is always space for a good artisan, high tech or medical business on this side of the big pond, but the real big manufacturing business will be somewhere else.
Last edited by Chris Ryser; 03-18-2015 at 06:39 AM.
Coming next Africa!!!
Coming next Africa!!!
Will very well be. However India is the most populated country in the world and will probably last longer at the big wheel of any of the others before them.
It is funny that this thread is being modernized and makes sense to realize all the big changes that happened over the last 9 years since it was started.
All Shuron frames are manufactured on-site in South Carolina, USA.
In the 70's our "benevolent" federal government gave Asian and other frame manufacturers the MOST FAVORED NATION STATUS.This act lowered import duties on eyeglass frames to 2%. That was the start to kill domestic frame manufacturing as we could not compete with the labor costs of the sweat shops in Asia,etc. It was around the time our steel industry went down hill. Thank you Uncle Sam
Funny to see that post of ten years ago ....................
Funny to see that post of ten years ago, and have it confirmed to be right at that time.
....and congratulations to Randolph for still being here:
Last edited by Chris Ryser; 11-03-2015 at 03:44 AM.
interesting to see such an old thread revived. to bring one point up to date, VSP has been consigning frames for years. I took them in quite a few years ago when I saw it as a cheap way to expand my frame boards. Well, they still do and I still have a couple of lines on consignment, even though I've tried to stop a few times, it's like a bad habit. looks like we have about 300 of our 2500 frames still on consignment. Maybe it's ok for a startup, but keeping track of everything is tough. We keep most of them in drawers out of sight to help keeping track of them. Only consigned lines on display are Cole Haan and BeBe. I also long for the good old days when I'd by Cottet Golf frames in boxes of 10 per size/color/style. Never had to return anything. I am working on having Paul Vu of www.edaframes.com make me a little private line of classic zyls for my fledgling online niche.
[QUOTE=Dr. Bill Stacy;516184]interesting to see such an old thread revived. to bring one point up to date, VSP has been consigning frames for years. I took them in quite a few years ago when I saw it as a cheap way to expand my frame boards. /QUOTE]
How is it cheap? It's like going into a car dealer and telling him you want a new car, and you're willing to spend $99 a month. With consignment, you're paying inflated prices, and you lose any chance of negotiating better pricing. A true sucker's bet.
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
It didn't cost me anything, no 99 per month. I'm not saying it was a great deal because of all the strings attached. But hey, if that dealer will give me a Hybrid Lexus or a Tesla for 99 a month, I'd be there in a heartbeat.
...with a $1 million buyout at the end of the term?
That's the joke about consignment; you are paying a premium for not paying for the product upfront.
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
[QUOTE=Johns;516189]Way back in the day when I wholesaled ophthalmic frames I was quite wiling to consign frames. I marked them up an additional 50% over my usual fee. They usually sat in your office unsold as you did not have much incentive to sell them. They were not free as the consignment expired after a certain period of time and there were no returns. I was able to get rid of a lot of dogs in that manner as there is a sucker born every minute. No, grasshopper, there ain't no free lunch.
I also noticed that the successful retailers were always the accounts who negotiated a mutually agreeable price and never took anything on consignment. They bought it and they sold it. And as Dr. Bill Stacey pointed out:
"I took them in quite a few years ago when I saw it as a cheap way to expand my frame boards. Well, they still do and I still have a couple of lines on consignment, even though I've tried to stop a few times, it's like a bad habit. looks like we have about 300 of our 2500 frames still on consignment. Maybe it's ok for a startup, but keeping track of everything is tough. We keep most of them in drawers out of sight to help keeping track of them"
A sure formula for failure.
Well, VSP has had it for many years now when they only owned the ALTAIR line. Now they own Marchon. Not exactly a failure for them.
I've done ok too, and no longer "need" to fill up my place with frames like I did back in the day. It was convenient then, is not now as I said, and I'm thinking 2016 will be the year I drop it once and for all. But if I were starting a practice cold in a heavy VSP area and had very limited funds, I'd probably do it again. The one report I hear over and over from new patients to my practice is how terrible the frame selection is at their old doc's office. I definitely wouldn't participate in anything like your description above which sounds like an obvious scam.
As long as the term is 50 years I'm still ok with it. But hey, it's a false metaphor as there is no buyout at least on VSP's consignment, you're only responsible to return the frames to them when you terminate the consignment. But of course any time you get "free" use of something there will be a price to pay for that convenience. Obviously that price must be weighed at the start.
Earlier in this thread I mentioned I'm having some custom made frames for a niche product. Only ordered a few of 5 styles to start, so they are being made in China to my specifications, but if I get to a minimum order quantity of 300, they will be made in the country of my choice, Italy or the USA, and that will be stamped on the frames coming from here or there. I look forward to achieving that order and moving them to here.
[QUOTE=rbaker;516195]I don't do consignment, but although it is easy to find frames for less than what VSP charges, they don't mark up their frames 50% just because they are on consignment.
Of course, and I can't think of a reason for non-vsp entities to order anything from altair or marchon. I personally have to because I'm in a vsp employee rich area and those guys pretty much have to stick to vsp brands, so I have most of their lines on display. My office is 4 miles from vsp's big new folsom lab which has 3 shifts running over 5000 pair of glasses a day. And I'm about 10 miles from their home office. I was the first O.D. to achieve "premier" status which gives me special deals and discounts on their products.
they will be made in the country of my choice
These days in the country of your choice they will assemble the frame made wherever and will stamp it made in XYZ.
Is it just me or am I the only one tired of hearing, "How much are dem glasses dat are 2 fo $99?"
(Maybe that's just in Texas?)
Maybe if our country would stop focusing on "cheaper, faster, bigger"... We'd probably be healthier, live healthier, and have quality products in life.
Like nice quality frames made in the USA.
Just a thought.
My beef is with the bean counters who push their bosses into ditching anything that yields less than spectacular profits. They have caused huge changes in contact lens manufacturing, closed or moved frame and lens manufacturing out of the USA, and ruined my favorite bread, Orowheat Wheat Berry. I loved that healthy bread for years, but now is very hard to findd. When I do find it, it is horrible and am on a quest for for a new healthier bread.
Chris Ryser mentioned India will be next, well all of a sudden my area has had a HUGE increase in Indian immigrants. We are seeing a lot of them here in the office and several have mentioned how much cheaper they are in India. (Well, I suspect a lot of things are cheaper in India...not just glasses.) Although I do hear the "How much are dem glasses dat are 2 fo $99," I hear a lot of "I can get Ray Bans a lot cheaper in India. Ugh!
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