We are planning to develop a kid's frame collection for the North American market. Can someone(ECP's) suggest your most desirable range of frame sizes, i.e. frame PD and eye size? What features you would like to see on these kid's frames? What material do you prefer? Any suggestion will help. Thanks in advance
Lak Cheong
Acuity Optical USA, Inc.
www.acuityeyewear.com
I love flexon frames for young boys and girls. They're very durable and light. Also, there's a few collections out by Nouveau that are really cute. SpongeBob and other nickelodeon characters. Plus, no buy in! My rep is fantastic. As far as sizes, I just try to get a good selection in the store so even if he/she likes frame X in a 45, you can order it in a 47 if that's what you need. Usually, if it's available in 43, 45, and 47 I find that the 45 is best to have on the board b/c it's easier to judge one size up/down vs trying to guess if going up two sizes will be appropriate.
For me, kids frames are all about warranty and value. Sadly, most parents don't spend much on their kid's glasses because "he's just going to break them/lose them" I strongly recommend essilor's TD2 coating for kids also. (2 year unlimited scratch warranty) and ALWAYS trivex or poly.
Good luck!
I just re-read your post. Sorry, I read it as you putting frames in your store. Ignore my brand suggestions, but I stand by the price/warranty info.
Thank you for the information. One other issue we always debate internally is the Frame PD vs Age. Elder kids like age 12 can already wear some small size adult styles. For age 3-8, you probably need quite a big range of sizes in order to fit. What is your optimum range of Frame PD to keep in your practice, or to have your lab or frame supplier to keep them?Originally Posted by EyeFitWell
Also, is a cartoon figure or brand absolutely necessary? We know the price issue for kid's but wouldn't it be more worthwhile if we save the license money for better components and material to make the frame more safe and comfortable and reliable. We got a whole bunch of kids frame sample which are currently in market, i.e. those with a cartoon figure or brand, and found some of them are surprisingly poor in quality, AND not safe at all. As a frame manufacturer and father, I can't see myself use any one of them on my kids!
The one thing I find lacking in most catalogs are the frames for 12 year old girls (or small women). We have no trouble with the younger girls, and the older ones are fine in adult frames, but it is those in-betweens that seem to be missed. Perhaps a market for you?
Ory,
The Nine West collection from Safilo is great due to the availability of some frame styles in 3 sizes. They also recently launched a petite collection of some of the top adult styles as well.
Uni,
As far as needing a cartoon character.. it isn't necessary. Many children are drawn to their favorites and it can help them (the child) feel better about the purchase... but mom and dad wan't quality and affordibility.
I have kids styles from a 38-49 eye. The hardest segment I am finding is the 8-13 year old boy in a value type frame. Too big for the kids collection, and too small for most adult unisex or men's frames. I find a ton of stuff that works for the "tween" girl but find the boys harder to please. Especially in a value line that will work for pkgs...
Cassandra
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
We're in desperate need of pediatric frames in this industry. By peds, I mean for babies to 4-5 years. Some requisite features are:
-- SADDLE BRIDGE!! Whether it be a plastic frame with solid saddle or a metal frame with either solid or silicon saddle, this, IMHO, is the only way to go for this age group.And, the bridge needs to be shaped correctly for the undevelloped nose of a child, with a narrow apex and wide flare with the backside rolled well. This safety aspect protects the eye area during impact, and also reduces the potential for injestion should the glasses be fitted on a 'chewer'.
-- CABLE TEMPLES!! To ensure they stay on while Billy is wrestling with Bobby.
--STYLE!! I've had some parents who just refuse to 'allow' their baby to wear one of the few offerings I have, just because they look, in their opinion, 'silly'. Due to the usual shape of a baby/toddler's cranial structure, a good aesthetic effect would be a frame which gives the illusion of being much wider than it is deep in a softly rounded rectangular fashion. As for color, for babies an unobtrusive pastel, for toddlers, thin frames with some brushed color.
Hope this helps.
Yeah, Nine West is good, the Pepsi frames also seem to fit this segment. The downside is all the real funky stuff available for adults is not made in these sizes.
ya, but the Pepsi frames are horrible quality.
Yeah. Based on their styles, I think they are old Roots styles that were unpopular, and boy are they cheap! However, they do fit that group.
I couldn't agree more! I'm also a big fan of the 180 degree spring feature on the StrideRite line as well as slightly bowed temple designs to fit those narrow pd's on round little faces.
Take a look at what ClearVision has done with their Fisher-Price collection. They have actually put together a pediatric frame kit, complete with saddle bridge and strap-bridge frames. Each frame is available in a full range of sizes (at least 3, many up to 5) and with a choice of cable or skull temples. The saddle-bridge zyl frames recontour the bridge based on the eye-size, so as to accomidate different stages of the child's facial development. The kit comes in a mini-suitcase and there's a slot in it for the catalog. It may not be perfect, but I think they're on the right track.
Flex material does make a difference in my opinion. I love flexon kids frames because they have give and are lightweight.
Warrantee is key -- at least one year, no questions asked on the returns.
Good luck!
Andrew
"One must remember that at the end of the road, there is a path" --- Fortune Cookie
Great great help! Thanks everybody. I'll make sure that our marketing people send you each a sample and product information when our new collection is done. Just a little token for your input. I think it's cool that ECP's receive products which they contribute to create.........
How about the bridge sizes? What range should be most appropriate?
Also, what do you think about clip-ons? How about a polarised clip to go with the kid's frame? I mean it comes with the frame with low additional cost.
Lak Cheong
Acuity Optical USA, Inc.
www.acuityeyewear.com
I'd say don't waste your time on clips for the really little ones. It would likely be lost within a few days! Once past age 7 or 8 they can usually handle the clip.
No kidding!! We had a kid (11 yr old) lose the clip before he left the office!!
It's hard to lose the Transition off of a lens!
Please design the sping hinges to have some substance to them. I hate to see frames marketed as pediatric frames when the spring hinge is as thin as a piece of paper.
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Here in Indy back to school is done whew! I think what is needed most is good style no matter the age group.
The first is a good pediatric frame for the very young as well as the 4-6 year olds with a small face. Something simple like suggested before with the strap/saddle bridge and in a modified oval and a modified rec in basic colors lt brown, pink, purple, and blue. Cable option would be nice. I have been through the ringer looking for a less than 40 eyesize to try and make fit as the one from ClearVision seems to be on backorder (with the soft saddle and cable temples, metal-you know the one) I have 3 moms waiting to see it as they refuse to put the kids in the plastic ones.
Second is the tweener market, as a parent of a tweener I know it is hard. I do notice that a charachter seems to be a big turn off in that age group, some girls will go for name brands but there is plenty of that out there and the parents would appriciate a nice alternative. I have found that if the frame is quality and has good style then any parent and kids will agree to that with no problem.
I think the industry standard is cutesy, cheap-o frames sold in some package deal, with an unlimited warranty that the end up needing to take advantange of every 4 months! :(
Best stuff right now, IMO:
Core: go Flexon kids and smaller Flex 600 series for tweeners.
Specialty: a few Nikes work (for an arm and leg). For style, Lafont is real cute. RL (used to :() has a killer line of kids frames, and I don't doubt Nine West is good for the girls. I haven't fit the Silhouette kiddy rimless, but there's probably a market there, somewhere, especially with lens edge treatments or tints...
I've sworn off on the Xgames and the Disney/Power Rangers: too cheap.
For true pediatrics, Clearvision's Fisher-Price is the gold standard, IMO. I wish they'd extend the quality to their tweener collection (Save the Children?..Okaaaayyyy....)
My beef is that too many small adult frames have 140 or 145 temples...What's with that? Why not 135 or less? That limits a good fit on the tweeners.
The incidence of refractive error in patients under the 8-12 group means that there's not that much market. I'd really study what the 8-12ers want, and produce durability. Then I'd see about a 13-18 yo line that could double as a petite line, maybe ease off the quality a little, and have some savvy marketing firm invent some unique fictitious designer name or story to go with the line. Could be good.
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