Small colorful zyls with nosepads?

**VHB** · 02-24-2010, 03:34 PM

I have a lot of Asian customers who want zyl frames, but their eyelashes hit the back of the lenses.

Please suggest some small, colorful frames that are NOT made in China.

Thanks!

**obxeyeguy** · 02-24-2010, 03:51 PM

The China thing is going to hurt. The first thing that comes to mind is Prodesign.

**optical24/7** · 02-24-2010, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by obxeyeguy

The China thing is going to hurt. The first thing that comes to mind is Prodesign.

Ditto ProDesign, and are made in Japan.

**gunner05** · 02-24-2010, 04:04 PM

Asian customers... not wanting frames from China... please tell me someone else can see the irony here...

**obxeyeguy** · 02-24-2010, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by gunner05

Asian customers... not wanting frames from China... please tell me someone else can see the irony here...

I did pick up on that also, but my take is it's not the customer, it's VHB's preferance. Notice the location is No. Va., probably trying to actually dispense product worth what he charges.

**Judy Canty** · 02-24-2010, 05:27 PM

VBH is a she and she is one of the best in the business!

According to EB, Charmant has a new line called P.S. for Plastic Slim with adjustable pads.

**obxeyeguy** · 02-24-2010, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Judy Canty

VBH is a she and she is one of the best in the business!

My apologies to the Lady.:o

Originally Posted by Judy Canty

According to EB, Charmant has a new line called P.S. for Plastic Slim with adjustable pads.

Ha hem! Made where??

**Judy Canty** · 02-24-2010, 05:33 PM

Isn't Charmant a Japanese firm?

**obxeyeguy** · 02-24-2010, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by Judy Canty

Isn't Charmant a Japanese firm?

Yah, and Luxottica and Safilo are Italian.;)

**Judy Canty** · 02-24-2010, 05:38 PM

Who knows??? The website says Japan. :hammer:

**obxeyeguy** · 02-24-2010, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Judy Canty

Who knows??? The website says Japan. :hammer:

Most of their frames are from China, some are still Japan.

**ronnie daniels** · 02-24-2010, 07:13 PM

yea I havent ordered any of the plastic slims but when the rep was in they looked nice and theyve got nosepads and are injected nylon i think she said so super flexible.

**Johns** · 02-24-2010, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by gunner05

Asian customers... not wanting frames from China... please tell me someone else can see the irony here...

Irony? Not at all.

From 1937 to 1945, Japan was at war with China, and many of the Japanese people still harbor much resentment. You will also often find that many Koreans do not want to purchase products from Japan, as their country was once occupied by the Japanese, and subsequently stripped of many of it's natural resources.

Unlike in the US, where consumers don't care if they buy goods manufactured by their current/former enemies, so long as it is for a cheap price... many other countries still have fierce patriotic pride and principles.

**Fezz** · 02-25-2010, 11:14 AM

Lafont?

Why not attach the nosepads yourself in-house and promote that service?

:cheers::cheers::cheers:

**HarryChiling** · 02-25-2010, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by VHB

I have a lot of Asian customers who want zyl frames, but their eyelashes hit the back of the lenses.

Please suggest some small, colorful frames that are NOT made in China.

Thanks!

Etnia Barcelona

**VHB** · 02-25-2010, 11:20 AM

I have had Chinese customers who won't wear anything Japanese for the reason cited above, but I'm the one who won't sell Chinese frames. It's political. Until they end their human rights abuses and wanton destruction of the environment, I won't sell their frames. I expect my position will bring them to their knees soon, begging for mercy.

I admit that I stock readers and cases made in China, but since I give them away, I don't feel quite as guilty. Does anyone know where I can find affordable, attractive American-made cases? Emphasis on both affordable and attractive. I've ditched selling readers, so I'm just giving away the ones I already have.

I thought of Pro Design, but their nosepad zyls are a bit bigger than I want. What I'd really like is an all-zyl frame with a built-up bridge instead of pads, but I haven't seen one of those in many years. Whatever happened to the "ethnic" lines of the 1970s? (e.g. "Flatter Fit")

**Fezz** · 02-25-2010, 11:24 AM

http://www.ogiframes.com/catalog/plastic.html

You are going to be pretty hard pressed to find the zyls with nose pads.

:cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:

**Johns** · 02-25-2010, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by VHB

Does anyone know where I can find affordable, attractive American-made cases? Emphasis on both affordable and attractive. I've ditched selling readers, so I'm just giving away the ones I already have.

Make up your mind!;) Do you want affordable or attractive. Are you looking for an American case made by an American worker making Chinese wages?

Try LBI. The cases are made in China, but the sales reps are American.:D

Why not buy Chinese frames, give them away, and charge more for the lenses....like triple?

Just an idea.

**Fezz** · 02-25-2010, 11:57 AM

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...ight=asian+fit

**VHB** · 02-25-2010, 03:15 PM

At one time Estroff Optical had nice cases made in the US. They were only slightly more than the Chinese cases. Unfortunately, not that many people were willing to spend a bit more for the American ones, so they were discontinued.

I also used to be able to get really beautiful leather ones from Calvin Mitchell in Arkansas. Same story; people weren't willing to spend extra for the quality. Sad, isn't it?

**BMH** · 02-25-2010, 05:42 PM

The Plastic Slims from Charmant are colorful and light weight. I would compare the design idea to that of the flat metal styles we have all been dealing with. They have a thicker look from the front but are really very slim/thin.

The only draw back is that they have a grooved lens mounting. I would prefer they sacrificed some of the "slim-ness" and made a regular bevel.

The frames are marked made in Japan. They are also marked metal parts are titanium.

BMH

**drk** · 02-25-2010, 07:16 PM

I think another China problem VHB, is that the proletariat gets only minimum wage, and the government rakes in the commu-capitalism dollars.

I smell political backlash for China pretty soon.

Of course, if they sell their bonds, we're sunk, so we're going to kiss the yellow moon for a long time coming.

Ever wonder why inflation has been able to be so low for so long, and the discount interest rates have been so low? I think it's because Americans have been spending the same amount in dollars over the past 20 years, but have been substituting ever-cheaper China/Walmart product.

Now we're buying extra cheap crap for inventory at the same prices for which we were buying regular frame for in the 90's. That's "hidden inflation" or "quality deflation", IMHO.

**jimrask** · 02-28-2010, 05:20 PM

Lindberg do have these I believe, not the cheapest, but as far as know not made in Japan or China and very decent quality.

**Jalane** · 03-02-2010, 08:43 AM

Pro-Design. You can get them with or without the nosepads.

**kcount** · 03-02-2010, 10:46 AM

VBH, try Anglo-American for your frame. They can mount nose pads on some zyl for you at the factory, IN ENGLAND. Or take a look at Ronit Furst (Isreal), very nice, not terribly expensive, and you could have nose pads mounted to them. OGI is China, and a direct competitor to my store. (Owned by a local OD)

I haven't seen an American made frame since, Oh crud whats was their name.... Colors in optics, big plastic colorful, P3 shape... Pathways? Anyways, they would be too big and seriously ugly.

Or you could go Tom Davies out of England, He has a Bespoke Line of custom eyewire. Not sure where the factory is there but the company is based out of London.