3D Printing Makes Affordable Bespoke Eyewear a Reality

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Photo via Forbes

Last May, we were impressed by Summer Powell's use of 3D printing for her jewelry brand Summerized. And now we are wildly fascinated by the prospect of custom eyewear at a touch of a button. A few eyewear brands are attempting this approach, most notably TD Tom Davies in London. But according to Forbes, it's local, Silicon Valley startup Protos making the most headway in mass-market appeal.

Using a top-secret material, Protos uses selective laser sintering (SLS) printers to cut 24 different frame styles that offer the options of prescription or darker lenses (for use as sunglasses). They're currently only available in black—color is the next frontier for this type of technology.

Protos has already reached its crowdfunding goal of $25,000, which means these glasses will definitely be hitting the consumer market. Ordering will be completely online and will require two photos in addition to some basic measurements. Stock glasses will also be available at a lower price point. If you want in on the early bird action, act fast because there are only 16 more days to claim a reward for funding here.
·Custom Eyewear: The Next Focal Point For 3D Printing? [Forbes]
·3D Printing Brings New Dimension to DIY Jewelry [Racked SF]
·Protos [Official Site]