It’s a question we’re asked often.
You might have seen a frame shape you like, but you’re wondering if it comes in a different colour. Maybe something darker. Or lighter. Or closer to a pair you’ve owned before.
To clear this up properly, it’s worth explaining how things work here.
Banton Frameworks is a tiny, two-person workshop run by Lucy Ross and yours truly, Jamie Bartlett. Every frame is made by hand, in 6 batches per year, here in Scotland.
Because of that, we cannot and will not make every frame in every colour.
Quite simply, we don't have the capacity.
The frames and colours you currently see on the website will be the ones available during our next website opening.
Why you might be asking this question
If you’ve landed here, you’re likely doing your homework.
You might be trying to find the “perfect” version of a frame. A specific shade. A familiar tone. Something safe.
Or perhaps you’ve bought glasses before and are used to seeing the same model offered in ten, twenty, sometimes fifty different colours.
It’s a completely reasonable expectation.
But what we do is fundamentally different.
The honest answer: we don’t make every frame in every colour
Lucy and I make each frame ourselves, by hand.
That means every design, every colour, every variation has to pass through our workshop, our machines, and ultimately, our hands.
If we offered every frame in every colour, the number of combinations would quickly spiral. Ten frame shapes, across ten colours, is already one hundred variations.
Add in sizes, finishes, and small refinements, and that number multiplies again.
For a large factory, that’s manageable.
For a two-person workshop, it simply isn’t.
And more importantly, it’s not the kind of business we want to run. (Been there. Tried it and hated it. Full story here.)
What would happen if we did offer every colour?
On paper, more choice sounds like a good thing.
But in reality, it comes at a cost.
We’d spend less time refining each frame, and more time managing variations. Production would become fragmented. Attention to detail would slip.
The workshop would shift from being a place of craft to a place of output.
And the frames themselves would suffer for it.
We’d rather make fewer things, properly, than stretch ourselves thin trying to be everything to everyone.
How we choose our acetate colours
Every colour we use is chosen deliberately.
We look for tones that work across different skin tones, wardrobes, and lighting conditions. Colours that age well. Colours that don’t feel disposable after a season.
We also work with limited batches of acetate.
That means once a particular sheet is used up, we might not get any more for months until it becomes available again. Our acetate supplier (based in northern Italy) is run by a 6th generation family where they too make every acetate sheet by hand.
Usually we can source the same acetate again, but sometimes, certain acetates are discontinued - never to be made again.
So the colours you see aren’t random.
They’re considered, tested, and selected because we believe they work.
Why limited colours actually work in your favour
It might feel counterintuitive, but fewer options can lead to a better decision.
Instead of scrolling through endless variations, you’re choosing from a curated selection. Each option has been thought through.
It also means the frame you choose feels more personal.
You’re not picking something that exists in every possible colour, sitting on a shelf somewhere. You’re choosing from a small batch that’s been made with intent.
There’s a quiet confidence in that.
Will you release new colours in the future?
Yes, we introduce new colours over time, usually when we introduce a new collection of frames or make a seasonal update. (A good reason to join our newsletter!)
Some colours are responses to materials we’ve discovered. Others come from ideas we’ve been sitting with for months, sometimes years.
We don’t release new colours just to refresh a catalogue. We release them when they’re ready.
A different way to think about buying glasses
In today's world of Amazon Prime and infinite availability at all hours of the day, it's easy to be used to endless choice.
More colours. More options. More variations.
But more doesn’t always mean better.
What we offer is something quieter. A smaller selection, handcrafted carefully and slowly using traditional methods.
It’s a different way of buying glasses.
And if it resonates with you, you’ll likely already know.
Still deciding if Banton is for you?
Something tells me you're doing your homework, I totally get it. As a small two-person workshop, you won't find our frames anywhere else. (Our website is only open six times a year.)
But to help with your imminent optical investment, I've written some genuinely helpful articles that'll make make your buying decision much easier.
Thanks for reading x