From bespoke frames to a fully developed optical collection, turn your optical idea into a reality with Scotland's only eyewear manufacturer; Banton Frameworks.
Click your project type below.
Brand collaboration requirements
You’re an established fashion brand or optical store who’d like to collaborate with Banton Frameworks to create unique eyewear together.
These frames will share both our brand names and will be made right here in our Glasgow workshop.
- Made in the UK
- Starting price: Based on design
- MOQ: 50 pcs per design
Private label requirements
You’re a fashion or optical brand looking to create your own eyewear line but aren’t sure where to start.
We can provide design consultation, advice, production guidance and via our network of manufacturing and optical contacts. Avoid generic consultation and bring your eyewear concept to market, hassle free.
- Overseas production
- Starting price: Based on design
- MOQ: 1,000 pcs across 4 unique designs (250pcs each)
Start your glasses-making journey.
Who makes frames for glasses?
Since 2012, we’ve been building an eyewear factory.
Yep, right here in the outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland.
To make the best glasses for you, we’ve developed our own series of processes and even built our own machines. Sure, it’s taken a while to get here, but we’ve created skills and jobs along the way.
If you fancy knowing more about us, hit the button below to meet the makers.
What is the best material for glasses frames?
The best materials for glasses frames are strong, lightweight, hypoallergic and can be easily adjusted to suit the wearer.
In modern eyewear manufacture, cellulose acetate, acrylic, titanium, nickel alloys and fibre composites are regularly used to make spectacles and sunglasses.
Previously, natural materials would have been used to make frames such as real tortoiseshell, ivory, bone, leather or wood. Many of these are now taboo, having been outdated by superior and more ethical materials.
As for us, we believe that to make great things, you need great ingredients.
That's why your glasses are made from the best acetate from Europe's best supplier.
Each week or so, large sheets of premium-quality acetate arrive at our workshop doors. From there, we cut them down into manageable sized slabs from which we can begin making your glasses design.
Without the reliable quality and properties of this incredible bio-plastic, your glasses wouldn’t quite be the same.
It’s all about the quality.
What is cellulose acetate?
Also known as Acetate or Zyl, cellulose acetate is made from the pulp of cotton plants and various renewable timbers.
It's one of the most commonly used materials for plastic spectacle frame production, buttons and hair-combs and more.
Also known as a bio-plastic, the main compound of acetate is actually one of the most naturally abundant on earth; cellulose.
High percentages of cellulose can be found in fauna at levels of more than 90%. As the plant grows, it naturally filters the oxygen we breathe and courteously absorbs our ever-increasing C02 emissions.
Where are glasses manufactured?
Glasses frames are predominantly mass manufactured in mainland Europe and Asia. Mainly in Italy, France, Germany, China and Japan.
These are deemed as the main optical industries who produce the majority of global optical goods. Production does occur elsewhere in America, Canada and Australia and more recently, Scotland as part of new generation of specialist, niche makers.
As Scotland's only glasses manufacturer, our handmade spectacles and sunglasses frames are made right here in the outskirts of Glasgow.
If you choose to collaborate with us, your frame design can go from acetate sheet to shop, all within the UK.
You and us together? We can do great things.
Tell us about your project
Spectacle and sunglasses manufacturers UK
During the mid-century, The UK was once a network hive of optical production.
Post- war industrialism fuelled the manufacture of goods en-mass. Optical and sunglasses frames were no exception.
Rivets, hinges, temples, lenses, screws and accessories were made in large volumes to satisfy the surging optical demand both in Britain and overseas.
Around the 1950’s, an estimated 5 million spectacle frames were made each year within the back rooms of optical practices, workshops and glasses factories. Stretching from Ayr to London, opticians were known to mix and match, mend and make your glasses during what was a truly golden optical age.
It was this era that inspires us as a UK glasses manufacturer.
It fuels our endeavour to make you the best glasses frames we can right here in the UK.
Are all glasses made by the same company?
An optical Goliath
Nestled in the heart of Italy, there’s a very large eyewear corporation you may have heard of.
Between many cups of espresso, their large workforce makes a lot of glasses frames. They control about 80% of the global frame-market.
It’s called the Luxottica monopoly. Mostly because their company is called Luxottica and the fact they make glasses for most of the big-industry names.
Who makes Versace glasses? Who owns all the eyeglasses companies such as Ralph Lauren, Persol, Polo, Prada and Ralph Lauren?
These are all Luxottica companies and they all share the same production lines inside this one Italian powerhouse.
If you didn’t already know about the extent of the Luxottica subsidiaries, it’s a real eye opener. They even own the shops that sell their frames.
Sunglasses Hut sound familiar? John Lewis opticians perhaps?
Sunglasses manufacturers UK
So now you know about the industry’s Goliath.
Like most enemies, it’s large, bullish and cumbersome.
But we are small, friendly and nimble. You could say we’re something of a David.
Based in the outskirts of Glasgow, we don’t speak Italian, but we’re certainly fluent in creative thinking. Our wonderful workshop is exactly what you’ve been waiting for.
It’s time to turn your optical ideas into an optical reality.
