eye on materials
perfect COMBINATIONS
by amy spiezio
Metal frames have a unique appeal. So do plastic frames. But people love choices, and frame designers are answering the call for more with a wider variety of styles that blend metal and plastics.
This combination takes extra planning in the preliminary portion of the frame creation process. Plastic expands and contracts with temperatures and environmental influences while metal stays fixed. So making the two work together requires allowance for give and take. The processes to bring plastics and metals together in an aesthetically pleasing manner include overlays, fusing, and insertion of one material into the other.
The results are worth the effort, as these frames combine the best of both worlds—the sleek, techno feel of metal with the warm, stylish accent of plastics.
From sunwear to ophthalmic eyewear, the design varieties offered cover a full range from conservative to cutting edge for every age group. Shown are a few samples of the latest styles on the market.
| The mix of plastic and metal runs the style spectrum. 1. Jhane Barnes style Scope from Couteur Designs, a division of the Kenmark Group, utilizes laser cut acetate with titanium; 2. Face a Face style Gloss blends matte metal with tortoise temples; 3. The shine of gold and sleek shimmer of acetate in Marcolin style TF0061 from Tom Ford; 4. Lanvin LV2117 Pilot goes oversized with a plastic overlay to push the fashion edge; 5. Ic! Berlin style Alfons hugs the face |
| IN THE PIPELINE |
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| While hybrids in the frame world have traditionally been frames that could go from the slopes to the street or from the surf to the mall or maybe even from him to her, the future of hybridization in optical may take a more scientific turn. Today's memory materials utilize a blend of metals to create a strong yet flexible frame, but the next generation of materials may actually blend metal and plastic to make an injectable substance that is strong, flexible, and adaptable, yet warm to the touch and aesthetically fun. There are no options on the frame market just yet, but materials are in the works for other industries that have strong optical crossover potential. The automotive and technology industries both are exploring the potential for metal replacement with plastic-metal hybrid (PMH) structures. According to Plastics Technology magazine, one European steel and aluminum supplier is creating cell phone and computer mouse housing materials by blending metals with plastics. To get the final product, a metal mold of the desired part is created and plastic is injected at high temperatures. The mold melts and the materials blend to create a material that offers the best of both worlds. |
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