With the arrival of summer, many people decide to get a new pair of stylish sunglasses. However, consumers should be sure not to focus on good looks alone – sunglasses have to provide protection against harmful UV light and must be highly durable. High-performance polymers such as TROGAMID, making them a clearly unbreakable breakthrough for manufacturers, retailers, and, above all, for wearers of sunglasses. World-renowned brands are taking advantage of these quality benefits, although the fact that plastic lenses can literally be ‘unbreakable’ tends to be generally unknown...This summer will be a rainbow of colors – definitely when it comes to sunglasses. "High fashion style currently goes for large and colorful," says Paul Rottler, an optician who operates some fifty optician's shops throughout Germany. "Large sunglasses in noticeable, dominant colors are the style of the season. That includes lenses with green, red or orange-yellow mirrored surfaces, even blue. These aren't pastels, but bold colors that actually make a statement." They say, 'hello, here I am and I am looking forward to summer.' In addition to the loud models, cool hasn't gone out of style: "Classic black sunglasses are still in demand, and I don't believe that will change." According to Rottler, panto glasses in the style of the 1940s, cat eye frames with classic drop-shaped lenses and aviator shapes are this year's preferred choices. The summer 2015 trends favor round shapes over angles and delicate features over chunky ones. Some rules apply regardless of style–sunglasses have to provide effective protection against UV light and despite all their elegance must be sturdy enough to avoid health damage or unnecessary costs.
Sunglasses made of 'unbreakable' plastic
That represents a special challenge for manufacturers of sunglasses. "Sunglasses have to withstand enormous stresses, which is a major concern," explains Rottler. Heat, sand, dust, creams–sunglasses are exposed to a lot. "Let's take the extreme example of leaving your sunglasses on the black dashboard of your car below the windshield. Temperatures can easily reach 60 degrees Celsius or more, which separates the wheat from the chaff." As the master optician has had to learn, glasses made of plain materials frequently are not able to withstand these conditions. They become brittle, while sunscreen residue may react with the material of plain sunglasses frames, leaving unsightly permanent stains. The picture is different for eyeglass frames and lenses made of high-quality materials such as TROGAMID CX. "They don't become brittle or hard, but consistently maintain their quality," says the optician. Sunscreen, hair gel or hairspray does not affect the special plastic. "That's a major benefit of this technology,” Rottler notes. "Our high-end material is ideally suited for designers," explains Klaus Hülsmann of Evonik Industries, which manufactures the plastic. "It offers a wide range of creative choices, as the material is flexible yet extremely resistant."
