Termite Eyewear
Made in Britain, these sunglasses are eco- and design-friendly
What started out as a joint project between then-student designers Natalie Finch and Patricia Williams while at Ravensbourne University in London, Termite Eyewear now makes eyewear that’s both stylish and sustainable. The latter is indeed not its sole selling point, as their creative frames focus on both design and materials (laser-cut then hand-worked wood that’s been reclaimed or recycled) while showing just how wearable and youthful the timeless material can be—and how it’s a striking alternative to acetate. And as a plus, each frame is made to order in England.
“We started Termite, honestly, at the beginning to challenge our design skills with materials and manufacturing processes that we had never worked with before and produce a product that we would both want to buy as a consumer—quirky design, fun and not so serious, with a strong grounding to the UK and sustainable design,” the two designers, Finch and Williams, tell CH. “Now it has become a project to channel our designing and challenge our business brain! I don’t think either of us thought it would actually go this far, but now we are excited to see where this journey will take us!”
The newest S/S15 collection, cheekily titled “Palm Peach,” finds inspiration in ’70s photography of Miami and was recently launched at London Fashion Week with designs that get adventurous with wood. Termite Eyewear’s A/W14 collection is now available from their web shop, with frames starting at £120.
Images courtesy of Termite Eyewear
