Modern eyeglass frames can be made of metals, plastics or unusual materials like bone, leather and stone. Each of these categories has individual features and attracts a certain group of people. In general, bone, leather, silver, gold and horn eyewear frames are seldom seen and usually more pricy than plastic and metal frames. The scarcity of these materials makes these frames more valuable and harder to get. An opposite situation is that plastic and metal eyeglass and sunglass frames continue to grow in terms of diversity and scale. Till now, eyewear frames made of plastics have accounted for a major proportion of the eyeglass frame market. Plastic frames for women and men are both widely available in different colors, styles, and shapes. Due to technological advances in both frame and lens industries, the differences between metal frames and plastic frames have been greatly narrowed down or reduced. A typical testimony is that some metals such as titanium and stainless steel can also be lightweight.
However, women’s sunglass frames can still benefit greatly from plastic materials due to some special reasons. Giving an explanation to these words should first pay some attention to the general difference between men’s eyewear and women’s eyewear. It is publicly acknowledged by both the average and professionals that ladies are more concerned about the eyewear’s appearance on them, while gentlemen value more comfortable, fit and durable eyeglasses or sunglasses. Designed and produced by big and small manufacturers, modern plastic frames for women usually take this fundamental difference into consideration. And generally speaking, plastics like nylon, polycarbonate and high index materials are more widely used in female eyeglasses than in male counterparts.
Making such a conclusion is based on the fact that plastics are easier to be molded and customized into different shapes, tinted into various colors, and mixed into varying combinations. The wide variety of eyeglass and sunglass models for women usually has plastic frames. Plastic frames for women are more feasible to appear in any wanted color, especially in sunglasses. In addition, the extreme lightness featured by polycarbonate and high index materials is a great contribution to sports or performance sunglasses used by women.