Repurposed material: spent cartridges
Budapest’s eyewear innovators, Vinylize continue their work in recycling and repurposing material for eyewear with the 357 collection – showing at the opti fair in Munich this weekend. The first line in a new performance collection, 357 incorporates spent cartridge cases as a functional element of the frames. This is the first time an eyewear brand has reused spent ammunition to create wearable frames suitable for everyday. Designer, Zack Tipton said he expects a ‘love it or hate it’ reaction, owing to the controversial nature of the upcycled material’s provenance. “I want to call attention to the casualization of destruction with this collection” he explains. “Not just of humans, but of our planet in general. We have casualized destruction to such an extent that the necessary tools can be easily acquired. And we don’t have the power to stop ourselves from using them.”
The cartridge, also known as ‘casings’ or ‘brass’, is the element that holds the bullet, gunpowder and primer. Casings are made from brass, one of the most well-known metals in jewellery making. According to Vinylize, more than 12 billion cartridges are produced globally per year. In this process, each casing is machined to fit the temple tip and then washed before being incorporated into a 357 frame.
357 is inspired by a philosophy of balance, durability and design. The frame front is made from stainless steel and uses a semi rimless construction to hold the lens in place – designed to reduce frame front weight. A compressed spring is discharge machined into the beta titanium temples for maximum flexibility and comfort. A 357 Magnum cartridge is fitted into each temple tip to create the counterweight and a visible detail for the frames. For more information: www.vinylize.com