Our Materials
Quality materials and manufacturing are central to everything we do. Your glasses go through a lot, so we need to make sure they’re up to the job.
Making products with care
Since 2018, we actively strive to incorporate sustainable materials into our
collection, without compromising the quality standards that define Ace & Tate. We work
closely with our manufacturers, who meet our standards of social and environmental
responsibility, and we'll continue to seek innovative materials and technologies to create well-designed, quality frames.
Acetate
Most of our frames are made of acetate. Acetate is strong, light, hypoallergenic, and easily repairable, not to mention endlessly colourful and customisable. Our design studio in Amsterdam makes some of our acetate designs from scratch, making them truly one-of-kind.
Acetate Renew Bio
Acetate Renew Bio is a lower-impact alternative to traditional acetate. The CO2 footprint of an Acetate Renew Bio frame shows an 8% reduction* compared to a Bio Acetate frame. Like conventional acetate, Acetate Renew Bio is made from sustainably sourced wood pulp (42%) but is combined with certified recycled contents** (28%) instead of fossil fuels. We then combine the cellulose acetate flakes with bio-plasticisers (30%) to create the final acetate material.
*Source: Ace & Tate 2022 LCA
** ISCC-certified recycled contents, obtained via mass balance
Recycled Acetate
Recycled Acetate provides a more sustainable alternative to regular acetate, reducing waste while preserving its familiar qualities and feel. It's crafted from pre-consumer waste, which includes off-cuts generated during production. Rather than disposing of these materials, we collect and transform them into new acetate for our frames.
100% of our acetate collection consists of lower-impact materials (Bio Acetate, Recycled Acetate or Acetate Renew Bio).
Bio Acetate
Bio Acetate is mixed with bio-based plasticisers, which are made from renewable raw materials instead of oil-based raw materials. This lowers the CO2 footprint of the materials that are used for production compared to Virgin Acetate production.
Metal
Our collections also feature metal frames — cut from stainless steel or titanium. These materials are very durable and feel incredibly light. Stainless steel frames feature a slim profile and are lighter than acetate frames. Titanium frames are even lighter and more flexible, making them resistant to breakage.
Metal components
Each of our frames has metal components to keep it all together, including hinges and custom core wire. These are carefully designed by German engineers before being crafted at their factory in Shenzhen.
Packaging
Our shipping box has been reduced to the smallest size possible, and is made from 30% virgin grass fibres and 70 % recycled, FSC-certified paper.
Lenses
Our lenses are made from CR-39, a strong polycarbonate material. They have been treated with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coatings to ensure strength, clarity and comfort.
