“It starts with longevity”

Roland Keplinger, design director at Silhouette Eyewear, discussed designing for repairability and longevity in a panel discussion in London on 3 July.

The panel saw design journalist and presenter, Roddy Clarke, moderate a discussion on Modular design: how can brands design with circularity and repairability in mind?

Alongside Silhouette’s Keplinger, guest speakers included experts in furniture design and the manufacture of office meeting booths.

Introducing the conversation, Clarke told attendees: “Designing for disassembly is vital in this day and age to ensure a product can live on for generations and is a critical factor in the fight for a circular economy.”

OTgathered Keplinger’s insights on striving to improve sustainability and designs that last.

1 Minimalism and reducing material waste

When it comes to designing Silhouette frames it all begins with materials, Keplinger said.

“Most of our frames start with a titanium wire that is pressed into form, and you cut away just a tiny amount,” he said.

This approach, in addition to injection moulding techniques for Silhouette’s full rim designs, minimises waste.

Connecting the different parts of the frame is the next consideration, with Keplinger sharing that designing eyewear without screws makes the parts easy to replace, adding: “This gives a frame longevity and durability.”

Rimless frames in particular offer benefits in modularity which can extend the lifecycle of the product.

Keplinger said: “If a wearer doesn’t like the lens shape any more, or their prescription changes, a customer can visit their optician and say: ‘I love the frame, but maybe let’s try a different lens shape.’”

2 Standardised parts and re-using tools

Silhouette has standardised its end pieces to several designs, Keplinger explained, telling OT that this means the company can make the most out of each mould.

“We put a lot of effort into making the end pieces perfect so these can last a very long time and be used for years,” he said.

This approach also supports brand recognition, creating a “visible code” across the end pieces of all Silhouette frames.

In doing so, more attention can be paid to the front of the frame, with Keplinger sharing: “We have more freedom to play with all the rest of the parts.”

“This kind of modularity, using the same parts again and again, and making parts easily detachable and repairable – this has been our heart and our DNA,” he said.

When it comes to creating new styles, Keplinger noted: “We try to make timeless designs and make sure that every design family works for at least three to five years.”

For this reason, the designers don’t tend to follow trends. He explained: “We play with parts – the fronts, lens shapes, which are simpler and quicker to change. With the temples we aim to be timeless.”

3 Educating consumers

Educating end consumers is an important aspect to embracing more sustainable purchasing behaviours.

“It starts with longevity,” Keplinger shared, highlighting the approach of “quality over quantity.”

Businesses need to talk about their processes and steps they are taking, Keplinger said, adding: “We didn’t talk too much about what we had already been doing for years, but now it is in the mind of the consumers who say: ‘I’m very conscious of what I buy and who I’m giving my money to.’”

Silhouette’s minimalist metal designs cut down on materials used and wasted, but Keplinger said: “We didn’t do it for marketing. It was built in, and nobody thought about it.”

4 Sustainability efforts as part of the brand story

There is a growing interest from the public in the topic of sustainability in eyewear.

Keplinger said: “Sustainability is becoming more important for the end consumers, who have this holistic point of view and are more educated. Of course, we have a long way to go.”

Providing optical practices with more information on Silhouette’s efforts towards sustainability supports conversations with patients about the collections and the brand itself.

“It makes the brand story more rounded,” Keplinger said. “They can explain, ‘Yes it is a premium price, but the brand does everything in their hands to be as sustainable as possible.’”

5 Working towards carbon neutrality

Silhouette Group is working towards reaching carbon neutrality in 2027 and is the only European eyewear manufacturer with a certification from the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme of the European Commission.

The company reduced its carbon footprint by 50% by 2022 and is currently carbon free, but Keplinger notes that this is with offsetting initiatives.

With the goal of carbon neutrality in 2027, the company has plans to reduce its environmental impact further.

Having transparency with customers is important to maintain trust, Keplinger said, suggesting that as more patients and consumers ask about sustainability in eyewear, practitioners must be prepared to respond.