Ever since they disrupted the glasses industry, Warby Parker hasn’t seen much competition from other startups. Until now.
Frameri, a new brand focused on giving you some optical bang for your buck, is today launching to the public. The company has raised a $750k seed round.
Here’s how it works: Frameri has three different models of eyewear (with more to join). Each model comes in a range of colors, and comes with the option for tinted or non-tinted lenses. You also have the option to get your sunglasses lenses or regular lenses with a prescription.
The idea is that you can purchase two or three colors of a single model, get the proper lenses for sun and shade, and have the ability to swap out your glasses whenever you want.
It all started when founder and CEO Konrad Billetz suffered an eye injury as a child. It forced him to wear corrective lenses, and he grew tired of wearing the same accessory on his face every day.
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Frameri eyewear is designed with a hard polymer coating, allowing for extra protection against breaks and scratches. According to the company, their products are of a much higher quality than Warby Parker, though that’s ultimately up to you, dear readers.
Frames cost $100 each, and each set of lenses also costs $100. Obviously, this is a more expensive option than Warby Parker, but perhaps gives more accessorizing options and promises more durability.
“Warby Parker reinvented the model, changing the way people buy glasses, but we changed the product,” said Billetz. “Eyeglasses have been the same for 200 years, but now with Frameri, customers have the ability to change their lenses with different frames and customize day-to-day.”
According to Billetz, the biggest challenge is getting users to trust that they can fiddle around with the Frameri products, popping and changing lenses as they please, and that nothing will break or be damaged.
If you’re interested in checking out Frameri, you can head over to the website and try the Virtual Try-On, which uses live video to show what frames will look like on your face.