Vision is basically a miracle…read more
It all started with a random gene mutation which made a newly light sensitive protein about 700 million years ago. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/thoughtomics/animal-vision-evolved-700-million-years-ago/. Eventually fish developed eyes. Then the fish walked on land. Vision gave the species who had it a tremendous evolutionary advantage. Our today human binocular, focusing, color vision along with the visual system in our brain is a thing of beauty.
Because our eye is complex, it can benefit from help sometimes in the form of eyeglasses, a unique human contribution to material evolution. We can correct limitations in the lens and shade our eyes with sunglasses.
Eyeglasses are an expressive choice like clothing, footwear and accessories. Some Portlanders thought, "can we make eyeglass frames with wood?" And they did, making Shwood.
You can see them all around town and they are made in Portland, Oregon, USA.
They make sunglasses, pre-lensed, and prescription frames that a prescription lens can fit.
They have wood, metal, acetate plastic in various combinations or solo as materials. They even have rare lines which use thin veneers of stone and shell.
For the wearer they read design, organic, bold, and some, handmade.
I have wood. They are super lightweight and well made.
With prescription clear lenses, the pupil should be centered in the lens, unless you can pull off the 70's look without that. With sunglasses, the lens can be as big as you like. The Shwood sunglasses are not Jackie O big. But their designs tend to run wide, with medium to large lenses, and are bold style. Some are inspired by the 1950's Wayfarer. That's all very popular now.
They do a stellar job with their eyeglass cases, mine came with a hand-sewn wool pouch, nylon lined + leather drawstring through aluminum eyelets. Their packaging boxes are beautiful too.
They sell online through their website shwoodshop.com. They are on the socials and have an email including special deals.
For their size, they do some of the best branding in the world. They have the styling and photography down. They do collaborations excellently. They do short videos. They go on camping trips. They tell a story of creative life set in our Northwest, one of the most beautiful places on earth, and the wider West ditto. In some of the narratives, the eyewear is just barely there or not even at all. That's advanced branding. It is a direct evolution of the original outdoor journal-catalog manifestos of Chouinard Equipment, Great Pacific Iron Works and Patagonia. Those brands changed the world in sustainable outdoor gear and evolved branding far beyond the Mad Men era.
Shwood distributes to opticians if you need a prescription lens - there is a list on their website. The sunglasses can be found in all the cool - harmonious with the brand - shops of Portland. I look at Made Here PDX by Powells. Although available worldwide, the sunglasses would make a great made-in-Portland gift. And for visitors, with no sales tax here, a great pickup. When people ask you about them: "yeah, I got these in Portland."
Shwood joins my list of Portland World Class. Because they are. And they join the Made in Portland With Sustainable Love list too.