Now you can order your children’s glasses through an app that measures their face for a custom fit. Fitz Frames also uses AR technology so your kids can see what the 3D printed products will look like before you buy them.
Small Business Trends contacted Heidi Hertel, CEO of Fitz Frames, to find out more. She started by talking about the origins of the small business that includes blue light filtering, sunglasses and prescription glasses for children.
Inspired by Personal Experience
Fitz Frames sprung from personal experience.
“The idea came after I spent several years shopping for eyewear for my kids,” she writes. “They have been wearing glasses since they were toddlers and I couldn’t believe how inconvenient and expensive the process was.”
Hertel followed the trail that led to other disappointed parents. She found that kids’ frames usually only came in small and large sizes. There were other issues too.
“They only offer limited colors and styles. So even if the store has a style your child likes, it’s rare you can find that frame in a color and size that work. Even if you do, the glasses tend to be fragile and expensive.”
3D Printed Glasses Business for Kids
Her company is designed to tackle those shortcomings and more. This is a tech savvy buying experience that is user-friendly. Your kids get customized glasses at the end with a unique fit. Plus, the frames are durable.
There are just a few steps to the simple process. First, parents can get the app here. Next, you choose from a variety of frame styles available. AR and UV coated lenses can be included and you choose the color you want. High-index, Light Sensitive, Tinted or Polarized lenses are other choices.
The company is about more than just making money. Hertel highlights the sense of social responsibility that runs through Fitz Frames.
Educating Families is Key
“We are educating families. And not just about the importance of protecting all eyes with sunglasses and blue light filtering lenses they may not know the importance of,” she says. “We are also helping people understand what a 3d printed product looks and feels like.”
There’s even a virtual try on so your children can see how they look
The app takes accurate measurements of their face for the frame. Hertel explains how the tech involved allows for changes. There are literally thousands of measurements involved resulting in a one of a kind fit.
Allowing Customers to Change Frames
“Our solution allows customers to change frames in ways they aren’t usually customizable,” she writes. “That includes the frame’s bridge shape and width, temple angle and length and pantascoic tilt. We also print everything into the frame, eliminating problems that can arise with hinges and screws that can get lost or broken.”
The glasses are all American-made. Each pair is made with a 3-D printing process in Youngstown, Ohio.
Giving More Control to Eyeglass Wearers
Hertel says the process allows kids to have more control over the glasses they pick.
“By letting them see what they look like in our virtual try on, encouraging them to pick a name or phrase to be printed inside, we eliminate the stress that comes with highly priced glasses you typically find in stores and online.”
Fitz Frames is good for Mom and Dad too.
“For parents, we’ve made it a convenient process as you can shop and receive the glasses at home, slipping multiple store visits. And you can’t overestimate the benefit of seeing your child want to wear their glasses.”
Parents can either make one purchase or subscribe to a plan.
Image: fitzframes.com
This article, "Mompreneur Finds Success Making 3D Printed Glasses for Kids" was first published on Small Business Trends
January 14, 2020 at 07:53AM
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Rob Starr, Khareem Sudlow
