Our Production

From the design of the frames to the machining and assembly by our eyewear artisans, including the selection of the wood at Marotte, discover all the stages involved in the production of our glasses !

Renaissance Collection in Wood

#1 - The Design of the Frames.

#2 - The Veneering work at Marotte.

#3 - The Design of the Wood Sheets at Weden.

#4 - The Design of the Lenses at Dalloz.

#5 - The Machining of the Frames in Eastern France.

#6 - The Assembly of the Glasses at Lucal.

1 / The first step in any development is to imagine and design our frames in-house.

2 / They are then prototyped, and adjustments are made until they are perfectly suited to all types of faces.

3 / At the same time, the selection of precious woods takes place at our partner Marotte in the Meuse, a specialist in high-end cabinetmaking veneers.

4 / Once this selection is made, the veneer is checked and then jointed (meaning the sheets of wood are « stitched together ») to reach the required dimensions.

5 / These veneer sheets are then layered and bonded together using an exclusive technique patented by Shelter, forming a wooden plate that is both strong, lightweight, and flexible. This represents a major innovation in the world of wooden eyewear !

6 / Then, these plates are transferred to our eyewear artisans in the Jura and Ain regions, where they are machined: cutting the frame, sanding and oiling the wood, mounting the hinges and lenses, assembling the front and the temples, and finally finishing. No fewer than 90 steps are required for each of our frames (many of which are done by hand) !

7 / The final step takes place in Paris, in the Shelter workshop: the glasses are checked one by one. Then they are placed in their case and box, and sent to our partner opticians.

Fusion Collection by Patrick Norguet in Acetate

La collection Fusion by Patrick Norguet en Acétate

1/ The first step in creating a collection is to imagine, develop, and design the frames in-house. For the FUSION collection, we called on internationally renowned designer Patrick Norguet, who imagined a collection of ten frames inspired by architecture.

2/ The next step is the machining of laser-cut plastic fronts. This provides a first overall view of the frame’s dimensions, its shape, how it sits on the face, and allows all these elements to be adjusted.

3/ To perfect the frame, we then go back and forth with the artisan until the final prototypes are achieved: adjustments through 3D graphics, validation of the nose height and width, the position on the face, the temple lengths, and so on.

4/ At the same time, we select the materials with our suppliers. For this collection, we chose bio-acetate from Mazzuchelli 1849, as well as wood from Marotte and metal.

5/ Once this selection has been made, the prototyping phase begins for final validation: these are the first pieces that will closely resemble our final frames, in the approved shapes and colors.

6/ Then, production begins. The selected bio-acetate sheets are cut into blocks (pre-cut acetate pieces corresponding to the desired dimensions of the frame). The acetate blocks are then placed in a machine called a CNC, which allows the frame and the temples to be cut to the chosen shape.

7/ Once cut by the CNC machine, the frames are sanded to remove any possible residues. They are then polished using a polishing machine, which gives the acetate a smooth and glossy finish.

We carry out barrel polishing. This is a dry treatment process that allows a mirror-polished finish to be achieved. The pieces to be polished are placed in rotating barrels containing small wooden chips coated with an abrasive paste. This paste removes any imperfections on the frame, such as small scratches.

8/ The fronts are then placed in a compressor to obtain the final curve.

9/ Then comes the assembly phase of the frames. First, the metal parts are embedded into the fronts and the temples. Next, the hinges are fitted both on the front and on the temples. Finally, the temples are assembled to the fronts to create the final frame.

10 / The final step is the inspection of each frame in the Shelter workshop. After that, they are placed in their case and box, and sent to our partner opticians.