Materials glossary / Frame material
Metal frame
On the label: Metal frame · Frame material
What it is
Frames of stainless steel, monel, titanium or aluminum; monel (a nickel-copper alloy) is common in cheap metal frames and the usual cause of frame rashes behind the ears.
Frame materials: Frame materials: acetate, injection-molded plastics, metals and the memory alloys; weight, flex, allergy and repairability follow from the material.
In the research
6 PubMed papers mention it with jewelry, allergy, eyewear or UV; the three most recent:
- Sunglasses with thick temples and frame constrict temporal visual field · Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of O, 2013
- Testing safety eyewear: how frame and lens design affect lens retention · Optometry (St. Louis, Mo.), 2007
- An evaluation of the flammability of five dental gloves · British dental journal, 2001
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on one fabric or one filter says little about the piece in your hand.
Pieces whose listing names it
5 on the siteMatched from the words in the supplier's listing; the full material line is on each product page.
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Other frame materials
Clasp & Lens describes materials from the public record and does not appraise, grade or test pieces; what a listing states is the supplier's statement. If a piece causes a rash, take it off; a reaction that spreads or blisters is a doctor's question, and sunglasses are no substitute for impact-rated eye protection where that is required.