Eyewear brand NEUBAU embraces 3D printing in latest collection

Austrian eyewear brand NEUBAU, part of the Silhouette Group, has been producing stylish and sustainable frames for a decade now. Its latest collection, I AM CHAOS / I AM ORDER, continues this tradition with the introduction of 3D printed frames made using Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) process.

The collection comprises eight frame designs, all with somewhat oversized profiles and each with a subtle spin on a classic frame shape. The frames, which retail for between €320 and €380, come in a variety of colorways, including black, pale green matte, dark purple matte, and “aperol” matte.

As the company explains, the collection’s name I AM CHAOS / I AM ORDER refers to the process of designing the eyewear, which starts with “creative chaos” (i.e. free design and bold ideas) and is ultimately brought to order through the team’s engineering and 3D printing.

“This collection captures the energy of contrast: freedom of expression turned into product by precision and structure,” explained NEUBAU designer Gabriel Kirschner. “It’s a testament to how technology can enhance, not replace, the human touch in design.”

The frames themselves are manufactured using DLS technology and a resin called Lucid PX, which has a translucent look and natural matte finish. According to the brand, the material is dyed in such a way that the color “runs through” it rather than just coating it, which adds dimension to the frame. The frame components are held secure with a titanium hinge.

The eyewear collection is not NEUBAU’s first foray into 3D printed eyewear, but it is its first application of DLS technology. Previously, the brand relied on selective laser sintering (SLS) and natural3D material to make eyewear frames as well as a rapid injection molding process. Like these production processes, DLS was chosen by NEUBAU for its resource efficiency (i.e. minimal material waste and energy-efficient 3D printer).

Overall, 3D printing enables the company to further its broader sustainable mission. As it says, it is committed to using resource efficient production processes and sustainable materials in addition to using energy from clean sources only, filtering air pollutants and conserving water. It also allows it to explore new designs and maintain an agile development and production workflow—something being leveraged by other eyewear designers such as Hoet, Issey Miyaki, and many others.