Otis

Made from plants. Mainly castor oil — something nobody spontaneously associates with eyewear, and yet. We spent over 4 years in Hossegor testing every possible compatibility between plant materials, moulds and machines before arriving at something that holds up. The Premium series comes out in high-density injection for the trend shapes, the Classic goes for sportier lines. Soft-touch finish. Polarised lenses. And when you wear them all day, in town, on the spot, wherever, you can feel that petrochemicals really are no longer necessary.

From plant to glasses. That has been the Moken concept since 2014, and it took us more than 4 years to make it real. Harvesting the plant, synthesising the oil, polymerisation, manufacturing — each stage required testing the compatibility between bio-based materials, moulds and machines, and believe us, the first attempts were far from perfect. The result is a range that matches our values. Glasses that come from the earth. It is not just a slogan in a catalogue — it is 4 years of grind and R&D in the Landes.

Castor. That slightly odd plant used in medicine and industry for years — we turn it into eyewear frames. 90% plant matter. Once transformed, the material is resistant, flexible, with that characteristic soft touch you recognise straight away. Designed in Hossegor, developed with our eyewear-making know-how; we did not improvise ourselves into manufacturers overnight. A real alternative to petrochemicals that holds up on performance as well as on style.

Darker at the top, lighter at the bottom — that is the principle of the gradient lens. In practice it means sun hitting from above is properly filtered, while vision downward stays natural, handy for reading your phone or glancing at the dashboard without taking your glasses off. The look is distinctive too, and you will find it on quite a few Premium and Action models. Available combined with our polarised lenses, which adds reflection blocking on top of the gradient. Two technologies on a single lens.

Light tint, category 1. Filters between 20% and 57% of visible light — plenty for hazy days, the end of a session or driving when it is overcast. Reduces eye strain without darkening everything. The important bit, and one many people miss: UV protection stays at 400 nanometres, at maximum, however clear the lens looks. Thinking light tint equals light protection is a classic trap. At Moken that is not the case. Even our most transparent lenses block everything they need to.