How acetate sunglasses are made
A finished VANDA frame may look effortless, but producing one involves weeks of work, specialist machinery and repeated manual handling.
Our frames are designed in Australia and crafted using premium cellulose acetate from Mazzucchelli 1849, an established Italian manufacturer known throughout the eyewear industry for its depth of colour, consistency and material development.
From the first acetate sheet to the final inspection, each stage influences how a VANDA frame looks, feels and performs.
1. Selecting the acetate
Every VANDA acetate frame begins with the selection of its colour, pattern, thickness and finish.
We use premium Mazzucchelli 1849 acetate for its consistency, colour depth and ability to produce both solid and translucent finishes.
The material arrives in sheets rather than as a finished frame. Before cutting begins, it is checked for colour consistency, surface quality and suitability for the intended design.
2. Cutting the frame and temples
The frame front and temples are cut from the acetate sheet using precision machinery.
At this stage, the components are still rough. The edges are unfinished, the surfaces lack their final polish and the parts do not yet resemble a completed pair of VANDA sunglasses.
Accurate cutting is essential. Small variations can affect symmetry, lens fit and the final dimensions of the frame.
3. Shaping the VANDA design
The cut components are shaped to match the approved VANDA specifications.
This includes forming the bridge, refining the lens openings, creating the front curvature and shaping the temples.
Heat is used to make the acetate workable before the components are formed. The character of the finished frame begins to emerge here, although substantial finishing is still required.
4. Installing the wire cores and hardware
Metal wire cores are inserted into the acetate temples to provide structure and allow the arms to be adjusted.
Hinges, screws and other hardware are then fitted and aligned.
These components may be small, but they influence how the sunglasses feel in everyday use. Their placement affects how smoothly the temples open, whether the frame closes evenly and how securely it sits when worn.
Much of this work requires close attention and manual handling.
5. Tumbling and hand polishing
Tumbling is one of the longest stages in producing an acetate frame.
The components are placed into rotating barrels with wooden pegs and polishing compounds. Over time, this gradually smooths the cut edges, refines the surfaces and begins to reveal the depth and gloss of the acetate.
Frames may pass through several tumbling stages using different peg shapes and compounds. Depending on the required finish, the process can take days or even weeks.
After tumbling, areas requiring greater precision are polished by hand. This combination of time, movement and skilled finishing transforms the acetate from a cut component into a smooth, refined frame.
6. Fitting the lenses and assembling the frame
The lenses are cut to match the individual frame openings and fitted into place.
The temples are attached, screws are secured and the frame is assembled as a complete pair of VANDA sunglasses.
The sunglasses are then checked to ensure the lenses sit correctly, the hinges move smoothly and both temples open and close evenly.
7. Quality control and final adjustment
The completed sunglasses are inspected for:
- frame symmetry
- temple alignment
- hinge movement
- lens fit
- surface finish and polishing
- hardware placement
- logos and detailing
- scratches, warping or material defects
The frame may then be adjusted by hand so it sits level and closes correctly. A pair can pass through every production stage and still require further work, or be rejected, if it does not meet the expected standard at final inspection.
Why the process takes time
Producing acetate sunglasses is not a single automated process.
It is a sequence of cutting, heating, shaping, tumbling, polishing, assembling, inspecting and adjusting. Machinery provides precision and consistency, but skilled workers remain involved throughout production.
The quality of the finished frame reflects all of these decisions, including the material selected, the time allowed for finishing and the care taken during final alignment.
The VANDA approach
Our founder, personally selects the materials, dimensions, colours, lens specifications and finish for each frame, then works through sampling, production and quality control before the sunglasses are approved.
For us, quality is not simply how the frame looks in a photograph. It includes how the hinges move, how the temples align, how the acetate has been polished and how the sunglasses sit when worn.
Every finished frame reflects decisions made throughout the process, from the original material selection to final inspection.
