What the Lens
“Everything just looks… sharper.”
You don’t notice a bad lens… until you put on a good one.
Do you know what you're looking through?
Glass was the OG
Glass set the original benchmark for clarity. Modern materials came later, making lenses lighter, safer, and more practical, while getting closer to that same optical standard.
It was one of the first materials ever used for lenses, dating back to the 13th century. What set it apart was its optical clarity.
Glass has a naturally high Abbe value, meaning less distortion and more accurate colour.
The trade-off was weight and safety. Glass lenses are heavier than modern materials and can shatter on impact, which makes them less suited to everyday wear.
Columbia Resin #39
CR-39, or Columbia Resin #39, is one of those materials most people have never heard of, but have likely looked through.
It offers excellent optical clarity with very little distortion, which is why it’s widely used in higher-quality eyewear.
It’s also light enough to wear all day without noticing it.
For lifestyle sunglasses, it’s become a quiet benchmark.
Nylon / Polyamide
Nylon is lighter, stronger, and more impact resistant than glass, with a bit more flexibility as well.
You’ll often see it in performance or sport environments where durability matters just as much as clarity.
When done properly, it performs extremely well. When done cheaply, it doesn’t. Like most things, the material is only as good as how it’s made.
Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate is built for impact.
It’s commonly used in safety eyewear and sport applications because it handles force well, and it’s very light.
The trade-off is optical refinement. Compared to CR-39 or high-quality nylon, the view can feel slightly less sharp or precise over time.
Tri-Acetate Cellulose.
TAC stands for Tri-Acetate Cellulose.
Commonly used in polarised lenses and is made by layering materials together to reduce glare.
Some TAC lenses perform well. Others are built to meet a price point.
Not all polarised lenses are equal. What’s underneath matters more than the label.
Our Approach to Clarity
At VANDA, we use CR-39 and Nylon across our range. They offer a balance of clarity, comfort, and durability that suits how most people actually wear their sunglasses day to day.
We’re clear about what we use, because it’s one of the biggest factors in how the product feels over time.
