Over the last twenty years our desire for Designer goods has led to high quality, luxury products entering the market place in an industry that encompasses clothes, accessories, and of course glasses and sunspecs. We at the InternetGlassesCompany get the occasional enquiry as to the origins of our Designer ranges, with understandably anxious clients checking that our goods are authentic. The World Trade Organisation estimates that 8% of all goods sold worldwide are counterfeit, creating a negative effect for traders and the health of consumers.
With regards to our frames and sunglasses, we only stock products that are totally genuine, direct from the frame manufacturers in Italy. Like the manufacturers themselves we know that it’s in the interests of ourselves, the brand, the Optical industry and the vital clients to only use authentic product. Forgeries will be of inferior quality, using weak materials and possibly endangering the wearer. With specs this may mean skin allergies, lost lenses and uncomfortable frames.
In practice, we never accept frames which are not genuine. They are destroyed by manufacturers if they reach them to have new lenses or parts fitted, so be warned if you take a fake Oakley or RayBan to an Optician to have a screw or side arm replaced! They always spot them even if we don’t, and there are some very convincing reproductions out there. Always buy from a reputable stockist, check that the cases, cloths and logos are correct – a Ray ban spelled Ray Burn is a bit of a give away! Note that if you wear dark sunglasses lenses which are not authentic, they’ll probably have no UV protection. The dark lens will allow light to flood into your unprotected eye and over time will cause damage to the retina and crystalline lens within the eye.
This year the Italian Association of Optical goods manufacturers are cracking down on counterfeits. They have strong interest in this problem as the vast proportion of Designer frames sold in Europe are from Italian design houses and factories. July 7th was the first national Anti-Counterfeiting day, and 5000 forged frames were crushed by a road roller as a symbol of their work. We welcome any move to stop the trade in counterfeit goods which will safeguard our business and the health of our patients.