Pair Eyewear expands into the UK and Australia

Pair Eyewear, the American eyewear brand that appeared on the TV show ‘Shark Tank’, is expanding its global footprint with direct-to-consumer expansion into the UK and Australia.

The expansion comes after the eyewear brand secured 75 million US dollars in funding for its Series C in October 2023, during which the brand revealed plans to enlarge its US-based lens lab and in-house manufacturing facilities and to extend its customer reach globally through an international expansion.

The eyewear brand, co-founded in 2019 by Nathan Kondamuri and Sophia Edelstein, who met as undergraduate students at Stanford University, has become known for its customisable approach to eyewear, where its technology allows for “switchable” top frames that attach to a base pair of glasses to offer wearers affordable personalisation.

As in the US, the company’s top frame and base frame collections will be accessible via e-commerce in the UK and Australia, a concept previously unseen in both countries. Pair Eyewear will also offer free shipping and returns available on all orders.

American brand Pair Eyewear gloablly expands customisable eyewear

Sophia Edelstein, co-chief executive and co-founder of Pair Eyewear, said in a statement: “When Nathan and I started the brand, it was on the basis of providing people globally with eyewear as dynamic as you are. Our expansion to the UK and Australia is a significant step towards making this belief a reality on a global scale.

“We’re committed to providing affordable and accessible eyeglasses to communities worldwide. Our goal is to become a household name not only in the United States but internationally.”

In addition to its global expansion, Pair Eyewear opened a second manufacturing facility in Irvine, California. Pair Eyewear states that owning its manufacturing processes end-to-end allows it to manufacture in a far more efficient and cost-effective way, which translates to more affordability, access for the customer, higher quality of product and expedited shipping times.

Nathan Edelstein, co-chief executive and co-founder of Pair Eyewear, added: “As we have continued to expand our e-commerce presence into new markets, we look forward to continued growth for the business through global retailer partnerships and the continued escalation of Pair Eyewear’s integrated manufacturing capabilities.

“Our vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities are a core competency of the brand. Since launch, we have continually invested in research and development that has allowed the business to develop a family of patents around customizable technology, further pushing innovation in an outdated industry. We look forward to continuing this innovation on a global scale.”

Pair Eyewear is the first direct-to-consumer customisable eyewear brand that is reimagining the consumer experience for individuals with glasses, allowing adults and children to quickly and easily change the look of their glasses.

The brand has a large and expanding selection of 1,000-plus customisable top frames, including limited edition monthly drops and licensed designs from brands such as DC, NHL, MLB, Marvel, Harry Potter, Sesame Street, The NBA, Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, and more for optical glasses, sunglasses and blue light glasses, all available in both prescription and non-prescription models.