Shwood
Exotic Woods Become Trendy Fashion Accessories
Shwood, a woodworking shop located near Portland, Oregon, specializes in hand-crafted wooden eyewear. Using materials such as Madrone, Indian Rosewood and African Zebrawood, Shwood's team of artisans cuts, shapes, assembles, finishes and ships unique, one-of-a-kind eyeglasses and sunglasses to more than 225 boutiques worldwide.
The Shwood story began in 2005 when Eric Singer, a kid fresh out of high school, chopped down a branch of his neighbor's Madrone tree. Madrone is a cream or pinkish brown wood with dark red patches. It is notable for its burl veneer which has tight clusters of knots and a swirled grain. "Madrone trees are native to the Pacific Northwest and their bark turns this beautiful, shiny orange color every year," Singer said. "That wood just captivated me."
Singer carved the Madrone branch into a pair of sunglasses and eventually, together with some of his snowboarding buddies, launched Shwood and began producing custom wood-framed sunglasses.
In 2010, Shwood moved into a 6,000-square-foot facility where it currently produces 130 different types of glasses. Shwood's in-house manufacturing process melds precision technology with classic skilled craftsmanship. According to Singer, there are up to 35 steps involved in cutting, shaping, laminating and finishing the eyewear frames and the Carl Zeiss lenses that are fitted to each pair.
A desire to push the boundaries of design, materials and aesthetics has led Singer to experiment with various wood species such as maple and cherry, along with several exotics including African Zebrawood, Indian Rosewood and European walnut to create new designs.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Shwood eyewear made?+
Shwood is a woodworking shop located near Portland, Oregon, where its team of artisans hand-crafts wooden eyewear in a 6,000-square-foot facility.
What wood species does Shwood use for its eyewear?+
Shwood uses Madrone, Indian Rosewood, African Zebrawood, European walnut, maple and cherry to craft its eyeglasses and sunglasses.
How did Shwood get started?+
The company began in 2005 when Eric Singer, fresh out of high school, chopped down a branch of his neighbor's Madrone tree and carved it into a pair of sunglasses. He later launched Shwood with snowboarding friends to produce custom wood-framed sunglasses.
How many steps are involved in making Shwood eyewear?+
According to founder Eric Singer, there are up to 35 steps involved in cutting, shaping, laminating and finishing the eyewear frames and fitting the Carl Zeiss lenses to each pair.
What lenses does Shwood use in its wooden eyewear?+
Shwood fits each pair of its wooden frames with Carl Zeiss lenses.
What makes Madrone wood distinctive for eyewear?+
Madrone is a cream or pinkish brown wood with dark red patches, native to the Pacific Northwest. It is notable for its burl veneer with tight clusters of knots and a swirled grain, and its bark turns a shiny orange color each year.