20/20 Europe international eye fashion – Interview about #PLANETROLF. A credible, sustainable quest and endeavor – in eyewear.
Award-winning eyewear label Rolf is one of the optical industry leaders in the production of sustainable natural eyewear, with a company ethos that matches that commitment and passion for innovation-driven design and self-sufficient, craft-oriented local production. 20/20 Europe spoke to Roland Wolf.
Sustainability and conscious design are intrinsic to Rolf’s philosophy and have been since the start. What are the fundamental areas that you focused on through the last years and how have things developed or pivoted?
Roland Wolf: The company’s ethos is built on four pillars: a commitment to a healthier planet based on the concept of local production and a high product depth; innovative rethinking of norms; the use of plant-based and natural materials; and the promotion of sustainability through durable and long-lasting products.
In recent years, our courage and vision to produce innovative eyewear in Europe has paid off. Thanks to our in-house manufacturing and creative minds in R&D, we have been able to deliver and work on new products and projects at the same time. One result is our 3D printed bean glasses. Launched as the SUBSTANCE COLLECTION with the ‘get back on track’ package during the Covid shutdown, we gave our partners a fresh and positive vibe with a product that delivers on quality, design, innovation, sustainability and price.
Since then, this product line has grown with a SUBSTANCE KIDS COLLECTION and most recently the WIRE COLLECTION. We invested in the latest 3D printing technologies in our local production facility in the Tyrol and are able to print all kinds of materials. So, we have a great basis for our future product development and prototyping. We plan to continuously launch new products and collections at upcoming trade shows. This investment underlines our commitment to high technology, innovation and independence.
We have also used the time to implement major projects such as rebranding, the thermal refurbishment of our factory and the construction of a new sustainable eyewear store concept in Reutte.
