Sunglasses made from old fishing boats | The fishing boat project

THE STORY

My pappoy Yiannis was a fisherman for living, he was a passionate and a true stubborn man. He was known to the locals as “to vremeno” meaning in Greek the wet guy. He always came on shore with his pants wet from the sea. His fishing boat was used for more than 3 generations.In his memory we firstly created a limited-edition line of sunglasses called Gregos, made from the wood of his fishing boat.We inherited his stubbornness and passion and wanted every fishing boat that is on shore and no longer in use, to continue her journey through our sunglasses. So we created the Fishing boat project.

THE “MASTRO TASOS” BOAT
“MARIA” L.S 840

This boat was constructed in 1973 by Zorzos Ioannis who was one of the best boatbuilders of his time. The material of choice was still the legendary pine from the island of Samos, also known as samiotiki and consisting mainly of Pinus brutia. Great bulks were usually left for several weeks in the sea before being hauled out and cut into planks and frames. It is speculated that its resin content, gave the wood its superior reputation. Most pine trees in Greece were tapped for resin. Greece was the world’s fourth biggest producer of resin before World War II, but this practice was outlawed in Samos in 1899. And indeed, Samos timber is significantly denser and heavier than pine from elsewhere in Greece.

The type of this boat is called Botis which is a small trechantiri, but without the latter’s raised stem head. The name “trechantiri” means is Greek the boat that runs fast and is probably derived from the Byzantine word “trochantiras” meaning stern pedestal.
They are characterized for their wide width compared to their length, and their intense curved bow. The Trechantiri did not have any history of a shipwreck and came out in the deep sea at any weather conditions. That's why it has not undergone any substantial changes since the 17th century. The most important change since 1920, was the elimination of the sails as the basic mean of propulsion and their replacement with inboard oil engines.

Did you know that every pair of Zeyelo sunglasses is totally handcrafted?

Yes, your frame is totally handcrafted in Syros Greece , a small island in the heart of the Aegean sea.

How is it done?

We buy big planks of walnut lumber and build each frame from the scratch. Firstly we cut thin boards of wood, glue them together, cut the shape of each pair of sunglasses and finish them by hand. It might sound simple but there are 32 stages of production, 30 of them are done by hand.

Quality
is a very important word for us and at the same time a promise. Every pair of sunglasses is a representation of who we are. You can check some reviews from our customers here.

Who are we?

Eleni and Periklis are the main faces behind Zeyelo. Periklis is the master builder and production manager of Zeyelo. He is responsible for all this great craftsmanship you are holding in your hands. Did you find a great fitting in your sunglasses? This is Eleni you should thank for. Eleni is the designer of Zeyelo and the person behind aesthetics and functionality. All in all Zeyelo is a small business making big wonders concerning quality, aesthetics and fitting.

But why wood ?

Because wood is alive, smells, breathes and ages with you. Wood is the most versatile and sustainable raw material available. Naturally equipped with exceptional functional characteristics. Wood’s waste is 100 per cent biodegradable, a renewable material and low in energy production. Zeyelo is all about sustainability and respect for nature.

What about the lenses?

Our sun lenses offer 100% UVA/UVB sun protection. LTL Italy lenses are extremely light weight makes them suitable for all types of frames. Seven layers of anti-reflective coating above all improve the optical quality of the lens, in addition reducing glare and eyestrain to a minimum. Furthermore, they are easy to clean and treated with a scratch-resistant protection on both sides which protects them from mechanical damage and extends their durability.

In case you wish your optician to replace the lenses of your sunglasses or even add your prescription, ask him/her to contact us at support@zeyelo.com or forward him/her our info and guidance link

Your authentic pair of Zeyelo wood sunglasses

Every pair of Zeyelo sunglasses is accompanied by a semi hard case and a bottle with pharmaceutical paraffin oil. This oil makes the frame water-repellent and lightens up the wooden grain, providing a semi-gloss finish. Since wood is a living entity, from time to time it is needs your care.

Zeyelo, is all about the in-house manufacturing process, so full commitment is given to each pair. For this reason, the processing time needed for each order is 5-7 working days.

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