FACTORY900

FACTORY900 is a Japanese eyewear label from designer Yoshinori Aoyama, who launched it in 2000. It is the in-house brand of AOYAMA Optical Co., a third-generation factory in Fukui, Japan's eyewear capital. The name comes from the factory's official registration number, 900. Every pair is made entirely in-house, from concept to finish, using proprietary tools and traditional methods handed down through Aoyama's family. The frames are sculptural, hand-carved acetate, from everyday shapes with bold rims to more organic statement pieces that play with light and reflection. The work has been recognised: multiple Eyewear of the Year awards in Japan, plus two Silmo d'Or prizes in Paris. A good one to try on if you want frames that stand apart.