Check out more images below and see all of her work over at her site.

His works are intentionally temporary and he views the inherent decay as a part of the work itself. See more of his works below and read a great interview with the artist over at NPR.

Keep reading below to see how we select and process our acetate and to check out the finished product.

Above: A cotton plant from which acetate is made. 

Acetate is a time-tested material (developed in 1865!) that is used to this day in things like photographic film and eyewear. Cellulose acetate is a natural and renewable material, providing an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based plastics typically used in inexpensive eyewear. It is also possible to create richer and more unique colors with acetate than with traditional plastic.

Cellulose acetate is made by extracting cellulose fibers from cotton and wood pulp to create a transparent paste. This paste can then be colored, processed, and molded for a variety of industrial applications. For eyewear, it is cut from a large block into thin sheets, and then cut again into small rectangular “blanks”.

Above: Acetate eyewear blanks.

For an in-depth look at how Mazzucchelli crafts their acetate, watch a great video on the process HERE.

Mazzucchelli offers a nearly infinite variety of colors and transparencies of cellulose acetate. To find the perfect pattern and color, our in-house research and development team first creates digital acetate color renderings to narrow down the millions of Mazzucchelli options. They then select samples and carefully choose what will work best in a given frame shape. Sometimes, custom combinations are requested and developed for a one-of-a-kind look. Our research team then hand-polishes the acetate to gain a better understanding of how it will look as a finished pair of frames.

Above: Our “Pearl Grey” acetate in various stages of polishing.

Once a colorway and frame shape has been selected, the process is actually very similar to how we craft our wooden eyewear. Each piece is hand routed into a rough shape, with the other auxiliary frame details added and shaped next. Further hand tooling refines the shape until it is ready to be heat molded to proper curvature, based on approved drawings. The raw frames are then submitted to a multi-stage tumble polishing process over a series of days. Lastly, we hand-select real wood inlays to find the perfect combination of  materials. These inlays are fitted by hand and the frames are sent to be fitted with lenses. This whole process is labor-intensive and requires a high-level of expertise to execute consistently.

Above: Each frame is  fitted with hand-picked wooden inlays, guaranteeing that each pair is unique.

The final product is a beautiful and unique pair of frames with a natural and solid feel, simultaneously lightweight, sturdy, and comfortable. We recently introduced our Prescott shape in acetate, and have added new colorways to all of the existing silhouettes in our Acetate Collection in both Sun & Rx. To see them all visit our website!

Above: Prescott Acetate in Pearl Grey

Above: Govy 2 Acetate in Whiskey Soda.

Above: Canby Acetate in Sweet Tea.

To see more of Jess’s photos and read about his perspective on the PNW coastline visit shwoodshop.journeys.com.

Featuring frames cut from a single sheet of high-quality titanium and paired with domestic hardwood temples, the brand-new Titanium Collection is a sophisticated combination of premium materials. Lightweight and completely hypoallergenic, titanium offers unmatched comfort and durability. And with our handcrafted manufacturing process and meticulous attention to detail, each pair stands apart as a truly one-of-a-kind piece of eyewear.

Check out the video we put together for the release above, and some behind the scenes shots of the making of the edit down below!

To see the entire collection follow the jump here, or scroll down to peruse some photos we put together to accompany the release!

Back in Oregon, we set about creating the sunglasses that would become the Shwood for Louisville Slugger Collection. Borrowing two techniques from Slugger’s manufacturing process, we chose both their iconic paint-dipped and flame-tempered bats as inspiration for the limited run of sunglasses crafted from genuine Louisville Slugger ash wood.

We feel the result is a collection of sunglasses that are both classic and innovative, paying homage, not only to America’s favorite pastime, but to both companies’ commitment to great American manufacturing. To see the entire collection and learn more, head over to Shwoodshop.com. 

The Canby Select in Redwood Burl.

A burl is an abnormal growth on a tree, which can be caused by several factors causing the tree stress; from a fungus or a virus, to an injury to the tree. They can occur in the roots of the tree, at the base, or further up along the trunk. Coastal Redwoods have the unique ability to reproduce from the basal burls, and are often covered in foliage and new sprouts. They also have the propensity to form extremely large burls in the roots of the tree which can grow to great sizes. This characteristic allows sustainably minded harvesters of these ancient giants to utilize every portion of the tree. Much of our Redwood Burl comes from these root burls which in the past would most often have been left in the ground to rot or ground up to be burned in power plants.

A large burl grows partially up the trunk of a Coastal Redwood.

A large Coastal Redwood basal burl.

Burl does not feature the same grain as ordinary wood sections, and is therefore of virtually no use for construction or building purposes. The unique grain formations are however extremely beautiful and uniquely interesting when finely sanded, making it a highly sought after material for bowl and trinket making, fine furniture, and high-end desk and bar tops. It is this subtle and intricate beauty that makes Redwood Burl a perfect material for statement pieces like our Select Series.

A detail shot of finely sanded Redwood Burl.

We receive our Redwood Burl in unfinished and unbacked veneer sheets which are then pressed onto various combinations of Walnut and Birch layers depending on the specific model. These pressed layers are then cut out to shape and carefully hand worked to allow for fitting of hinges and lenses. We also employ it as an attractive accent piece on the temples of select models. All of our Redwood Burl applications feature a complex sanding process which is nearly double that of our more typical hardwoods to really bring out the pop and shine worthy of such a unique and intricately grained material.

Sheets of Redwood Burl Veneer.

Redwood Burl Canby Select frames going through the sanding process.

The finished product is nothing short of stunning and we are truly excited to be able to offer such a unique and sought after material harvested in a sustainable and nature friendly manner. To see more photos and get specific information about which of our products feature Redwood Burl visit Shwoodshop.com and check back soon for the next installment of our Profiles feature.

The Canby Selects in Redwood Burl.

The Haystack Select in Ebony & Redwood Burl.