Re: The Great Wail
By Joh |
Lets just say that there is always concern whenever you are importing products from countries with different standards than the USA. That being said MOST product is being made in CHINA nowadays. There is product finished in Italy, but very little actually being manufactured there. You can still purchase product made in S. Korea and Japan, but honestly, the better factories in China are superior in many ways.
Every frame vendor is responsible for their products, and I am sure they are doing the testing and auditing necessary. The problems will most likely be more prominent on budget nickel silver frames. If you are using them a lot in your practices, you may want to have a few tested for peace of mind, or simply ask your supplier.
Happy New Year Everyone! |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Addie |
| Patients in my demografic tend to ask where the frames were made. I have had several people reject frames because they were made in China. Im not sure they were concerned about the materials but more the quality. |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Dr Cindy Matteson |
| I too have concerns on this issue. I recently brought up my concerns to a sale rep. that we have been using for years. Many of their moderate priced frames come from China. I told him that I wanted to start eliminating any of the frames that came from there. He told me that many companies use Chinese parts even though the frame might be stamped with another country where it is assembled. |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Jim |
I work for a manufacturer and importer of eyewear, both prescription and non-prescription. A growing number of products in our industry, and our line are imported from Asia.
We share the concern regarding products coming out of China, and we have taken additional measures to ensure that our products are safe. The other part of the equation of course is working with trustworthy suppliers. You can visit the plant and inspect their procedures and materials, but whether or not things stay the same after that depends on the integrity of the supplier.
Fortunately, I believe that the large majority of Asian suppliers can be trusted and I feel very good about the ones that we work with. The recent safety issues have cast a dark cloud over the products coming out of that region, some of which is deserved.
Unfortunately, that also impacts the good guys, too. Of course, Asian governments have a long way to come in terms of fair labor standards and adequate safety practices in their manufacturing. As it stands, this is not a level playing field. Manufacturers in the US are competing with pennies per hour wages, no safety standards and lack of environmental regulation. Not to mention the fact that a vast number of manufacturers in China are either state subsidized or state owned. It's not wonder they can land a product on our dock for less than our material cost. It sure makes it hard for us to keep the jobs here.
As consumers, if we are truly concerned about the safety of our products and our economy, then we should simply BUY AMERICAN. Yes, it may cost a little more, but we will all be better off in the long run. |
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Not safety, but quality and value
By Barry Santini |
| I can't for the life of me imagine *any* material that could be appropriately chosen for eyewear frames being inherently *dangerous* to the general public. Rather, I think the biggest potential danger to the US consumer is the possibility of the continuation of the downward trend in quality and design seen on low and mid-level-priced products coming from China. The tendency I see is that companies go to source product there, and "pocket" the add'l profits. This will negatively impact the US consumer's already poor perception of eyewear frame quality and, especially, value. |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Julia Tanen, FRAMESCAPE |
| Not really. Most conscientious manufacturers have already tested their materials to be assured that they are indeed titanium, monel, stainless steel etc. We have enjoyed a great manufacturing partnership with China as a nation for many many years and we will continue to do so. As a nation, we will get over this blip. As an industry, each of us carries the burden to test and confirm our own materials. |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Jerry Rand, ABOC |
| All it will take is for one frame to be found unsafe and we will all be in for a severe backlash. Additionally, it seems that most of the eyeglass cases these days come from China. Scary. This is price we pay when we sacrifice quality to save a buck. |
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Re: The Great Wail
By A. Bob Jacoby |
Actually, the truth of the matter is that the situation is a little of both, wall - China's financial and political gain, wail - the American consumers' dislike of off-shoring to begin with. Now with the possibility that the product they're plunking their good money down for is unhealthy or at least of shabby endurance.
These very concerns of our patrons are beginning to be seen in the office as snide comments made by those who refuse the product and willingly pay more for frames of European origin. By the way, the great majority of my patrons bemoan the lack of American made frames. It may be time to bring some of this industry back. It could even be strong, patriotic, selling point.
Bob |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Richard Myrick |
| I have been buying from various Chinese frame factories since 2000. I have sold at retail at least 20,000 frames, and have had no problems. Of course I am located in Guatemala, Central America, and people here are happy to be able to buy affordable eyeglasses even if they don't have a brand name on the temple. Trust your supplier and don't sweat it. |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Virginia Burton |
I do not knowingly carry ophthalmic frames made in China. Not because of quality or safety issues, but because of their human rights & pollution abuses. Occasionally I wind up with something Chinese when my sales rep misinforms me. In that case, I mark it down and get it out the door fast.
I feel like a hypocrite, but admit to carrying cases and reading glasses made there because I haven't found any affordable choices made elsewhere. I give away cases and make almost nothing on the readers, so that's my rationalization. |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Scott Lesser, O.D. |
| In the past year our practice has had a significant number of patients inquiring if the frames were made in China. They went on to say they would pay more if made in the USA. In addition some have also asked about France due to their politics in relation to terrorists. Personally i have begun to inquire about the source of th products and it will begin to effect my purchasing. I believe in this global economy and the internet it should be easier to purchase elsewhere. Is there a listing of made in china for frame? |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Steve Ross |
| Maybe...but over-reaction seems more plausible. In our overarching attempt to be green and non-hazardous, the reality is that " lead paint" is not a primary eyewear component. And certainly, lead as a base material will NEVER be accepted by discriminating noses. Rather, the lighter the better. Finally, isn't final assembly the main function of Chinese Frame Mfgrs.?..i.e. they don't make the parts? |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Lisa |
| I agree! We need to be really watching out for the frames made in China, what is their content? This is being put on people's faces and I don't think it's going to matter what line they are, it's going to be I don't want anything from China! |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Janette |
| Today I had a patient that especially wanted a frame that wasn't made in China. I could only show him five frames from my inventory, because everything else was from China. |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Suzanne Lee |
| I am absolutely concerned about product from China. I went through Vision Expo West in October, searching out new products for my office. Anything that was made in China was immediately thrown out of consideration. I have several lines currently in my office that are made in China and have had very little trouble with the quality. However, I am concerned that some material safety issue may come up in the future and also concerned that my patients may shy away from the China made frames due to the recent recalls in other goods made and imported from China. |
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Re: The Great Wail
By Katheryn Schramm |
| Toys R Us thought the products they sold were safe. No one tests toys more thoroughly than Fisher Price. . .and yet they suffered toy recalls. While I am concerned with the quality and durability of the frames coming out of China, it pales in comparison to my fear that lead could be in the paint on the eyeglass frames we place on children. If TOYS got through QC, we are being naive if we think the same thing could not happen to our industry. FRAME buyer beware! |
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Re: The Great Wail
By L. Insua |
I 've been searching for a company to manufacture a new eyewear product for me, and the ONLY responses I 've gotten are from China.
They do some serious follow up too! I'd love to create my product in the good ol' U.S. but I doesn't look very promising... |
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