When looking for a pair of glasses that will stand the test of time and make you feel like your most confident self, it can be difficult to choose a style, let alone the maker. You may be tempted by big brands from notable fashion houses, but selecting an independent frame manufacturer is really the best decision you can make. If a frame line is independent, that means it’s not corporate, and is a single operator that’s importing or creating that product and selling it themselves. They are not acting on behalf of a gigantic conglomerate — they’re only working to serve you.

You’re Supporting Smaller Businesses

Independent frames are a cut above because they have a history. If you are an independent frame buyer, you’re supporting a local or small business and are a crucial part of an artisan’s story and mission. Whether the maker of your glasses is a multigenerational family operation or a group of passionate optical designers, they’re real people who take great care in crafting the frames you’ll wear every day. When you choose indie, you’re shopping small and championing the individuals behind the glasses, not a big machine.

Quality is Their Foundation and  Reputation

Independent manufacturers are all-in. Because these companies don’t have the backing of massive financial structures of an optical or fashion empire, they have nothing to hide behind. This is the driving force behind wanting to put out a consistently exceptional product — because their livelihood depends on that rock-solid reputation. Independent brands also offer customizable frames that can be made-to-order or tweaked by optical professionals like us precisely to your liking. Because of these optical makers’ dedication to their art, they’re always striving to go above and beyond, which is unfortunately not the case with larger manufacturers.

What Gets Lost When Eyewear Goes Corporate?

Many iconic brands began as independent labels offering great frames, yet became shadows of their former selves once they were acquired by big corporations. When mass-production techniques and cost-cutting measures are put in place, the quality suffers. Large companies often shift to cheaper materials to produce glasses, making them more likely to bend, break, and chip over time. Additionally, the personal nature and finishing touches of glasses often fall away when they’re manufactured at such a massive scale. Independence matters because it preserves the things that not only make a pair of glasses last, but what make them special.

Choose an Optical Company with Integrity

Dietz-McLean Optical has been San Antonio’s leading opticians for over eight decades, and we believe in the value of independent eyewear. Not only do we offer remarkable quality frames and lenses that are tailored to you, but we also build long-term relationships. Our family and staff will always do right by you by delivering the good old-fashioned opticianry with a modern twist that we’re known for. Here, independent isn’t just what we provide, it’s who we are.