Wood Sunglasses

Rob Merlino

wood sunglassesWood sunglasses and eyeglasses make a lot of sense to a guy like me: I am never without my โ€œshades.โ€ The three Dame brothers,Taylor, Brooks, and Tanner, started crafting wood sunglasses back in 2010 out of a garage. Their grandfather owned a sawmill, so the boys grew up with wood and woodworking. Theyโ€™ve used that inbred know how to craft their Proof ย Eyewear, eyeglasses and sunglasses made from wood and other sustainable or recycled materials.

The brothers managed to create quite a following and global sales of their wood sunglasses over the past few years and theyโ€™ll pitch the Sharks in episode 416.

Wood Sunglasses Look Cool and they Float!

I used to be a cheap skate when it came to my sunglasses, until I found myself squinting while wearing a crummy pair. Iโ€™ve since graduated to Maui Jim โ€œshades,โ€ theyโ€™re expensive, but my eyes are worth it! Proof Eyewear has high quality, polarized frames in their wood sunglasses too. They offer a wide variety of styles that have captured the imagination of shade wearers everywhere.

I like sunglasses, I wear them more often than not, and I like the idea of wearing sunglasses that are โ€œgreenโ€ and made in the USA. Iโ€™d likely spring for a pair of wood sunglasses from the Proof guys; my shades are one of my few extravagances. I also like the idea that Proofโ€™s wood sunglasses float; as a guy who does a fair amount of fishing and boating, Iโ€™ve lost many a pair of shades to the depths!

I think the Dames had sustainability in mind over buoyancy. They take a lot of pride in their environmentally friendly approach to manufacturing. In addition to wood sunglasses, they also make sunglasses from recycled plastics too. Their products are unique and, starting at $95, ย moderately priced compared to other premium sunglasses (like my Maui Jims).

Do the Sharks Wear Shades?

Proof Eyewearโ€™s wood sunglasses should intrigue the Sharks. Itโ€™s a branding dream in a crowded, but lucrative, market. Daymond, with his connections in the apparel industry, seems a likely โ€œtarget sharkโ€ for the Dame brothers, but I can see any of the Sharks making a bid for Proof Eyewear if the price is right. In a press photo, Robert Herjavec is wearing a pair of Proof Shades and he has a big smile on his face.

I think Proof will have their act together in the Tank, they have a mentor in their grandfather who taught them about quality craftsmanship and hard work. The Sharks value hard work and should be impressed by Proofโ€™s fairly wide, international market reach in less than three years. I predict multiple offers from the Sharks and I think Proof will have to add some โ€œShark Shadesโ€ to their line soon. I am โ€œIN,โ€ wearing a pair of Smoke Jumper wood sunglasses!

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Entrepreneur, author, and raconteur, Rob Merlino is a blogger and writer who enjoys the Shark Tank TV show and hot dogs. A father of five, he freelances for a variety of publications and manages a stable of websites, including Shark Tank Blog, Hot Dog Stories, RobMerlino.com, and more.
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