James Ay is founded by three Danish friends turned business partners – former marketing manager at a Danish fashion brand Torben Holt, designer Mads Svindt and entrepreneur Mads Petersen. When Torben Holt made the journey to Australia earlier this year, he saw the opportunity to launch James Ay first in Australia.
“Many Australians are shifting away from fast fashion brands and doing what they can do buy sustainable, quality products,” Torben Holt said. “Seeing this shift in Denmark and now in Australia, we are so proud to bring our uniquely designed sunglasses, that are a much better alternative for our planet, to Australians.”
James Ay sunglasses are made of M49 bio-acetate, which is 100 per cent bio-degradable. For every order placed, the team donates to plant a tree and collect 1 kilogram of plastic waste from our oceans. The brand chooses to use the strongest materials on the market, bio-acetate and OBE hinges, to create long-lasting, quality sunglasses combined with the Danish design. The Danish design is based on four pillars that the brand holds fast to – timeless designs, quality, story-worth-telling, and sustainability.
“You can easily find expensive sunglasses from high-end brands made from poorer materials.However, our mission is simple. We have made sustainable sunglasses people can afford. We wish to preserve the world we live in and inspire people to do the same,” Torben said.
The name James Ay is a tribute to the modern inventor of sunglasses James Ayschough (1720-1759) who experimented with coloured lenses to improve how people saw in different lighting conditions. “Our designs are unconventional, minimalist and timeless. There are glasses for the braver ones, and some for those who want a classic. It is about helping us be a little more conscious about ‘churning and burning’ through endless pairs of glasses, but choosing one that’s well designed, gives superb vision in various lighting, and will last years. To us, sunglasses have never been something practical or a fashion statement, they represent moments of our lives where the sun has lightened our minds and freed our thoughts,” Torben said.
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