Coral Eyewear
Coral Eyewear is a UK-based sustainable eyewear company (founded 2019) that designs and sells sunglasses, optical frames, and ski goggles made from recycled materials like ECONYL regenerated nylon. It serves consumers via DTC e-commerce, wholesale to UK opticians, and licensing partnerships with Umbro, Crayola, and Paddington.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersMountain View, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Coral Eyewear does
Coral Eyewear Ltd is a UK-based sustainable eyewear company founded in 2019 by father-and-son team Calvin and George Bailey. The company designs and sells sunglasses, optical frames, and ski goggles manufactured from recycled and bio-based materials including ECONYL regenerated nylon (sourced from ocean fishing nets and landfill waste), S70 bio-acetate, Eastman Renew Acetate, and Polyamide PA 12. Core products span fashion lines (Hector, Albacore, Vaquita, Elaine, Lockhart, Maya, Tupelo, and others), sport performance (Volare, Flare, Weald, Adventurers), and ski goggles (Hypers, Hypers 2.0), with frames retailing at $55-$197 through DTC e-commerce, hundreds of UK optical stockists, Asda Opticians, and a 160-store major retailer partnership.
The company operates a hybrid business model spanning four revenue streams. Direct-to-consumer e-commerce with worldwide shipping is the primary channel, complemented by wholesale distribution to independent and chain opticians. A licensing and private-label division produces co-branded collections for Umbro, Crayola, Paddington (STUDIOCANAL), Mahindra Racing, and Castore, generating royalties and design/production fees. Sports team partnerships (Great Britain Cycling Team as official supplier, plus Williams Racing, LTA, Virgin Voyages, and Castore) drive brand visibility rather than headline revenue. Corporate gifting and B2B custom-branded sunglasses round out the offering. Acquired the Pala Eyewear brand in late 2023.
Coral targets three primary segments: fashion-conscious consumers seeking premium sustainable eyewear (endorsed by GQ, Men's Health, BBC News), athletes requiring high-performance frames, and the children's market through Crayola and Paddington collaborations. The company is privately held with no institutional VC; the only disclosed capital event is a ~£270K Crowdcube raise from 238 retail investors in May 2023. Operating from Ashford, Kent with a Kent distribution warehouse and design hubs in London and Edinburgh, Coral remains a small team (1-10 employees) executing a multi-channel strategy through outsourced manufacturing and licensed IP partnerships.
Coral Eyewear firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Coral Eyewear
- Legal name
- Coral Eyewear Ltd
- Website
- https://coraleyewear.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Coral Eyewear is a UK-based sustainable eyewear company (founded 2019) that designs and sells sunglasses, optical frames, and ski goggles made from recycled materials like ECONYL regenerated nylon. It serves consumers via DTC e-commerce, wholesale to UK opticians, and licensing partnerships with Umbro, Crayola, and Paddington.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Coral Eyewear industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Eyewear
- NAICS
- Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115)
- SIC
- Ophthalmic Goods (3851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sunglasses (Non-Prescription) (CRAAAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sport & Performance Eyewear (CRAAAKAC), Eyewear Manufacturing & OEM/ODM (Frames & Sunglasses) (CRAAAKAJ), Eyewear Accessories & Care (Cases, Cleaning, Chains) (CRAAAKAI)
Keywords
Where Coral Eyewear is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mountain View
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Coral Eyewear business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Selling sunglasses and optical frames directly to consumers through their e-commerce website with free UK delivery. Products range from $55-$197 for frames.
- Wholesale to Optical Retailers: Supplying frames to hundreds of opticians across the UK and expanding into retail stores. Frames stocked by opticians for prescription and non-prescription eyewear.
- Licensing Partnerships: Creating licensed eyewear collections for major brands including Umbro, Paddington (STUDIOCANAL), and Crayola. Multi-year deals generating revenue through design, production, and brand royalties.
- Private Label Development: Designing and developing eyewear collections for fashion brands and retailers who want to launch their own range. Handles design, development, manufacturing, and certification.
- Corporate Gifting: Creating custom-branded sunglasses for companies and branding agencies with logo printing or engraving, 2-3 week lead time.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sunglasses - Standard frames priced at $55-$161 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sport Sunglasses - Performance frames priced at $68-$161 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Limited Edition collaborations |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion5 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Coral Eyewear product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Coral Eyewear designs, manufactures and sells sustainable sunglasses, optical frames and ski goggles made from recycled and bio-based materials such as ECONYL regenerated nylon, S70 bio-acetate, Eastman Renew Acetate and Polyamide PA 12. The company also runs a licensing and private-label division that produces branded eyewear collections for partners including Crayola, Umbro, Paddington and sports organisations, alongside wholesale distribution to UK opticians.
Product overview
Coral Eyewear is a sustainable eyewear company that offers a diverse portfolio of sunglasses, optical glasses, and ski goggles. Their core product lines include fashion sunglasses (Akia, Elaine, Lockhart, Serana, Maya, Hector, Albacore, Lima, Finback, Sofia, Sei, Parlee, Vaquita, Nuttall, Tupelo, Talia, Reyas, Meria, Maha, Lich), performance sport sunglasses (Volare, Flare, Weald, Adventurers), and ski goggles (Hypers, Hypers 2.0). They also offer licensed collections including Crayola children's eyewear, Umbro eyewear, and Paddington-themed children's glasses. The company acquired the Pala Eyewear brand in December 2023. Their sustainability focus uses materials including ECONYL regenerated nylon from ocean waste, bio-acetate, and recycled plastics. Additional offerings include accessories (cases, tote bags, gift cards), private label services, and corporate gifting programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Coral Eyewear Private Label Division: Licensing, private label development, and premium corporate gifting services for fashion brands and retailers
- Ocean Edition
- Endangered Collection
Products and services
- Sustainable Sunglasses Collection A core range of fashion sunglasses for men and women crafted from ECONYL regenerated nylon and bio-acetate, including polarised mirrored options such as Albacore, Vaquita and Nuttall. Designed for style-conscious consumers seeking sustainable alternatives without compromising on design or durability.
- Performance Sport Sunglasses Performance-engineered wraparound sport sunglasses including Volare, Flare, Weald and Adventurers Blue/Gold Polarised, developed for high-performance use cases such as cycling and running. Featured in partnerships with Great Britain Cycling Team, Williams Racing, Castore, LTA and Virgin Voyages.
- Hypers 2.0 Ski Goggles Premium frameless ski goggles with multi-layer anti-fog mirrored lenses, UV400 protection, oversized BIO-base frame and helmet-compatible strap. Built for skiing and winter sports performance with sustainable materials.
- Hypers Ski Goggles Original ski goggles with multi-layer anti-fog mirror lens, lightweight bio-based frame, 100% UV protection, anti-fog treatment, recycled hyper grip strap, and helmet compatibility with multi-layer foam padding.
- Crayola Eyewear Collection Licensed children's eyewear collection featuring bold designs inspired by Crayola's signature colors, made from S70 bio-acetate from renewable materials. Targeted at children ages 4-10 and distributed through Asda Opticians in the UK.
- Umbro Eyewear Collection Licensed eyewear collection featuring Umbro's signature double-diamond logo, made using Eastman Renew Acetate from recycled plastic waste. Includes adult and children's styles and represents the first Umbro UK optical entry in recent history.
- Paddington Eyewear Collection Licensed Paddington-themed glasses and sunglasses for children ages 4-10, featuring designs inspired by Paddington's blue duffle coat, red hat and marmalade. Made with recycled and bio-based materials and launched ahead of the Paddington in Peru film release.
- Castore Limited Edition Sunglasses Limited edition sunglasses produced in collaboration with sportswear brand Castore, sold at premium price points through Coral's e-commerce site.
- Mahindra Racing Limited Edition Sunglasses Limited edition motorsport-themed sunglasses created in collaboration with Mahindra Racing and Formula E driver Alexander Sims.
- Licensing and Private Label Development B2B service that designs, develops, manufactures and certifies eyewear collections for fashion brands and retailers, delivered under multi-year licensing deals including Umbro, Crayola, Paddington and Castore. Generates revenue through design, development, production and brand royalties.
- Corporate Gifting and Custom-Branded Eyewear B2B offering that creates custom-branded sunglasses with logo printing or engraving for corporate clients and branding agencies, with 2-3 week lead times.
- Gift Cards Coral Eyewear gift cards sold in £50, £100, £150, £200 and £500 denominations for use across the e-commerce store.
- Cork Eyewear Case Sustainable eyewear storage case made from cork material, sold as an accessory alongside sunglasses purchases.
- Black Coral Tote Bag Branded Coral Eyewear tote bag sold as an accessory on the e-commerce site.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% reduction in global warming impact vs oil-based nylon
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Coral Eyewear
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Coral Eyewear technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
Feature7 records
Coral Eyewear partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- CrayolaflagshipMulti-year licensing partnership to launch children's eyewear collection featuring bold designs inspired by Crayola's signature colors. Frames crafted from S70 bio-acetate. Available at Asda Opticians across UK starting spring 2026.
- UmbroflagshipMulti-year licensing deal to bring Umbro glasses to UK optical market with styles for adults and children. Frames feature Umbro's double-diamond logo and are made using Eastman Renew Acetate. First Umbro UK optical entry in recent history. Launching early 2026.
- STUDIOCANAL Kids & FamilycoreLicensing partnership to produce Paddington-themed glasses and sunglasses for children ages 4-10. Features designs inspired by Paddington's blue duffle coat, red hat, and orange marmalade. Launched ahead of Paddington in Peru film release.
- Virgin VoyagescoreSports and lifestyle partnership with the cruise line brand. Part of Coral's portfolio of major sports team partnerships including Williams Racing, Castore, and LTA.
- Williams RacingcoreFormula 1 team partnership for sports eyewear. One of Coral's flagship sports team relationships.
- CastorecoreSportswear brand partnership including limited edition sunglasses collaboration. Joint product development for premium sports eyewear.
- LTA (Lawn Tennis Association)coreOfficial partnership with British tennis governing body for sports eyewear.
- Great Britain Cycling TeamflagshipOfficial supplier of high-performance sunglasses to Great Britain Cycling Team. Frames designed for elite athletes with focus on performance and sustainability.
- Mahindra RacingminorLimited edition collaboration with Formula E driver Alexander Sims. Special edition sunglasses for motorsport enthusiasts.
- 2 Minute FoundationminorGreen Friday partnership to turn Black Friday environmental concern into positive action.
- DPDminorDelivery partner with fully-electric fleet capability. Carbon-neutral guarantee on all shipments. Oxford first city with fully-electric fleet.
- Marine Conservation SocietyminorOcean Edition sunglasses collaboration celebrating World Ocean Day. Based on best-selling Hector frame in exclusive Ocean Blue colorway.
- AquafilcoreFrame recycling partnership enabling customers to send frames back for recycling. Aquafil processes the regenerated nylon which can be recycled infinitely without losing quality. Customers receive 10% off next purchase as incentive.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Coral Eyewear competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dick Moby: Independent sustainable eyewear brand producing sunglasses and optical frames using recycled and bio-based materials. Directly comparable to Coral on positioning, material story (recycled acetate, ocean plastics), and DTC-led go-to-market in the fashion-conscious consumer segment.
- Pala Eyewear: UK-based sustainable and ethical eyewear brand focused on recycled materials and charitable partnerships. Now owned by Coral Eyewear following the 2023 acquisition, but historically a direct competitor in the same sustainability-led, mission-driven eyewear niche.
- BRICS Eyewear: Italian sustainable eyewear brand using recycled materials including fishing nets and plastics. Closest European peer to Coral on materials (recycled ocean plastics) and DTC/wholesale optics distribution model.
- Eco Eyewear: Sustainable eyewear brand producing frames from bio-acetate and recycled materials with circular-economy take-back scheme. Directly comparable on sustainability positioning, materials, and DTC+optical retail distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Warby Parker: Larger DTC optical and sunglasses retailer with vertically integrated supply chain. A broader incumbent reference for the DTC-led eyewear playbook Coral is executing, though Coral differentiates on materials/sustainability versus Warby Parker's price/value proposition.
- Bollé Safety: Established sports and performance eyewear brand with ski goggles, sport sunglasses, and safety eyewear. Comparable on the Hypers/Hypers 2.0 ski goggle and Flare/Volare performance sunglasses lines, but at significantly larger scale.
- Smith Optics: Major snow sports and performance eyewear brand with ski goggles (including anti-fog/lens technologies) and sport sunglasses. Directly comparable product overlap to Coral's Hypers 2.0 goggle and Volare/Flare sport lines.
- Linda Farrow: Premium fashion eyewear brand with licensing-driven collections and designer collaborations. Comparable business model element to Coral's licensing division (Umbro, Crayola, Paddington), though positioned in luxury fashion rather than sustainable mass.
- EssilorLuxottica: Global eyewear conglomerate owning Ray-Ban, Oakley, Persol, and Sunglass Hut. The dominant incumbent against whom Coral competes for retail shelf space and consumer mindshare, and the most likely strategic acquirer or threat as it pushes sustainable lines.
Emerging players
- Waterhaul: Small UK brand making sunglasses from recycled fishing nets, closely mirroring Coral's ECONYL/ocean-waste material narrative. Comparable emerging direct peer on material story and UK base, though at smaller scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Coral Eyewear financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Coral Eyewear leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Coral Eyewear funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Coral Eyewear M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Coral Eyewear
What does Coral Eyewear do?
Coral Eyewear designs, manufactures and sells sustainable sunglasses, optical frames and ski goggles made from recycled and bio-based materials such as ECONYL regenerated nylon, S70 bio-acetate, Eastman Renew Acetate and Polyamide PA 12. The company also runs a licensing and private-label division that produces branded eyewear collections for partners including Crayola, Umbro, Paddington and sports organisations, alongside wholesale distribution to UK opticians.
Is Coral Eyewear a public or private company?
Coral Eyewear is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Coral Eyewear founded?
Coral Eyewear was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Coral Eyewear based?
Coral Eyewear is headquartered in Mountain View, United States, in the North America region.
How does Coral Eyewear make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce is the primary driver. The others are wholesale to Optical Retailers, licensing Partnerships, private Label Development and corporate Gifting.
Who are Coral Eyewear's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dick Moby, Pala Eyewear, BRICS Eyewear and Eco Eyewear. Broad incumbents are Warby Parker, Bollé Safety, Smith Optics, Linda Farrow and EssilorLuxottica. Waterhaul is listed as an emerging player.
Does Coral Eyewear have an API?
No public API is recorded for Coral Eyewear.
What industry is Coral Eyewear in?
Coral Eyewear's product category is Sustainable Eyewear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAKAB, Sunglasses (Non-Prescription), with a secondary code of CRAAAKAC, Sport & Performance Eyewear. Its NAICS code is 45613 and its SIC code is 3851.