Tura

What Tura does

Tura is a privately held, 87-year-old B2B eyewear design house headquartered in Muncy, Pennsylvania, with a marketing showroom in New York City and a Canadian administrative office in Mississauga, Ontario. The company does not sell direct-to-consumer; instead, it designs, manufactures, and wholesale-distributes optical frames and sunglasses to independent eyecare professionals, optical shops, buying and alliance groups, and department-store chains across North America.

The product portfolio spans 16 brands: the proprietary TURA house brand plus licensed lines including Ted Baker, L.A.M.B., gx by Gwen Stefani, Geoffrey Beene, Lulu Guinness, Buffalo David Bitton, Superdry, O'Neill, Barbour, Cat Eyewear (Caterpillar), Free Country, Botaniq, Glemaud x Tura, TITANflex, and ZUMA ROCK. Core technical competencies include proprietary TITANflex memory metal technology with ETS, EAS, and PDT systems, specialty fit engineering across Forever Fit, XL Fit, Universal Fit, and Petite/Narrow categories, and sustainability materials including Acetate Renew, bio-based acetate, and 96% recycled demo lenses. The Buffalo David Bitton brand alone reaches 3,000+ retail locations across 18 countries through partners such as Macy's, Lord & Taylor, Dillard's, Bon-Ton, and Hudson Bay.

Tura generates revenue through wholesale frame sales and licensing/royalty arrangements with brand licensors. The go-to-market is account-based B2B, supported by an ABO-certified Fit Forward continuing education program, brand-specific microsites, and partnerships with the Fashion Institute of Technology. The company reinvests in organizations that champion independent optical professionals, positioning itself as a partner that strengthens practices rather than a transactional supplier.

Name

Tura

Legal name

TURA INC

Website

https://tura.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Tura is an 87-year-old B2B eyewear design house that wholesale-distributes a portfolio of 16 licensed and proprietary optical and sunglass brands to independent eyecare professionals, optical shops, and department stores across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Eyewear Frames

NAICS

Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Prescription Eyewear Frames (Optical) (CRAAAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sunglasses (Non-Prescription) (CRAAAKAB), Luxury & Designer Eyewear (CRAAAKAD), Sport & Performance Eyewear (CRAAAKAC), Luxury Eyewear (Sunglasses & Optical) (CRAKAFAG)

Keywords

• Eyewear frames wholesale
• Designer eyewear brands
• Memory metal frames
• Optical frames manufacturing
• Specialty fit eyewear

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Frame Sales: Tura generates revenue by selling eyewear frames wholesale to independent optical shops, eyecare professionals, and retail accounts. The company does not sell directly to consumers but supplies optical retailers who dispense frames to end customers. Revenue comes from the sale of proprietary Tura brand frames and licensed designer brands.
2. Licensed Brand Royalties: Tura distributes frames under licensing agreements with major fashion and lifestyle brands including Ted Baker, L.A.M.B., gx by Gwen Stefani, Geoffrey Beene, Buffalo David Bitton, Lulu Guinness, Superdry, O'Neill, Barbour, Cat Eyewear (Caterpillar), ZUMA ROCK, and TITANflex. Revenue includes royalty arrangements with brand licensors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Tura designs, manufactures and wholesale-distributes eyewear frames — both optical and sunglasses — under 16 proprietary and licensed brands to independent eyecare professionals and optical retailers in the U.S. and Canada. Its portfolio spans fashion-designer lines (Ted Baker, L.A.M.B., Geoffrey Beene, Lulu Guinness, gx by Gwen Stefani), lifestyle brands (Superdry, O'Neill, Barbour, Free Country), performance/safety eyewear (TITANflex memory metal, Cat/Caterpillar), and specialty-fit collections for diverse face shapes.

Product overview

Tura is an 87-year-old eyewear design and distribution company operating as a B2B wholesale platform for independent eyecare professionals. The company offers a diversified portfolio of licensed and proprietary eyewear brands spanning fashion, luxury, performance, and specialty fit categories. The product lineup includes 16 distinct brands: TURA (house brand), Barbour, Botaniq, Buffalo David Bitton, Cat Eyewear (Caterpillar), Free Country, Geoffrey Beene, Glemaud x Tura, gx by Gwen Stefani, L.A.M.B., Lulu Guinness, O'Neill, Superdry, Ted Baker, TITANflex, and ZUMA ROCK. Each brand offers optical and/or sun collections with various specialty fits including Forever Fit, Narrow/Petite Fit, Universal Fit, XL Fit, and progressive-friendly options. The company also provides ABO-certified Fit Forward education for opticians.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TURA: The company's primary brand featuring the art of eyewear with meticulous design and uncompromising quality.
• Barbour
• Botaniq
• Buffalo David Bitton
• Cat Eyewear
• Free Country
• Geoffrey Beene
• Glemaud x Tura
• gx by Gwen Stefani
• L.A.M.B.
• Lulu Guinness
• O'Neill
• Superdry
• Ted Baker
• TITANflex
• ZUMA ROCK

Products and services

• TURA Eyewear Tura's proprietary house brand of fashion-forward optical and sunglasses frames positioned around meticulous design and uncompromising quality, supplied wholesale to independent eyecare professionals.
• Barbour Eyewear Licensed eyewear collection for the British Barbour heritage outdoor brand, featuring Acetate Renew material frames and classic styling, distributed wholesale through Tura's optical accounts.
• Botaniq Eyewear Licensed eyewear line with botanical-inspired frame designs, offered through Tura's wholesale distribution to optical retailers.
• Buffalo David Bitton Eyewear Edgy rock-and-roll denim-inspired eyewear for men and women with Universal Fit styles featuring build-up nose pads and bowed temples; distributed through Tura's optical accounts and department-store partners including Macy's, Lord & Taylor, Dillard's, Bon-Ton and Hudson Bay.
• Cat Eyewear (Caterpillar) Industrial-grade safety and optical eyewear built with rugged materials for real-world challenges, including Optical, Rx Safety, and Safety SUN sub-collections distributed through Tura's optical accounts.
• Free Country Eyewear Outdoor lifestyle eyewear combining fashion with function for active outdoor lifestyles, distributed through Tura's optical retail partners.
• Geoffrey Beene Eyewear Luxury men's and women's optical and sun eyewear from American design pioneer Geoffrey Beene, featuring impeccable tailoring, comfort and quality with XL Fit options, distributed through Tura's optical accounts.
• Glemaud x Tura Eyewear Licensed designer collaboration eyewear featuring Glemaud's distinctive style paired with Tura's Forever Fit specialty sizing, distributed wholesale to optical retailers.
• gx by Gwen Stefani Eyewear Affordable fashion-forward optical and junior frames by Gwen Stefani blending sophisticated style with rock-and-roll edge, including Optical and Juniors sub-collections, distributed through Tura's optical accounts.
• L.A.M.B. Eyewear Gwen Stefani's luxury optical and sun eyewear blending classic Hollywood glamour with modern street influences, including a Universal Fit collection, distributed wholesale through Tura.
• Lulu Guinness Eyewear Vintage-inspired optical and sun eyewear for women with whimsical, feminine British designs; includes the Through the Lulu Glass XL collection (56–60mm) and Lulu by Lulu Guinness girls collection, distributed through Tura's optical accounts.
• O'Neill Eyewear Surf-inspired men's optical eyewear from the O'Neill wetsuit-pioneer brand with athletic styling, distributed wholesale to optical retailers.
• Superdry Eyewear Contemporary street athleisure eyewear with colorful urban graphics and sustainable bio-based acetate options, including a Petite collection for smaller frames, distributed through Tura.
• Ted Baker Eyewear British contemporary designer optical and sun eyewear for men, women and children, including the Just Kidding kids line, TedLuxe premium collection, Finely Framed ultra-light collection, Universal Fit, and Eyes Wide Open XL styles, distributed wholesale to optical retailers.
• TITANflex Eyewear Memory metal eyewear featuring TITANflex technology with proprietary ETS (Easy Temple Shortening), EAS (Easy Adjustment Support), and PDT (Performance Design Technology) systems, including Classic and Select sub-collections, distributed wholesale through Tura.
• ZUMA ROCK Eyewear Youth-oriented proprietary street-style optical eyewear collection for boys, featuring checkerboard prints, camo prints and sporty racing stripes, distributed wholesale through Tura.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% of eyewear wearers struggle with poor fit (Kaiser Family Foundation, U.S. Census Bureau)

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature6 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Safilo Group: Global B2B eyewear company whose core business is designing, manufacturing, and distributing branded frames and sunglasses under proprietary and licensed brands (e.g., Carrera, Polaroid, Hugo, Kate Spade) to optical retailers — directly comparable to Tura's licensed-brand B2B model.
• De Rigo: Italian eyewear group distributing licensed brands (Police, Sting, Loewe) globally through optical retail. Comparable business model to Tura with a similar licensed-brand wholesale playbook.
• Marcolin: Italian eyewear manufacturer/distributor operating a global B2B model built around licensed designer brands (Tom Ford, Ermenegildo Zegna, Guess). Closely matches Tura's multi-licensed-brand B2B strategy.
• Marchon Eyewear: US-headquartered B2B eyewear company (owned by VSP Vision) distributing proprietary and licensed brands (e.g., Calvin Klein, Nike, Lacoste, Dragon) through optical retail — overlapping portfolio strategy and independent-channel go-to-market with Tura.
• Zyloware Eyewear: US family-owned B2B eyewear company distributing licensed and proprietary brands (Stetson, Sophia Loren, Randy Jackson) to optical retailers — a comparable mid-sized US peer.
• ClearVision Optical: US-based family-owned B2B eyewear company offering a portfolio of licensed and proprietary brands (BCBG, Jessica McClintock, Steve Madden, IZOD) to independent optical accounts — highly comparable mid-sized North American competitor to Tura.
• Inspecs PLC: UK-based eyewear designer, manufacturer, and distributor; holds the global Cat Eyewear license that Tura distributes in North America, making it both a direct peer and an operating partner of Tura.
• Kenmark Eyewear: US-based B2B eyewear company distributing licensed and proprietary brands (e.g., Vera Wang, Zac Posen, Original Penguin) through optical retail — comparable mid-market North American peer to Tura.
• Aspex Eyewear: US-based B2B eyewear company with a portfolio of licensed and proprietary brands distributed through optical and sporting channels. Comparable mid-sized US wholesale competitor to Tura.

Broad incumbents

• EssilorLuxottica: The dominant global eyewear conglomerate combining lens manufacturing with branded frame distribution (Ray-Ban, Oakley, Persol, Chanel licensed, etc.) and retail (LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut). Overlaps Tura's category but operates at far greater scale across the full value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/turainc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tura