On the fifth floor, M Factory buzzes with the busy energy of an eyewear manufacturer.
This type of space is rare to see in the U.S., for a very specific reason: Most eyewear manufacturing is done in Italy or China, and always has been. This is also one of the reasons why what M Factory is doing in Brooklyn is so exciting: Crafting quality, affordable eyewear is not something typically done in the United States.
When Walmart first began working with our suppliers to reshore eyewear manufacturing, we were excited to find a revitalization project already under way in Brooklyn. There, a group of 25 Brooklyn natives is building a community of makers and craftsmen. We knew this was the right place to start our project, and today, this is where our aMerica eyeglass frames are made by hand.
In today’s age of technology-driven factory assembly, there are very few industries investing in hand-crafted products. Yet eyewear is one category in which this is a must. Even the most inexpensive pair of readers is assembled in a process upwards of 50 steps. And no machine exists to screw the temple pieces on a pair of glasses to the frame – that’s done by hand, at each step and for every pair.
Watch the video below for a look at how the team at M Factory is bringing this craft to life in Brooklyn, and keep a look out for our aMerica frames, in stores the last week of June.