For ZEAL Optics, eyewear has never been just about the frame. Instead, the brand was built on a philosophy that extends well beyond the product itself, as Mike Lewis, Senior Director of Global Marketing, explained when mivision caught up with him. “We focus on being more than just an eyewear company through a simple set of beliefs: Use less, give back, explore more,” he said.
In practice, this means a commitment to plant-based and recycled materials, a pledge to give back 1% of net revenues to environmental organisations such as Planet Ark, through initiatives like its Seedling Bank, and a continual drive to refine its plano and prescription sunglass offering.
ZEAL’s origin story is one of two adventurers turned engineers. The brand was founded in 1997 in Moab, Utah, by Michael and Wink Jackson, a husband and wife team who, as professional mountain bikers and skiers, were dissatisfied with the sunglasses and ski goggles available to them.
That dissatisfaction became innovation. Leveraging their engineering backgrounds, the pair developed and patented a polarised and photochromic lens, along with ski goggles incorporating GPS tracking and integrated cameras – technology Mr Lewis said arrived “long before Meta glasses were a thing” – and it was this pioneering work that established the brand’s reputation.
In 2010, ZEAL was acquired by Maui Jim, and today it continues to operate as part of the Maui Jim family, sharing the same sales team, back-end support, customer service, factories and prescription laboratory, all under the Kering Eyewear umbrella.
A Natural Complement to Maui Jim
According to Mr Lewis, the success of ZEAL is due to a combination of quality lenses, laboratory, turnaround times, customer service, sales support and warranty, all delivered at a value-driven price point.
ZEAL’s prescription sunglasses are built on the Maui Jim poly base, offering colour enhancement, premium Japanese polarisation, UV protection, and a backside anti-reflective coating, combined with ZEAL’s own sport-specific lens design – at roughly half the price of an entry-level Maui Jim.
Rather than competing with its parent brand, ZEAL is designed to sit alongside it. Maui Jim’s customer base tends to be 44 years and above, while ZEAL’s audience is predominantly under 44, giving practices that stock both brands a broader demographic reach, along with an eco-focused line to round out the offer.
The commercial case, Mr Lewis said, is solid: “Practices that have Maui Jim and bring in ZEAL average an 18% increase in Maui Jim-specific sales and a 40% increase across their sales within the Maui Jim family after adding ZEAL.” He attributes this to the fact that prescription sunglass conversations tend to move naturally between the two brands, with many patients ultimately purchasing a pair from each: a Maui Jim for driving or golf, and a ZEAL for cycling, paddleboarding or other high-activity pursuits.
Designed For the Outdoor Minded
ZEAL’s typical customer is active and outdoors focused, in their 20s and 30s, and drawn to brands that take their environmental footprint seriously. That ethos has not gone unnoticed by the wider industry; the brand has picked up numerous accolades across North America for the sustainability and performance of its sunglasses and goggles, from the likes of Envision, Outside Magazine, Men’s Health and Runner’s World.
Design responsibility sits with the team at ZEAL’s Boulder, Colorado headquarters, who closely collaborate with more than 100 athletes and ambassadors worldwide, alongside the Kering Eyewear design team in Italy. Inspiration, Mr Lewis said, is drawn directly from the outdoors: “We take our cues from how we experience the natural world around us and how we can create lenses and frames that help our customers experience and enjoy their time outside more.” Ambassadors help refine performance, while the Italian design team translates that functionality into frames that are “both timeless and edgy” across a diverse range of lifestyle shapes.
Among the bestselling styles are the Brewer for men and the Windsor for women. Both suit everyday wear around town or at the beach while remaining lightweight, offering great coverage, and featuring the brand’s proprietary ProFlex pads, which become tackier with sweat on the temples and nose pads – making them equally useful on a hike, run, or bike ride.
Materials with a Purpose
Production reflects the same sustainability principles that underpin the brand. Lenses are sourced in Japan, where ZEAL accesses what Mr Lewis describes as the best polarised material available. Frames are manufactured across Italy, Japan, Mauritius, and South Korea, and all are made from plant-based and/or recycled materials, with the majority produced from Z-Resin, a proprietary material incorporating a minimum of 45% castor oil in place of petroleum-based plastics, resulting in strength and light weight.
For Mr Lewis, the ultimate aim is straightforward: “Helping people enjoy their time outside without sacrificing fashion for function.”
Looking Ahead
ZEAL has a significant milestone on the horizon, with the brand set to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2027. And Mr Lewis confirmed the forthcoming collection will be the brand’s most ambitious yet, featuring two new plano and prescription lenses, a new female sports shield with a prescription insert, and a line of limited-edition artist collaborations marking the anniversary.
Visit: zealoptics.com
