Innovative wooden sunglasses from Brightwood Buckingham

First they were modelled by celebrities and now a group of enterprising University of Buckingham students has set up a business importing and selling wooden sunglasses.

Pippa Middleton and Jenson Button, amongst others, have been pictured sporting wooden frames and now they will be available at an affordable price thanks to the student entrepreneurs.

The four students, Simon Hodgson, Oliver Sapsford, Shamal Patel and Pressian Karagyozov have set up Brightwood Buckingham as part of their Business Enterprise (BBE) degree. They have imported the glasses, priced at £59.99, from China, and they cost around half the price of other wooden sunglasses.

Brightwood Buckingham sunglasses are also eco-friendly – they are made from bamboo and the manufacturer has a large forest so can sustainably harvest the materials
Simon Hodgson said: “We’ve had an amazing response to our wooden sunglasses. Everyone who puts them on says they are really cool. They are just so different from anything else on offer. They are really light and are made from sustainable wood so are eco-friendly too.”

The degree is the only one in the world where students are awarded up to £5,000 per project after pitching to a “dragon’s den” of businessmen and academics. They set up the business as part of their two-year degree.

Course Director Nigel Adams said: “I’m not just looking for your Alan Sugars and your Richard Bransons. It’s also the ones that pick up the pieces, the stable ones, who take a theory and use it straight away. These type of people are vital in business. The team have done a great job of getting their business off the ground and have a great product.”

The students, who are in their first year, are contacting independent opticians and even designing wooden ski goggle frames.

To purchase the sunglasses email nigel.adams@buckingham.ac.uk.