Combining life projects and ecology, manufacturing with environmental consciousness, this is what Matthieu Delhaye and his partner are dedicated to through their wooden eyewear manufacturing company, OZED.
At 28 years old, Matthieu Delhaye is the founder of the company OZED. Originally from the north, from Montbéliard, between Besançon and Belfort. He holds a BTS in real estate and a master’s degree specialized in entrepreneurship. “I have always wanted to start my own business. Being very aware of ecology and the use of new technologies, I had the idea to create wooden sunglasses. We mainly use bamboo, an eco-friendly material,” explains the young entrepreneur. “As a lover of surfing, skateboarding, and other board sports, I wanted to combine the ‘beach’ spirit with a mature and environmentally respectful mindset,” he adds.
From its creation date in April 2012, the company started to create buzz. With his partner, they create and manufacture wooden eyeglass frames. Design, engraving, production, and marketing, Matthieu and Baptiste handle the various necessary steps. “In August 2012, our new collection was ready. The optical and sun collections were welcomed with open arms, by both sports stores and opticians. Half of our distribution network consists of opticians. At 130 euros per pair, our glasses were more accessible,” recounts Matthieu Delhaye.
Dynamic, jovial, and a good communicator, Matthieu knows how to convince his customers. “We sell to more than 160 stores in France, including 20 stores in the south. We also distribute in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Great Britain, Australia since this year, and soon in Italy,” he continues. “We have a high turnover rate and quite a customer base,” concludes Matthieu.
Quality and standards are the watchwords. The glasses are treated for waterproofing and breakage risks. “The product must be of quality and durable. For this, we focus on two main axes: quality and the mandatory standards concerning wood treatment,” insists this young business leader. Regarding design, his attachment to Mother Nature makes him hesitant to use paint on wooden glasses, “it would be a shame, you wouldn’t see that it’s wood anymore.”
OZED’s ambition doesn’t stop at glasses. An ongoing project concerning wooden watches will soon come to fruition starting in December. A business to watch!
