Gow Tanaka has designed Tanaka Eyewear, a sculptural eyewear handcrafted in the UK from compressed paper composite.

Tanaka Eyewear is a handcrafted collection "designed to age with the wearer – not against them," said founder Gow Tanaka.

Made from compressed paper composite, a dense and non-toxic material usually used in aerospace or interiors, each frame is shaped and finished by hand in London.

Unlike acetate or plastic, this material doesn't warp, degrade or shed microplastics; it patinates over time like wood or leather.

These frames are made not to be replaced but to be kept — timeless in form, personal in feel and lasting by intention.

This project has been longlisted in the sustainable design category of Dezeen Awards 2025.

Studio: Gow Tanaka
Project: Tanaka Eyewear – Built to Hold