Jack and Justin started Tide the summer after their freshman year of college — Jack at Michigan State, Justin at Grand Valley — with their own money and one question: why is a well-made acetate frame priced the way it is? Most of the answer wasn't the frame. It was everything stacked between the factory and the shelf: distributors, licensing, wholesale and retail markup.

So we took the long way instead of the shortcut. We partner with manufacturers to provide high-quality eyewear, and we work with them directly — no distributors and no dropshipping.

Owning our inventory is slower and more expensive up front, but it lets us check every pair before it goes out — and it's how we keep the markup out. Pick one up and you'll feel the difference: solid acetate, polished smooth, and a hinge that closes with a firm, even motion.