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NYC's Largest Luxury Eyewear Collection

Rolf Substance

Rolf Substance is what an Austrian eyewear family came up with when they decided to print glasses from a bean. The Substance collection is 3D-printed from a bioplastic made entirely from castor beans, a fast-growing plant that thrives in arid climates, requires no irrigation, and doesn't compete with food crops. The result is eyewear that is flexible, hypoallergenic, remarkably lightweight, and made without screws, metal, or waste.

Browse Frames

7,000+

Frames Across 3 Locations

NYC Locations

35+

Years in Business

Designer eyewear collection at Visionary Optics

PRINTED IN AUSTRIA · BORN FROM A BEAN

Eyewear Grown, Not Manufactured

Substance

The original line. Every frame 3D-printed in a single pass from castor bean bioplastic. Flexible, hypoallergenic, remarkably light. The frame that proves plant-based eyewear can be as refined as anything else in the case.

Substance Mount

Bolder shapes for optical and sun. Mount frames push the silhouette further with heavier acetate-style profiles and the same 100 percent plant-based construction. Architectural without being heavy.

Substance Aura

The newest Substance line. A surface treatment that adds depth and contrast to the printed frame, with subtle color accents on the temples. Aura takes the bioplastic in a more design-forward direction.

Printed One at a Time

Every Substance frame begins as castor bean powder. The beans are ground, mixed with water, and printed layer by layer into a finished frame. No assembly. No screws. No metal. The hinge is printed into the frame itself, in the same pass as everything else.

Castor beans are a fast-growing plant that requires no irrigation and does not compete with food crops. The additive printing process uses only the material the final frame requires, so there is no waste.

The result is eyewear that is lighter than acetate, kinder to sensitive skin, and made from a material that started as a seed in a field.

GREEN PRODUCT AWARD · DEZEEN AWARDS SHORTLIST · CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE EYEWEAR · MADE IN AUSTRIA

From a Bean to a Frame

Visit Visionary Optics in Upper East Side, Chelsea, or Carroll Gardens to experience Rolf Substance in person.

Inside Visionary Optics showroom with extensive eyewear collection and ZEISS lens equipment

Why Rolf Substance at Visionary Optics?

Rolf Substance is the plant-based 3D-printed collection from Rolf, the Austrian eyewear house founded in 2009 in the Tyrolean Alps. Substance frames are made from a powder derived from castor beans — a fast-growing tropical plant in the Euphorbiaceae family that requires no genetic engineering and doesn't compete with food crops.

Visionary Optics carries the Rolf Substance collection across our three NYC locations. Each frame is 3D-printed with Rolf's signature Flexlock screwless hinge co-printed into the single-piece structure — the result is genuinely sustainable eyewear without sacrificing engineering or aesthetics.

Prefer to try before you buy? Visit any of our three NYC locations for an in-person fitting. Many frames are available for same-day pickup with ZEISS single vision lenses.

Authorized Rolf Substance Retailer

Award-winning Austrian eyewear, 3D-printed from plant-based materials — every frame fully authentic and sourced direct from the maker.

Made from Castor Beans

A powder derived from a fast-growing tropical plant that requires no genetic engineering and doesn't compete with food crops — true material innovation.

Red Dot Award-Winning Design

The Substance collection earned the Red Dot Design Award for its tactile textured finishes inspired by Arctic ice flows and rocky peaks — sustainability you can see.

Expert Rolf Substance Fitting

Our opticians know the full Substance collection and pair each frame with ZEISS precision lenses, same-day for single vision.

Can't Decide? Visit Us.

Nothing beats trying frames in person. Visit any of our three NYC locations and let our experts help you find your perfect pair.

Call Us Find a Location

Step 1 of 4

Select Lens Material

Precision single vision optics — Engineered in Germany. For progressives and bifocals, please contact us.

Every lens is custom-ground to your prescription using ZEISS precision optics

ZEISS CR-39 +$210

Classic optical material. Excellent clarity. Ideal for mild prescriptions.

ZEISS Polycarbonate +$285

Impact-resistant and lightweight. Best for active lifestyles and stronger prescriptions.

ZEISS 1.67 High-Index +$455

Ultra-thin and feather-light. The thinnest possible profile for the strongest prescriptions.

Select Lens Type

All options include premium ZEISS coatings

Clear INCLUDED

ZEISS DuraVision® Platinum AR — premium anti-reflective coating for crystal-clear vision.

ZEISS BlueGuard +$50

Built-in blue light filtering material plus DuraVision® Platinum AR. Ideal for extended screen time.

ZEISS PhotoFusion +$150

Adaptive lenses that darken in sunlight and clear indoors. Premium DuraVision® Platinum AR included.

Select Color

Grey

Brown

Pioneer

Blue

Burgundy

ZEISS Polarized +$150

Eliminates glare for superior outdoor clarity. DuraVision® Sun coating for durable performance.

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Grey

Brown

Pioneer

Your Prescription

We need your pupillary distance and prescription to craft your lenses.

⚠ This configurator is for single vision prescriptions only. If you need progressives or bifocals, please contact us before ordering.

Pupillary Distance (PD)

Enter your monocular PD — typically 27–37mm per eye. Found on your prescription or measured by your optician.

Right Eye (OD)

Left Eye (OS)

Please enter both PD values (typically 27–37mm per eye)

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After completing your purchase, email your prescription to visionary@visionaryoptics.com with your order number. We'll begin processing once received.

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Review & Confirm

Verify your selections before adding to cart.

℞ Prescription Order — Tax Exempt

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Processing: 3–10 business days. Prescription lens orders are custom-made and non-refundable.

Rolf Substance

Eyewear Grown, Not Manufactured

Substance

Substance Mount

Substance Aura

Printed One at a Time

From a Bean to a Frame

Why Rolf Substance at Visionary Optics?

The Visionary Optics Difference

Authorized Rolf Substance Retailer

Made from Castor Beans

Red Dot Award-Winning Design

Expert Rolf Substance Fitting

Can't Decide? Visit Us.

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Company

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Select Lens Material

Select Lens Type

Your Prescription

Review & Confirm