Can Plastic Eyeglass Frames Glow? The Answer is Yes!
Nike is planning to launch a pair of plastic eyeglass frames that glow in the dark, perfect for making a statement at parties. However, the early stages of development didn’t go smoothly. Despite trying different brands of glow powder, Nike faced a persistent issue — the eyeglass frames would turn black, and the glowing effect fell short of expectations. This led them into a dilemma, until they found us.During our discussions, Nike mentioned that they were using an injection molding process to manufacture the eyeglass frames, and in their previous experiments, the glow powder was added at a ratio of 20%. This information led us to identify two potential reasons for the problem:

  1. High Hardness of Regular Glow Powder: The hardness of standard glow powder can cause friction during the injection molding process. This friction creates impurities that mix into the plastic and glow powder mixture, ultimately causing the frames to turn black, affecting their glowing effect.
  2. Excessive Glow Powder Ratio: The 20% addition of glow powder is too high, increasing the friction coefficient. The combined effect of the powder’s hardness and the high addition ratio exacerbates the friction issue, making the problem more pronounced.

Based on these findings, we provided Nike with two solutions:

  1. Use Plastic-Specific Glow Powder: We recommended Nike use our specially developed glow powder for plastics. This glow powder undergoes a unique treatment process that increases its lubricity, making it more compatible with plastic materials. This reduces friction during production, minimizes impurities, and significantly lowers the risk of the frames turning black. It also preserves the original color and glowing brightness of the final product.
  2. Optimize the Glow Powder Addition Ratio: We suggested that the glow powder be added at a ratio of no more than 10% to 15%, and no less than 5%, to ensure a visible glowing effect. The addition ratio should be adjusted according to the desired brightness and cost constraints until the optimal balance is found.

In the next stage of development, Nike followed our advice and created multiple prototypes with varying addition ratios. As they gradually increased the glow powder ratio and fine-tuned the injection molding equipment to reduce friction, they were able to achieve a 10% ratio product. After considering market pricing, Nike finally settled on a 7% addition ratio. The resulting plastic eyeglass frames, which glow for an extended period, not only meet Nike’s fashion and creative requirements but also solve the technical challenges. These frames now stand out in the market as a highly competitive novelty product.

Why Choose Our Plastic-Specific Glow Powder?

  • Reduces Friction: Our unique treatment technology effectively reduces friction between the glow powder and plastic during the manufacturing process, minimizing the risk of the final product turning black.
  • Compatible with Various Processing Methods: Our plastic-specific glow powder is not only suitable for injection molding but also adapts perfectly to extrusion, blow molding, and other plastic processing methods, ensuring consistency and high-quality results in production.
  • Stable Glowing Effect: When added in the appropriate ratio, our glow powder provides a striking glow that lasts and maintains stable glowing performance over time.

Endless Possibilities with Glow Powder and Plastic

Our plastic-specific glow powder has a wide range of applications across various plastic products. Whether used in injection molded items (eyeglass frames, cups, etc.), extrusion products (wires, color masterbatches, 3D printing), or blow molding items (straws, hollow toy shells, etc.), our glow powder delivers exceptional performance. It brings creativity to plastic products, helping brands create unique glowing items that stand out in the market. The combination of glow powder and plastic opens up endless market potential and gives brands the edge they need in a competitive marketplace.