Belgian eyewear start-up Morrow has partnered with 3D printing specialist Materialise to develop autofocal glasses that electronically switch between near and distance vision at the touch of a button. The challenge for Morrow was not only technical but also aesthetic: integrating electronics into a frame that looks and feels like conventional eyewear. “Success with smart glasses is not straightforward,” said Paul Marchal, CEO and co-founder of Morrow Eyewear. “People have to want to wear them. That means marrying aesthetic appeal with optical capability. We could meet this challenge by capitalizing on the design flexibility and physical performance offered by 3D printing.”
Working with Materialise allowed Morrow to prototype rapidly and move toward scalable manufacturing. Each frame integrates tunable liquid-crystal lenses that electronically adjust focal length, with all electronics concealed within the 3D printed structure. Marchal emphasized that precision was non-negotiable: “The bevel size and internal dimensions must be exact, or the assembly won’t function. Materialise has turned color consistency and strength control into a science, which has been essential to our success.” The company later collaborated with Belgian eyewear designer Bieke Hoet to expand its portfolio to more than 160 frame variations.
Additive manufacturing also supports Morrow’s on-demand production model, reducing excess inventory and waste. “We don’t want to maintain a large stock,” said Marchal. “Shorter lead times let us keep learning what people want while minimizing waste and working capital. You don’t throw away half your stock at the end of a season.” Founded in 2016 and launched commercially in 2021, Morrow received more than 10 million euros from ZEISS Ventures in 2022. In early 2024, the company expanded into France and Switzerland through a distribution partnership with Novacel Optical, reaching an estimated 30 million potential users. Marchal believes continued development in materials and processes tailored to eyewear will be critical, noting that “processes and materials must be developed specifically for eyewear, not simply applied to it.”
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