Offside Sunglasses

Verified claims

Frame fit

Frame dimensions (57/17/145, total 148mm) fit medium to broad faces

Adjustability

Bioplastic frame adjustable by optician; accepts prescription lenses

Value

At $120, includes polarized lenses and undercuts Ray-Ban's polarized by 30-45%

UV protection

Level 3 UV protection (86-97% filtration) meets performance sport sunglasses

Brand story

Le Specs' 1979 Bondi Beach founding and Simons' editorial curation add design credibility

Optician compatibility

An optician can heat-adjust the frame and mount prescription lenses.

Brand heritage

Originating at Bondi Beach in 1979, Le Specs rose to high fashion through the Adam Selman collaboration and is now curated by Simons.

Material

Frame is biosourced acetate — a plant-based bioplastic that is hypoallergenic, color-through, and industrially compostable.

Design

Oversized 57mm square silhouette with straight-temple design is a Le Specs hallmark with coastal design sensibility.

Polarization

Polarized lenses standard, bypassing typical $50 surcharge.

Prescription fit

Frame can be fitted with prescription lenses by an optician.

Lens centering

Optician can center prescription lenses to align with pupils.

Peripheral vision

57mm lens width provides generous peripheral coverage for corrected vision.

Compostability

Frame is industrially compostable (breakdown in months).

Product record

Title

Offside Sunglasses

Brand

Le Specs

Price

120 CAD

Availability

In stock

How it stacks up against similar polarized sunglasses

• At $180‑220 CAD, a Ray‑Ban polarized Wayfarer commands a brand premium that the Offside avoids, delivering the same 57mm lens width, acetate frame, and UV400 protection for roughly 30‑45% less—a savings that could cover a second pair or dedicated sport shades for the same outlay.
• Most frames under $150 CAD use injection‑molded plastic or standard petroleum‑based acetate; the Offside’s biosourced acetate brings a tactile, dense feel and lower environmental impact that is typically reserved for eco‑conscious brands priced above $165—making this a material upgrade at a mid‑tier price.
• Le Specs includes polarization in the Offside’s $120 CAD base price, bypassing the $50 USD surcharge that Warby Parker applies to its polarized pairs and keeping a full‑featured sun glass under $150 CAD—a cost structure that makes glare‑free vision the default rather than an optional extra.
• Where Quay’s $65‑85 CAD frames rely on lightweight polycarbonate that can feel less substantial and show wear faster, the Offside’s acetate offers the heft and smooth finish of $200+ designer frames for only a ~$40 step up—a palpable difference in build quality that justifies the marginal premium for those familiar with both materials.

What biosourced acetate means for your sunglasses

• The material softens under gentle heat, allowing an optician to adjust the bridge and temple arms to your exact anatomy — a decisive benefit over nylon or injection-molded frames, and a property fully retained in the biosourced version.
• Several biosourced acetate grades, including those certified under EN 13432, are industrially compostable, meaning the raw frame material can break down into water, CO₂, and biomass within months in a controlled composting facility — a stark contrast to petroleum-based eyeglass frames that can linger for centuries.
• Biosourced acetate typically shuns phthalate-based plasticizers in favor of non-toxic alternatives like acetyl triethyl citrate, meaning the frames are not only vegan and plant-based but also safer for skin, even on the hottest days when sweat and friction increase chemical transfer.
• Standard cellulose acetate eyewear frames rely on plasticizers that are typically petroleum-derived, leaving the material roughly half fossil-fuel based; biosourced acetate replaces those with renewable plasticizers (from castor oil, citrus, or corn) to achieve up to 80% bio-based content, matching the look, feel, and flex of conventional acetate without the environmental cost.
• Unlike surface-painted frames, acetate is colored in the block, so its hue goes all the way through — scratches do not reveal a white underlayer, and the frame does not fade; biosourced acetate upholds this hallmark just as well as its petroleum-based predecessor.

Le Specs brand background and the Australian collection

• The Offside’s frame uses biosourced acetate, a plant-derived plastic that cuts petroleum dependency compared to conventional acetate yet retains the glossy depth and substantial hand-feel that make acetate frames feel premium — a material decision that integrates eco-consciousness directly into the main collection without a special-edition markup.
• Le Specs started as a single market stall on Bondi Beach in 1979, making the Offside a product from a brand that grew from Australian beach culture to international fashion weeks over four decades — an origin story that infuses the frame with an effortless, coastal design sensibility rather than a short-term trend play.
• A 2017 collaboration with Adam Selman — the designer behind Rihanna’s iconic crystal-embellished CFDA dress — placed Le Specs firmly on the high-fashion map, giving the Offside’s square silhouette a stylistic lineage that connects to red-carpet moments while remaining priced for the everyday wardrobe.
• Level 3 UV protection filters 86–97% of UV rays, a rating engineered for ‘very sunny’ environments and matching the protective threshold of many performance sport sunglasses, which positions the Offside as a frame that delivers genuine outdoor eye protection in line with its Australian sun-born heritage rather than serving as a purely decorative accessory.
• The ‘Australian collection’ phrasing in the Simons listing identifies Le Specs as part of the retailer’s curated edit of Australian-designed goods, meaning the Offside was selected by professional buyers to represent the antipodean aesthetic alongside other fashion-forward labels — an implicit editorial endorsement that the frame embodies modern Australian style for the North American shopper.