Legends are made

Defining moments since 1946 

OUR STORY

Like any story, ours starts ‘once upon a time’.

It all began in Germany...Annaberg-Bucholz to be precise in former East Germany.

A workshop was established, in 1946 making handcrafted frames using durable materials and lenses. During this period, East German goods weren't considered fashionable, but they lasted longer.

Matthias Haase, an eyewear craftsman and optometrist worked in the same workshop since in 1981.

He was then a young man with the vision to make beautifully hand-crafted eyewear using the finest local materials in a post war country when things looked bleak.

Matthias was determined to bring some sunshine into those dark times and what started then is the soul of COCO LENI.

Today we are determined to bring a positive impact to our world. How we do this, is the difference which makes COCO LENI a friend of the world.

Then one day, when Arjun Sagar, was trawling the world of eyewear he met the legend, Matthias, who became his mentor.

It was an instant connection of values and the two decided the journey needed to move on – to Goa, where today, each pair of glasses is made by hand.

Made by hands

the craft.

Our Team

And what special hands are these.

The hands that make your glasses, go beyond what anyone else's in India does.

Each pair is tailor made to fit your face.


We recognise you are unique, the contours on your face, make you, You. 

So rather than mass producing pairs, we tailor make each pair.

So, no two pairs are ever the same. Just like you.

Our workshop is full of strong, bright-eyed women who have trained with Arjun and now make this wonderful nature inspired spectacles.

Why women, you ask? Well Coco Leni’s mission is to make a positive impact at every step it takes.

We employ women to ensure we create financial independence, and a skill that can be taken wherever they may find themselves.

As they say, "Teach a man to read and you change the man. Teach a woman to read and you change a nation."

Our path is determined by what nature shows us, and here is where we find our clarity in every step and action we take.

Made with love

the soul.

Photo by Geran de Klerk

Before we begin to make your glasses, we start with a prayer or mantra to bless our hands, the work they will do and the ethical materials we use.

We ask for the artisan & the product to benefit mankind and provide them both with happiness and balance.

Our materials are strictly from sustainable and ethical sources.

We ask the questions, (most wouldn’t even consider) do the inspections and ensure the entire supply chain is clean.

Clean to us, means natural, sustainable, ethical and no one or nothing has been exploited in any way along the way.

This all takes time and our due diligence ensures you can rest assured your money is going to make a difference. A big difference!

Soul Eyewear

Not Green Washing

Beyond the product. What we do is one thing and what others do is another. 

We can see how some people don’t care, so we decided we had to lead by example, if we wanted to bring about change.

Like cleaning beaches and the countryside of plastics, or our sponsorship of reforestation.

Training & Community

Training generations of crafts people (paid), we are dedicated to doing it with all our hearts. 

In fact so much so, that if you, our lovely customers have an idea where we can make an impact we’d love to hear! (or join in the fun and belong to our community of people who care).

Manifesto

  1. Our purpose is to acknowledge and create beauty that you can feel both inwardly and outwardly. We will only share things with you that make us all radiate.
  2. We will always challenge our thinking and actions in order to do the right thing.
  3. Every action we take, is for the greater good and in the pursuit of happiness.
  4. A by product will be the most ecological eyewear for the most discerning of you.
  5. We will ensure each pair of glasses we make will be approved by Mother Nature(with love and respect)
  6. Any waste will be turned into natural fertiliser - Everything will be recycled.
  7. Although we’re mostly based in Goa design will come from global creative nomads. We are country, agnostic, and refuse to enter the ‘nationalism narrative’ that is so prevalent these days.
  8. All our people to be cared for as we would like to be cared for.
  9. A minimum of 2% of our pre-tax profits will go to charity. We believe orphans deserve our help.
  10. No water buffalo will be asked to do anything they don’t want to (in any case its useless to argue with a water buffalo).
  11. We will hand carve each and every pair of glasses with love.
  12. No two pairs will ever be the same.
  13. Man over machine each and every time.
  14. We will continuously plant trees.
  15. We will not mass produce anything. Our work life balance is way more important than money.
  16. All pairs of glasses will be covered by a 10 year guarantee. No hidden T&C’s. All we ask is that you use them responsibly & follow the care guidelines.
  17. We will choose to be happy, and we choose to make you happy.
  18. Please tell us what more we can do – without you none of this is possible

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