We Are Childe
An independent Australian brand creating superb eco eyewear to enhance your style and vision while focusing on a healthier, more sustainable planet.
A Legacy of Passion and Expertise
Founded in 2018 by visionary Jon Laurenson, CHILDE's journey began in eclectic Lisbon, Portugal - fuelled by the creative flames of local street artist Mario Belem to define the Childe Ouroboros logo.
Jon's experience in fashion and action sports eyewear spans 25 years as an original founder of Electric Visual and managing Arnette Optics in Australia during the late 90’s. In 2018 Jon created the Childe eco sensitive sunglass collection with boutique optical manufacturers in Italy and then returned to Australia. Between Byron Bay and Bondi, Jon formed a creative team including Tim Okkerse whose background included retail and software design to bring the CHILDE eco eyewear brand to life.
With over 25 years of leading the eyewear fashion industry, Jon alongside Tim has steered CHILDE to embody a community-centric ethos, brimming with eco-sensibilities and a rock & roll atmosphere. Our path is paved with innovation, care for the environment, and an unwavering commitment to quality.
Childe gives back to high-impact social and environmental action organisations thanks to the support of our customers and friends.
Eco-Innovation Meets Style and Quality
Childe is a tribute to the artists, musicians, and activists who shape our vision. Born from a fusion of Australian spirit and artisanal Italian craftsmanship, Childe stands as a testament to eco-conscious fashion for the future. Our eco eyewear designs are conceived in Byron Bay and handcrafted by boutique, family owned, optical manufactures globally that share our brands premium quality and environmental ethos.
Our frames are crafted from the world’s best eco-sensitive Plant Based and Bio-Acetate materials, complimented with innovative plant based bio lenses. Each eyewear piece is a statement of our mission: to deliver the very best of eco-sensitive fashion eyewear to the world.
Artisanal crafting reflects timeless style with enhanced modern visual persona.
The Childe Ouroboros
The iconic Childe “ouroboros” symbolizes the infinite circle of life and the brilliant evolution of life created from death. This symbol reinforces our respect for nature and our objective belief in a sustainable future.
Childe with an “e” is the “offspring of a vampire” or “a youth of noble birth”. The Childe name was inspired by the ouroboros and the inner-punk that provides the expressions of raw energy in our design aesthetic.
Join us as we embark on a journey to create a modernistic global eyewear movement that conscientiously considers the future.
It’s hard to explain what Gliding Barnacles really is. It’s not really just a surf festival. It’s a few days on a beach in Portugal where art, surfing, and community blur together into something that doesn’t quite fit a label. What makes it special is the people — a small, tight-knit community that somehow draws in faces from all over the world. We come from different places, but we seem to live the same way.
Why Childe Eyewear Chooses Materials That Look Good, Feel Good—and Do Good
Childe Eyewear ambassador Soli Bailey launches his new YouTube series Talking Story — a raw look into life chasing waves around the globe. From freezing Ireland slabs to firing Indo barrels and big airs with Jordy Smith, Soli shares stories of resilience, wipeouts, and triumph following his serious neck injury comeback.
