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Protecting Eyes in Infancy - Frubi® Shades

The Arizona Republic
Jan. 18, 2005

A funny thing happened to Renee Resler while flying back from New York City to Phoenix last year.

She sat next to Dr. Gary Hall, a Phoenix eye surgeon, and the two got to talking. Before they touched ground, Resler, an entrepreneur, and Hall had created a business plan on a napkin for a new venture: disposable sunglasses for babies.

The two hope to start selling Frubies by April, possibly first on the Internet. The spongy glasses can be secured with Velcro and used on children up to 6 years old. Hall and Resler have patents pending on the product.

The name comes from an acronym for the protection Hall thinks sunglasses should provide: F, frame coverage; U, ultraviolet rays; B, blue light; and I, infrared light. Hall wants to develop standards for sunglasses’ performance similar to SPF ratings for skin care.

On the plane last March, he told Resler about research into eye protection factor (EPF) and she wanted to know why children couldn’t get better protection from the sun.

“As he was talking about his research, the ideas started conjuring up in my head,” Resler said.

She knew of Hall through her husband, Jackson La Baer, president and chief executive officer of The Clotherie, a men’s shop at Biltmore Fashion Park. Resler has her own business history. She started a seven-store chain of shops, called the Nail Garden, in the 1970s just as sculptured nails were beginning to take off. Since then, she has worked on licensing and patenting nail-care products.

She sees a lot of similarities between beauty products and the sunglass market. “If you start them off soon, they will always use them,” Resler, whose own 6-year-old grandson has worn glasses since the age of 2 years.

The biggest challenge has been developing something unique. There are other infant sunglasses on the market, but they wanted glasses very comfortable even if babies fall asleep wearing them.

Resler used her expertise to file patent papers and work with patent attorneys. She also relied on nail-product contacts to fine manufacturing sites.

They also have finished a Frubie caricature that will be used in marketing the glasses.

Resler wants to take the idea to companies such as the Walt Disney Co. and Baby Gap stores, which could use the sunglasses for promotion.

The two met in March, but Hall has worked on the idea of improving sunglasses for 10 years.

Hall, who will retire from eye surgery next month, has been practicing for more than 20 years. By his own count, he has performed about 50,000 surgeries. He was one of the Valley’s pioneers in RK surgery to help with nearsightedness.

After attending continuing education classes, Hall became more intrigued about the idea of higher standards for sunglasses.

“I thought this (improving standards) was going to be a weekend project, and 10 years later, here we are.”

He sees it as a natural segue after retirement.

“I was like the oil filter guy. I was doing nothing for prevention and people were coming to me after the fact,” he said.

Ultimately, Hall wants his standard to be applied to all sunglasses. Most all glasses have some type of UV rating or protection, but he believes more should be done. Take frame coverage, for example. People should realize “Jackie O” glasses with larger, oversized frames, offer a lot more protection than the style John Lennon wore.

To get the standard adopted, Hall has gone to industry, scientific, and government groups for backing. He has had articles published in the Journal of the American Optometric Association. But it’s the sunglasses industry that has the most leverage in getting a standard adopted. Hall has been talking with the manufacturers of Maui Jim and Ray-Ban sunglasses about using the standard.

“This is the perfect spot for me,” Hall said. “My life has taken a turn and I’m glad to be at this place.”