When looking for a premium and quality pair of Glasses it’s hard not to be attracted by the amazing quality, and look of Buffalo Horn. It may surprise you but Buffalo Horn has a rich and long history in eyewear and still ranks high in its popularity to its day. Horn itself has been used by craftsmen since the beginning of time. Its first use in eyewear was documented in the 13th century, Italy, and mainly used by Monks at the time.

  • Distinctive horn frames were high fashion from the 1920s to the 1960s. While not quite as popular today, it’s considered a timeless style. 
  • Buffalo Horn is incredibly difficult to work with and it takes master craftsmen years to learn the intricate skills required to craft a pair of glasses from such a fickle material. Due to this, it’s very difficult to find truly authentic horn glasses that don’t cost a premium. 
  • Glasses crafted from horns are sometimes referred to as ‘living glasses’. This refers to the fact the glasses are made from organic material.
lindberg buffalo horn
Image courtesy of Lindberg Eyewear.

Buffalo Horn & Sustainability

Contrary to popular belief Buffalo Horn is actually a sustainable material. Buffalo are not slaughtered for their horns, but for their meat and the resulting byproducts of this industry allow other materials, including Buffalo’s horns and skin (for leather) to be used without adding or perpetuating additional environmental, ethical, or sustainably effects. Today I’m going to go into detail regarding the wide world of Buffalo Horn Glasses, their advantages, how to care for them, and our top Buffalo Horn Glasses brands for 2022. Let’s jump straight in.

What is Buffalo Horn?

As the name suggests Buffalo Horn, sometimes simply referred to as horn, is a material made from the horn of an animal – in this case – a Buffalo. Horn is actually a combination of Keratin and other Proteins surrounding a core bone. This creates a softer more attractive exterior while the internal core – made from bone – adds the much-needed durability. Animals primarily use horns for defending themselves and territorial disputes so it makes sense horns need to be highly durable in nature. 

A Water Buffalo. Photo by Harshil Gudka.

Advantages of Buffalo Horn (in eyewear)

You might be asking yourself why to consider Buffalo Horn for your next pair of specs. Buffalo Horn as a material has a ton of unique benefits that may surprise you and stands above some popular materials in terms of both quality, and durability. Below is just a quick summary of some of the advantageous properties of Buffalo Horn. 

  • Light Weight: As one of the lightest all materials used in eyewear Buffalo Horn ranks above the rest beating the likes of carbon fiber, and aluminum. 
  • Heat Repellent: As it suggests, it better regulates heat keeping your specs cool.
  • Anti-Allergenic
  • Uniqueness: As discussed further in our colors section below, Buffalo Horn is completely unique and like no other material. Each piece of the horn will have its own natural coloration, hues, grains, and texture that makes each individual pair of glasses unique to its owner. 
Colors of Buffalo Horn Eyewear

One of the distinct features of the buffalo horn is its amazing uniqueness. As a natural material, no two pieces of horn look the same, and as a result, no two pairs of glasses. Some of the colors you can expect from the Buffalo horn range from the lightest yellows, darker browns, and nearly completely black thanks to the unique grains and hues. 

Most eyewear brands that sell Buffalo Horn Glasses should offer you the choice of color – one to your liking – so make sure to browse each brand to see which is to your liking. Below is a simple chart we’ve made to outline the varying colors Buffalo Horn offers.

Image from Coco Leni. View Original Source here.
Our Top Picks for Buffalo Horn Glasses 

So after so research, purchases, and a lot of time trailing individual pairs of glasses we think it’s finally time to reveal our top brands for Buffalo Horn Glasses. Each of the brands below is recommended based on a variety of different dimensions including and not limited to quality, costings (value for money), and the overall brand.

Lindberg Eyewear

Founded in 1986 Lindberg is a brand that isn’t shy about using unique and unusual materials in its eyewear. Their brand ethos was built upon Danish Design and innovation with each and every piece being made in Denmark. This strive for perfection has led Lindberg to gain 112 recognized design awards since its conception.

Hoffman Eyewear

Individual eyewear is handmade by experienced craftsmen from the Hoffmann Brand with an individual flair. They utilize a myriad of skills and a passion for excellence to produce each individual pair of glasses in Germany.

Having done this since 1978 they’ve developed a fantastic reputation from Buffalo Horn glasses and continue to innovate thanks to their wealth of knowledge continually pushing the boundaries of innovation and new potential.

Morgenthal Frederics

Morgenthal Frederics is one of the leading providers of luxury eyewear that is created using natural buffalo horns. They pride themselves on the ethical sourcing of all materials so you can feel confident wearing a one-of-a-kind design for years to come.

Each frame in the collection is carefully conceived and meticulously crafted by its expert designers. It takes hundreds of hours to create, but the result includes a timeless, distinctive design that you can rely on for glasses that last a lifetime.

Coco Leni

Rolfs Spectacles

Right within the Tyrolian Alps, there’s a manufacturer, which is full of ambition to create extraordinary eyewear. ROLF Spectacles carefully handicrafts every frame and only lets the best of hands onto their products. What comes from this creation is unique. Every Frame is an unmistakable original.