When Erik and Emilia Lindmark met in the Business and Economics program at Umeå University, eyewear production was not exactly in a clear pipeline. Entrepreneurship was there from the very beginning, but since both of them had vision impairments, the idea of founding a sustainable eyewear company grew naturally.
“We always had the idea of building something of our own,” says Emilia. “Combining business with doing something meaningful has been our driving force ever since our university days.”
Even back then, they were involved in projects far beyond the university. They won the Swedish National Championship in Social Entrepreneurship two years in a row for their work with demining in Cambodia, and for the Lindmarks it became clear early on that profitability and social responsibility are not opposites, but rather elements that can and should go hand in hand in a modern, responsible company.
“At that stage, we knew very little about the product,” says Erik. “But we knew we wanted to work with materials that matter, with our heart in Lapland, and with methods that make a difference.”
In 2010, the couple founded EOE Eyewear. They had no experience in eyewear manufacturing, but they had strong determination and a deep love for northern Sweden, where they both grew up. In the beginning, they did everything themselves. They searched for spruce needles and reindeer antlers in Ammarnäs for frame details, spent weeks in Italy finding the right suppliers of lenses and materials, and finally packed the finished collection into their car and drove all over Sweden to present it to fashion boutiques and opticians.
“I don’t think we fully understood back then what kind of lifestyle running a company is,” says Emilia. “It wasn’t a job - it was everything.”
From early on, materials became a core part of EOE Eyewear’s DNA. One of the first models, ABISKO, featured Lapporten cut out in metal - a tribute to the landscape that inspired both the frame and the company. Gemstones handpicked from Lannavaara, reindeer antlers, and birch are still used today as details in selected frames. Each frame is created through a multi-step craftsmanship process, and respect for the material and the process is central to everything they do.
“Craftsmanship and sustainability are not tied to a specific place,” says Emilia. “It’s about a way of working and thinking - something that should be passed down from generation to generation.”
Since its founding in 2010, EOE Eyewear has grown organically. The couple has opened a flagship store in Bibliotekstan in Stockholm and received several awards, but for them, pride is less about accolades and more about sustainable development. Patented initiatives such as REGRIND demonstrate how they work with circular material flows and consistently combine quality with responsibility.
What began as two business students with a shared vision has grown into a global company that combines craftsmanship, sustainability, and a love for northern Sweden.
“Awards are always nice,” says Erik, “but what we are truly proud of is that we have stayed true to our idea - building slowly and consciously, without ever compromising on what we believe in.”
