A thriving business that is also socially aware

Many of you may not know, but Nepal has had a great native eyewear brand since 2014. Started by a group of friends in 2014, Anthropose is known for its unique product range, and the fact that all their frames are made from biode­gradable cellulose acetate. They sell sunglasses as well as opticals that use CR39 lens that are polarized and scratch-resistant. But how much do they cost? The range is between Rs 4,200 and Rs 6,899. Suraj Shrestha, the CEO/Founder of Anthropose, was in the US for his higher studies. Unlike most of his other friends studying there, he always wanted to come back to Nepal, do something in his own country. “I was on a mission to prove that one can have a good career even in Nepal,” says Shrestha. That was when the idea for Anthropose came.

Anthropose not only sales eye­wear but also works for a social cause. For every 10 pairs of glasses sold, it collects enough fund to sponsor a free cataract surgery or a remedial course in rural Nepal. Till date Anthropose has already done 415 cataract surgeries and held free remedial courses for 15 students.

While in the US, Shrestha used to work in a shoe manufacturing company known as ‘TOMS’ which provides free shoes to African peo­ple whose legs have been infected by walking on volcanic sand bare foot.

“The idea of TOMS intrigued me. That inspired me to start free cata­ract surgeries and remedial course,” Shrestha says.

Before that he went through many studies to find what he could do in Nepal. During research he came to know Nepal is a country that manufactures intraocular lens at a very affordable price. And yet many in rural areas can’t afford them and are losing their eyesight. This is why Anthropose is provid­ing the service of free surgery and remedial course with the coordi­nation of Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology.

“You may not believe but since the inception of our business we haven’t had any complaints about our product quality. Just once did one customer complain about a small defect in our glasses,” says Shrestha. According to Shrestha, till date Anthropose has sold more than 4,000 eye-wears, most of them online.

Anthropose plans on expanding business in rural areas with cheaper glasses so that they are affordable to everyone