Wacky World of Rubber: Through the eyes of a child

I wish I could see the world the way my son does.

To him, every day is magical and every minute holds a new discovery. He marvels as the sight of freight trains chugging along the tracks near our home and finds joy in the smallest of things, like watching a bunny scamper in to the tall grass at the edge of his school yard.

These are precious days, the days when he sees the world through the eyes of a child. That's why it is so important to protect his eyes.

Pyke gets it. The founders understand that children should greet their world every day with play and discovery and wonder. Exploring the outdoors is important for little ones as they learn to understand who they are, where they live and the miracles that surround them every day. So Pyke is built on the belief that you should Protect Your Kid's Eyes (Pyke), and its sunglasses are designed to do just that.

In developing the protective eye wear, the creators held closely to five distinct goals:

1. Complete coverage around the eye;
2. High quality materials, especially for the lenses;
3. Comfort and ease of care;
4. Practicality; and
5. Design.

Ultimately, Kraiburg TPE helped to bring Pyke products to the market with its Thermoplast M material. Because of its hypoallergenic properties, Kraiburg said the thermoplastic elastomer used in the manufacturing of the straps and frames of the BabyPyke glasses has applications in the pharmaceutical or medical sectors. This allowed for both comfort and easy care.

The sunglasses are designed to fit much like swim goggles would, with a soft TPE strap that helps to keep them in place. Two adjustable clips allow the sunglasses to be sized for the child and prevent rubbing around the ears, but allow for a snug fit.

In addition to being waterproof, the flexible, hypoallergenic glasses also are childproof in the sense that they can withstand reasonable amounts of tugging, twisting and even some chewing.

Made in Belgium, the sunglasses sell for about $85 and are available at pyke-sunglasses.com.

Erin Pustay Beaven is the online content editor for Rubber & Plastics News. She is an appreciator of life's littlest treasures, a reader of great books and supporter of the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Indians. Erin is an advocate for libraries, arts education and PBS. Follow her on Twitter at @EBeavenCrain.