During the early 1900s, tortoiseshell was a heavily used material due to its high demand. The material was originally produced from the shells of larger species of tortoise and turtle, mainly the hawksbill turtle. At the time, horn-rimmed eyeglasses were made popular by comedian Harold Lloyd. The frames were a welcomed departure from the usual metal eyeglasses of the time.
The popularity of the material was, unfortunately, also a major contributing factor to the hawksbill turtle becoming an endangered species. The dwindling of the species resulted in the banning of the material in the 1970s, but the look of the tortoiseshell was still desired, leading to the creation of plastics made to imitate the look of the original material. Now those plastics emulating the original material are referred to as tortoiseshell. The style is a mainstay for retro sunglasses and eyeglasses alike and will most likely enjoy popularity for years to come.
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