Moms and Dads Go Single for Mother's and Father's Day

PEORIA, Ill., April 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This Mother's and Father's Day, moms and dads across America want to go single – with single gradient sunglasses, that is.  What's the hottest gift on their list? New MauiGradient™ sunglasses from Maui Jim®.  MauiGradient lenses are the company's first foray into single gradient technology. These lenses are featured in the most fashion forward frame styles of the season; and this year it's all about seeing the world more brilliantly.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110415/CL83925 )

Maui Jim is the leader in the development of polarized sunglasses and has always been known as the leader in double gradient lenses. These lenses are dark at the top, light in the middle and dark at the bottom.

But this season, Maui Jim's new MauiGradient collection features a darker coating at the top that gradually gets lighter moving down the lens. With this technology, an appropriate amount of light is allowed to filter through certain areas, while less light comes through where protection is paramount. Each lens uses the company's patented PolarizedPlus®2 technology to cut glare, block harmful UV, and enhance color.  MauiGradient lenses are not available in prescription.  

Maui Jim's new single gradient lenses can be found in a range of frames, from fashion-forward to retro-aviators, crafted from lightweight, highly durable acetate or titanium with anti-corrosive hardware.

Selected options in the Pau Hana, Lani, and Lava Flow frame styles feature the company's trendiest, colorful designs and textured patterns:  

• Pau Hana is a unisex frame for smaller faces that comes in black with dark brown interior and Neutral Grey lenses; Tokyo tortoise with Maui Rose lenses; honey with HCL® Bronze lenses; or dark tortoise with green interior and Maui HT lenses.
• Lava Flow delivers a fashionable statement in gloss black with Neutral Grey lenses, or a colorful burgundy tortoise frame with HCL Bronze lenses. The modified rectangular frame with a mid-size wrap complements most facial shapes.
• Lani, arriving in stores around Mother's Day, is an oversized squared-off duo-tone acetate frame available in gloss black, Koa tortoise or amethyst fade with Neutral Grey lenses; Tokyo tortoise with Maui Rose lenses; or ruby with sandstone interior and HCL Bronze lenses.

The hottest new aviators on the market include Baby Beach and Wiki Wiki in pure titanium:  

• Baby Beach, designed for smaller faces, is available in silver with Neutral Grey lenses; gold with HCL® Bronze lens; or gloss black with Maui HT lenses.
• Wiki Wiki is a double nose-bridged, square aviator available in gloss black with Maui HT lenses; gold with HCL Bronze lenses; or silver with Neutral Grey lenses.

About Maui Jim, Inc.

Maui Jim began as one man selling sunglasses on the beaches of Maui, Hawaii, back in the early 1980s.  As local demand grew for sunglasses that provided advanced protection from the severe glare and UV rays of the Hawaiian sun – without distorting the beautiful colors of the Islands – the  company developed proprietary technology – PolarizedPlus®2, which was later patented and subsequently enhanced to create the company's newest technology, PolarizedPlus®2.

Maui Jim was "born" with an original line of seven sunglass styles.  At first, the sunglasses were exclusively sold in Maui, Hawaii.  In 1991, the company was purchased by Hester Enterprises, and in 1994, Hester enlisted RLI Vision Corporation of Peoria, Illinois, to be the mainland distributor of Maui Jim Sunglasses for the ophthalmic market.   Maui Jim, Inc. was established in December 1996, when Maui Jim Sunglasses acquired RLI Vision.  This provided the financial resources and infrastructure to accommodate the phenomenal sales growth of Maui Jim Sunglasses.   Today, the company sells more than 70 styles and 200 SKUs and is the fastest growing premium polarized sunglass maker in the world. For more information on Maui Jim, visit mauijim.com.

SOURCE Maui Jim, Inc.