German Firm Puts Sushi in the Frame

Imagine the scene: it's a beautiful summer's day and you have decided to treat yourself to some takeaway sushi in a nearby park. But -- shock, horror -- as you are about to enjoy your Japanese raw fish experience, you realize you have left the chopsticks behind.

But before you heroically reconcile yourself to forgoing those sumptuous Maki rolls, you remember that your new sunglasses from Berlin-based company "ic!berlin" have built in chopsticks. Your meal has been saved.

No longer will such chopstick-free situations keep Japanese food fans awake at night. Thanks to the innovative German firm, sushi lovers can buy sunglasses and prescription spectacles with detachable frame arms that double as chopsticks making spontaneous Japanese cuisine a possibility every day. And for those not competent in the ways of the chopstick, some even come with forks as an alternative.

A common need for cutlery at any time

The designer of the glasses says there is growing demand from time-pressured sushi fans eating their favorite food on the go. "The idea came from the common need for cutlery at any time," said company director Ralph Anderl in an interview with Reuters, who also uses his personal frames to eat the Japanese raw fish delicacy.

"Our so-called sushi specs have been a particular hit in Japan," he added.

The spectacle frames are made from lightweight stainless steel and fit together without the use of screws. However, there is a drawback. Once the arms have been removed for use in eating, the glasses are rendered unwearable until the chopsticks are replaced on the frames, making eating for visually impaired diners quite literally a hit-and-miss affair. And then there's the possibility of wasabi dripping off your ear lobe when you reattach the chopsticks.

Eye opening popularity

This does not seem to have deterred those who are willing to part with around €270 ($330) for the luxury of having chopsticks at hand every second of the day. Ic!Berlin sells its frames in around 1,000 opticians' shops across Europe, the U.S. and Japan, with retailers saying that the sushi specs "fly out of the shops."

It appears that sushi fans all over the world are beginning to wonder how they ever survived without chopstick-integrated eyewear.