← The Entrepreneurs
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Foreign. You're listening to Eureka on Monocle Radio. Brought to you by the team behind the entrepreneurs. The show all about inspiring people, innovative companies and fresh ideas in global business. I'm Tom Edwards. Stavros Kois is the founder of Kois Optics, a design LED eyewear label from Siros, a small Greek island in the Aegean. What began as a local optical store in his family's neoclassical mansion has grown into a global brand rooted in craftsmanship, heritage and storytelling. In this edition, Stavros shares with us how the island's history shapes his designs, why slow fashion matters, and how Cois Optics is helping put Siros on the map for design minded travelers. So how do you grow a global brand from somewhere so beautifully remote? Well, here is Stavros with more on how the journey began. I started koish optics in 1985 as a family business deeply connected to the spirit of the island. We have never lost sight of our roots, celebrating Cirrus through quality and care Today, Kois Optics not only serves customers around the world, but also reinvest part of its revenue into promoting Cirrus. The design is inspired by the geometry and textures of Cirrus. Each pair of frames reflect the harmony between modern sophistication and island heritage. Our goal is to make eyewear that performance and tell a story, something a visitor or customer can take home with them to a place of beauty and history, something that holds Greece with it, that carries a sense of heritage. Our products are made in small workshops in Greece and select partners in Italy. Our close relation with our production partners allows us to maintain high quality standards while staying true to our values, slow fashion, sustainability and authenticity. In addition to our eyewear, we also produce scarves made from silk crafted with the same dedication to quality and detail. Our biggest markets are in Europe and North America, especially among travelers who discover us. While visiting Cirrus, we have seen growing interest from Australian and American tourists, many of whom are seeking design with a sense of place. Koisobjects often becomes that memory. What makes us proud is that these customers return years after year, building a long term relation with the brand and by extension, with Cirrus itself. We are working on new collections as well as collaborations that celebrate great creativity. Most important, we are very proud to allocate part of our revenue to support the formal recognition of Hermopolis as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That's a core part of our identity, protecting and sharing the story of this unique place. That was Stavros Koais, the founder of Cois Optics, and you can learn more by heading to Kois gr. Or if you're on Siros, why not stop by and say hello? That's all for this episode of Eureka. We'll be back at the same time next week. The programs produced by Laura Kramer with audio editing by Jack Jewers. If you'd like to get in touch with the team, email Laura on lrk at monocle. Com. I'm Tom Edwards. Goodbye, and thanks for listening to Eureka.