Meander Apparel, the Scotland-based independent fashion brand, has completed a deal to acquire Scottish sunglasses specialist Tens.

The latter, previously backed by Richard Branson, has been a “key partner brand, sold in Meander stores and online since 2020, and shares many of Meander Apparel’s brand values,” we’re told.

Meander is a sustainable outdoor clothing and lifestyle brand that has stores in Edinburgh and London. Using performance fabrics that are recycled, organic and low-impact, it manufactures in Europe and donates 1% of all sales to environmental charities. 

Meanwhile, its new acquisition was founded in Scotland in 2014 by friends Kris Reid, Tom Welsh and Marty Bell who came up with the idea while on a road trip through the Scottish Highlands.

The brand “was created on the idea that [the] lens in sunglasses don’t have to be grey and dull”. All of the eyewear features “filtered lenses that drench the world in warm, cinematic tones, helping to lift the mood of the wearer by brightening their view”.  

The founders “are now looking to move on to new passions and have chosen Meander Apparel to take the Tens reins and continue to drive the brand forward”. 

There will be a “short transition period” as Tens moves to the Meander warehouse, but the new owner “plans to bring Tens back online shortly and continue to scale the brand to a global audience”.

Meander co-founder Steve Henry said: “There are huge growth opportunities for the Tens brand which has until now primarily focused on direct to consumer. Meander plans to build on [the] Tens brand, defining itself as a lens experience company and embracing the brand’s loyal community of photographers, travellers and adventurers.”

And co-founder Jill Henry added: “We have been part of the Tens community since their initial crowdfunding campaign and over the years we have worked together on collaborations as well as selling Tens in our stores.”

The husband-and-wife team only founded Meander as recently as 2018.

Last summer they launched a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube that achieved 91% of its £150,000 funding goal within just a few hours.

Investors included Colin Temple, CEO of footwear retailer Schuh, and tech entrepreneur and Meander customer Neil Norman.

The money raised was intended fuel the brand’s plans for expanding its product range, investing in its team, and accelerating international growth, it said. 

It 2022 it had boosted its retail footprint in Edinburgh and London having recently secured another six-figure investment deal.

It had been trading on Edinburgh’s George Street via a pop-up store from October 2020 and was able to move to a permanent store and HQ on North West Circus Place in the upmarket neighbourhood of Stockbridge. 

Its London store is in the busy Seven Dials area of Covent Garden on Earlham Street.