Story of Karmoie

Karmoie is a small company founded, owned and run by Kirsten and Lars Iversen. We are based in Oslo, Norway. The spring of 2013 marks the release of our first collection.

We can all picture it. It is like not finding your glasses. Every day. Turning daily tasks into unnecessary struggles. Making it difficult to thread a needle, or to fix your bike. Making it harder to interact, learn and work. This is the harsh reality in large parts of the developing world. Their lack of refractive correction not only impairs daily life, but potentially spirals into severe consequences for the individual, family and society. Loss of educational chances, missed job opportunities, reduced social interaction. Eyesight problems affect us all in the same way, regardless of age, gender or ethnic group. In large parts of the developing world the lack of optometrists is immense, keeping the glasses people need even further out of reach.
This is where the story of Karmoie begins. An eyewear brand and a Buy One Give One Company born from the desire to combine the world of fashion with a meaningful and life-altering contribution. For every pair of Karmoie Sunglasses sold, a pair of corrective glasses is given to a person in need. The name Karmoie is drawn from the Sanskrit word karma meaning “action” or “deed” and the French word joie or “joy”. To us, Karmoie is the joy of doing good for others. It represents the feeling we wish our customers to experience from Karmoie, as well as the feeling we get from working with Karmoie. It is about giving someone the same abilities we take for granted. It is about empowerment and potential. It is about believing that a little goes a long way, and even further.