Shade Station, an online retailer of prescription glasses and designer sunglasses, has secured a £1.35 million loan from NatWest, utilising the bank’s IP-backed lending proposition.

The funding will support Shade Station’s international expansion, as well as the development of AI-driven eCommerce features and the launch of a new smart eyewear platform, offering glasses capable of displaying digital information directly onto lenses.

The smart eyewear platform is expected to undergo a phased launch throughout 2026, initially in the UK and Ireland, before expanding into selected European markets including the Nordics and DACH region.

Based in Manchester, Shade Station has grown rapidly under its current management team, increasing its annual turnover from £4 million to £22m.