Dragon Alliance The Jam

Since the beginning, Dragon™ set out to be the leading independent eyewear and accessories brand in the active youth lifestyle market by supporting the best athletes with the best product, while remaining connected to core retailers and consumers. That mission still holds true today and is the driving force behind the company’s success and heritage.

In 1993, in a garage in Capo Beach, CA, founder Will Howard aimed to build a company that encompassed his passions for surfing, snowboarding, and riding dirt bikes. Enthusiasm and knowledge of the market bore Dragon’s first, and still, primary product, sunglasses. The company began distributing to local surf shops before expanding to Hawaii and Florida, and later Australia and other international markets.

Dragon gradually extended its reach as well, developing innovative, diversified products in all-eyewear categories. With an emphasis on creating functional, high-quality merchandise that appealed to the youth market and pushed the status quo, Dragon introduced a number of innovative products early on. “We saw an opportunity to add snow goggles to the lineup by aligning ourselves with the emerging snowboard market,” says founder Will Howard. “We loved riding and realized snowboarders were treated as second-class citizens just like we were as a start-up, so we thought that would be a good match.” From there, Dragon recruited snowboarders Jamie Lynn, Chris Roach, and a few others. Many years and many rides days later, Dragon has established itself as a leader in the snow goggle business.

More recently, Dragon’s innovative approach has lead to further market-leading developments, including the first-ever sunglasses and goggles made from 100% renewable origins. The development of the ECO (Environmentally Conscious Optics) series, a product originally inspired by longtime Dragon team surfer Rob Machado, represents the ambitious, avant-garde, athlete-inspired mindset that Dragon was founded upon.

New to the market is Dragon’s H2O Floatable Lens Collection, with frames made from lightweight material that allow your shades to stay afloat in the ocean, pool and lake. Featuring Performance Polar lenses on five of their top styles, the H2O Collection from Dragon is your answer to never losing your shades again.

Through it all, Dragon has continued to be true to its roots. Original snow team rider Jamie Lynn, along with Dragon’s first surf team rider, Shane Dorian, remain on the team roster today. With top-tier product and athletes in mind, Dragon’s roster has grown to include some of the best surfers, snowboarders, moto riders, and wakeboarders in the world.

Still run by the founder, Dragon remains a youthful, free-thinking, alternative, edgy brand that appeals to the core participants of action sports. Dragon endures as one of the few independent brands in its field, and will continue to grow and lead the youth lifestyle market.