How to Import Sunglasses From China -Complete Guide

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Do you have knowledge about importing quality sunglasses from China ever? Well this quick guide will tell you everything you MUST know about China’s  importing sunglasses.

For the first time when you look through importing eyewear from China,you will find many serious questions that need answering i.e. How do I found a good manufacturer? How can I guarantee the quality? Will the products be equipped with safety standards? Be easy,we’re here to put your mind at ease and give you  informations you want to know.

In China ,manufacturing tends to be somewhat segmented, it’s to say that  specific regions manufacture specific products with specific tecnology  i.e. Steel products are mostly produced in Tianjin, plastic molded in Dongguan and sunglasses in Zhejiang province which is in the South of Shanghai..Although this is not static, you do have a factory that produces quality eyewear in China, but it’s good to know that you can find a group of companies that produce similar products in the same area.

The world’s  largest cluster of sunglasses manufacturers was located in Wenzhou; there are hundreds of manufacturers, component suppliers and trading companies. This is where the problem arises. How do you choose the right company to make your sunglasses, where do you start?

To make your information more clear ,we’ve compiled a list of things you should know when considering manufacturing sunglasses in China:

  1. Compliance of The Product

First, you need to consider whether the supplier of sunglasses is experienced and manufactures products according to the specific regulations of your country, city or state.

You must be aware of this in the early stages of due diligence, and you tend to find that a large number of suppliers do not meet the requirements. As a supplier in your area, you should take the responsibility for understanding the law and ensuring that any and all of the glasses you import meet product safety standards, labeling requirements, and zero hazardous substances. To make this whole process quick and painless, You can start with the manufacturer to see if they have the ability to produce compliance products.

So,how do you do to begin this ask, well, the first thing you have to do is to request product compliance certificate document.

In the case of Eyewear you should be looking at:

  • Test Report and an FDA declaration of conformity
  • A personal protective equipment directive declaration of conformity and a test report where possible (this will vary from region to region, here’s an example from the UK)

This is a easy way for you screening quickly potential manufacturers, so you can only focus on compliance manufacturers.

2. Social Compliance Audit Reports and Quality     Management System Certificate

Of course,there are many things you are supported to take in, and it’s important that the potential manufacturer has these certificates available for your inspection, and make certainty that they are current.

  • A quality management certificate (QMS) indicates that the supplier manufactures can achieve international standard.
  • Social compliance audit reports ,a report showing that the supplier you’re looking to deal with is treating their workforce fairly, paying them which is equal to their work and that their living environment is up to standard. This has become the norm all around the world and should be available as a standard to pick your supplier.

You should look at the following as well for your great deal :

  • Registered business scope: Are you looking for a manufacturer or a middleman, so be sure to clarify that they are actually self-produced and cut off the middleman from the beginning.
  • Registered capital – If the amount of registered capital is small, this may suggest that the supplier is relatively small, which is not necessarily a bad thing in itself, but a company with a higher registered capital indicates a serious participant.

3. Product Specification

Sunglasses manufacturers can be launched before manufacturing, expecting their buyers to provide them with a set of specifications for the products they need to produce.Sunglasses are very customizable and, for example, can use the different materials and components in the same frame mold to produce the same design.You may have thought that materials and components are factors that directly affect unit price; you can read more about this in the blog “Made in China is still cost effective.”

Let’s go on with what you need to know before contacting manufacturers directly:

The Lens:

  • Materials, Glass, Composite, Polycarbonate, Plastic
  • Will the lenses be Polarized
  • Standards – EN ISO, ASTM
  • Anti-reflective or not
  • Thickness in mm
  • Shape and Color

Frame Materials:

  • Alloys
  • Polypropylene
  • Acetate
  • Stainless Steel
  • Colors of the material – Pantone or Standard colors

The Hinges:

  • Stainless steel (Higher Quality)
  • Plastic (Lower Quality)

The Logo:

  • Printed or Indented?
  • Printed on frame or lens

Product Packaging:

  • Customized packaging
  • Standard packaging

4. MOQ (minimum order quantity)                              Requirements 

It’s the norm that there will be MOQ requirements for different companies. Each supplier set their own limits like the following:

  • 1000 – 2000 pieces per order
  • 300 – 500 pieces per model of designs that aren’t custom and per color or pattern

This is by no means a standard quantity, so you must confirm the supplier’s minimum order quantity requirement. When ordering a custom frame or having a specific color Pantone, the requirements are often higher because these are not in the standard sunglasses category.

The company sells small quantities of products online, but be cautious because sunglasses may be designed for the Chinese local market and rarely comply with US or EU safety regulations and labeling requirements.

 

  • As in most cases, the FDA has prescribed over-the-counter sunglasses. The FDA sets safety and quality requirements in the following locations:
  • Optical properties
  • Biological construction, Biocompatibility
  • Impact resistance
  • Flammability

The FDA refers to the ASTM and ISO standards mentioned above and has a set of rules for each of these points. For more information, you can go directly to the Industry Guide: Over-the-Counter Sunglasses Guidance Document.

The regulations vary from state to state, the only thing you should do is to make sure you know the state where you plan to distribute or sell sunglasses. For example, California has a limit of 800+ on consumer goods, much higher than any other state.It is worth noting that any product imported into the United States must be stamped with the country of origin mark, in which case it will be – made in China or made in China.

European Union

  • As mentioned earlier, in the European Union, importing companies or individuals are responsible for ensuring that products meet the requirements. Sunglasses are required to comply with the prescribed PPE instructions, but must comply with Bureau Veritas. Sunglasses need to be marked with the CE mark, and you must keep a technical file for each import, which may include:
  • A full risk assessment
  • Test reports
  • Drawings of the design
  • A list of applied EN standards
  • Copies of labels, manuals, and packaging
  • Declaration of conformity

Sunglasses imported into the EU are regulated by the EU Regulation REACH, which aims to improve the protection of human health and the environment. This means that sunglasses may be free of certain substances such as mercury, lead or cadmium.

In addition,there may be other requirements for children’s sunglasses and safety glasses. The first thing you need is to prove that the glasses are shatterproof. What’s more ,these regulations are updated regularly, so it’s best to contact your nearest office to process import regulations, and freight forwarders often provide up-to-date and up-to-date details.

If you have any questions about how to proceed, what can be done to ensure that your compliance is in contact with our expert consultants to answer any questions you may have and to give you peace of mind.

Private Label Eyewear – Complete Guide

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Prospects of Glasses Industry

Nowdays, buyers are keep close connections with Private label eyewear and in-house brands . So whether it is a lucrative business prospect or a fool’s errand? Who knows? We show somethings about private label, but you is supported to decide for yourself after taking a look at the facts in the following .

Companies all around the world all have their own names like Safilo and Luxottica,which have a share of a $95 Billion dollar global eyewear market.However  private label and in-house brands are paving the way to a significant shift in competitive market,they also try their best to achieve more distribution to the market share.Go on , we’ll take a general look about some of the successful private label eyewear companies , knowing why it isn’t as hard as you think.

WHAT IS PRIVATE LABEL EYEWEAR?

We’re defining private label eyewear as optical products you buy directly from a manufacturer and the next is to put your brand name or your own label on it. It’s similar to putting your name on clothing commonly. You own brand ,the private label products.

Private Label on Amazon

Every time when people think of Private Label products,Amazon is the apparent front-runner .The online giant has becoming a big company which owns multi-billion dollar ,in the process ,the private label business model has greatly helped this, and they are now using this new style to develop their own brand.

For the beginning,Consumers were confusing about it , but Amazon’s strict rules and regulations gradually turned their attitude of doubt and opened the platform for private label sellers. The unbiased evaluation system allows consumers to match the quality of the products they buy. This is an almost foolproof system where consumers can verify that the quality of the products they purchase is good. Poor quality products can be reported quickly and not sold at all. Sellers with bad products will soon disappear.

The key to successful private label eyewear? Quality!

Quality wins everything. Only the retailers guarantee the quality, can Private label eyewear exist successful. In brief, private label eyewear needs to be just as good as the best brands out there, but at a ration price.

For instance,in the article, Ray-Ban, Oakley, Chanel Or Prada Sunglasses, three big company in the world, are All Made By This Obscure $9B Company.

“In addition to its 7,000 retail stores and its roughly 10 production facilities ,the company owns some of the brands it sells including Ray-Ban,Oakley, Vogue, Oliver Peoples, Persol, Alain Mikli, Arnette and REVO which are bought in different years. These proprietary brands accounted for 70% of frame sales with Ray-Ban and Oakley making up nearly 45% of the sales.”

Here’s the important bit

“Some other brands like Bulgari, Burberry, Chanel, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, Paul Smith, Polo Ralph Lauren, Prada, Stella McCartney, Tiffany, Tory Burch, Versace, and Armani are licensed in the company. The agreements with these brands has exclusive meaning,there is no other manufacturer can make their glasses.”

 Luxottica does not produce glasses in a small, antique factory in the rolling hills of Florence, where they outsource and manufacture a large number of glasses.It is unfounded to prove once again that the shame of poor production of Chinese products. Some of the best quality glasses in the world are made in China. More importantly, anyone who is willing to find a manufacturer can use it. This is why we invest time and resources:

 · Undeniable Proof That Eyewear Quality Standards Are Still Importan

· How Eyewear Quality Inspection Can Put Your Brand Ahead of the Game

· The Struggle Between Cost and Quality in Eyewear Manufacturing

.The Best Eyewear Manufacturers in China, and How to Source Them

For example, private branded glasses far exceed the general trade of the pharmaceutical industry. Large retailers have created a target home brand that resonates with customers, that is, at Macy’s, 20% of revenue comes from the sale of private label merchandise, thanks to Aqua, Bar III, Charter Club, Club Room, Epic Threads First impression, Giani Bernini and other brands, Greendog, INC, for the fashionable urban female population between the ages of 18 and 40.

According to Statista.com:

“At first,the influence of private label brands used to be quite negative. In 2011, 17 percent of U.S. consumers felt PLB’s were big budgets for people ,they couldn’t afford the best; but because of the economic downturn in recent years, consumers have changed their mind.There are 33 percent of North American consumers  coming to realize that these products are equally as good as the name brands they used to buy,and the products are more proper  in terms of quality and value,.As a result, 94 percent of consumers in North America will continue to buy private label products .”

 Retailers can obtain a massive of advantages by Private label brands . In addition to differentiation and loyalty, retailers who make use of a private label strategy gain a sizeable control over the products they offer. They help control over-pricing of products and better control production, marketing and profitability, helping to build customer recognition and value.

Some of the most devastating retailers in the eyewear industry have achieved success based primarily on their own branding strategies. According to consumer reports, Costco Optical has consistently achieved the highest overall satisfaction score among optical retailers. Costco uses non-branded products to enable them to seamlessly improve products and maximize consumer value by controlling commodity costs. 

Warby Parker is an excellent example ,since the company witness a gap in the market, took a chance and subsequently built a business worth an estimated $1.2 billion within five years. They use an exclusive private label strategy to sell only Warby Parker frames and lenses.


WP places a strong focus on the customer experience and enjoys full ownership of the customer relationship. They are also known for their strong community activities, such as providing money or glasses to non-profit partners such as VisionSpring for every pair of glasses purchased by consumers. Who wants to lag behind such an inspiring initiative?

What About the “Small” Guys?

Small retailers are more profitable than large retailers,due to they implement a well planned private label strategy. When customers expect customization and personalization, they are in the bright , after all, they are“specialty” stores.

In addition,optical retailers have their own overall retail strategy unique to add a private label to eyeglass. Eyeglass lenses have no visible trademark for a consumer, and do not require packaging. On the other hand, cases and lens cloths are easy to brand and by doing this,they are readily available in small quantities to achieve environmental protection .

See where we’re going with this?

A small retailer can offer different productions by researching local need ,differentiate customers and go beyond the private label to create exclusive goods which are both unique and locally produced. The good quality is a good selling point and it also provide a way to build brand .Besides,some optical stores customize their unique eyewear for different person in their own factories. Like these Handmade buffalo horn rectangle sunglasses from Morgenthal Frederics.

Famous Brands v.s. Private Label

In terms of consumers ,they persue quality assurance of brands and not so much for their outside appeal. Traditionally, eyewear company established brands for a long period such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Revo have been the top optical shops. Prices tend to be rapidally inflated due to the nature rules of the eyewear trade which is lacking transparency.These rules are what Self-operated eyewear stores and startups essentially opposite.

As we can see,now private label and in-house brands are hitting a hit with their advantages including creative eyewear and simple pricing systems.

There are many companies such as Vision Express manufacture a variety of in-house brands.What;’s more, the quality is proper and priced significantly lower than some other famous brands.

These in-house brands aim at different styles for meeting different needs about , different lifestyles ,personalities, and even different occasions to wear glasses. The price is simplely accepted, making it all the more accessible to consumers.

In stark contrast to Oakley, Ray-Ban, Gucci and any other major eyewear brand that , these private label brands are subjected by the contract to license to the only supplier .,which in turn creates a product that is perceived and have their own styles. 

We are willing to have a view about your thoughts on private label and in-house eyewear. Whether you have some experience in the successful business, take it easy to repost your ideas to the comment section below to share with our readers.