The frost and snow have moved on to the southern hemisphere at last. Warmer weather is upon us and the change of seasons can mean only one thing to online wholesalers, a rush on spring and summer merchandise.

Retailers are starting to roll out bright new apparel lines. The spring dress colors are in bloom, summer hats are finding their way into shopping carts, and it’s time to dust off those sunglasses. It might also be time to take a look at the state of the industry and its potential.
The frost and snow have moved on to the southern hemisphere at last. Warmer weather is upon us and the change of seasons can mean only one thing to online wholesalers, a rush on spring and summer merchandise.

Retailers are starting to roll out bright new apparel lines. The spring dress colors are in bloom, summer hats are finding their way into shopping carts, and it’s time to dust off those sunglasses. It might also be time to take a look at the state of the industry and its potential.

Although people use sunglasses during the winter, for snow skiing and the like, during the warmer months sales on shades just go crazy. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the summer months are the best time of year for selling sunglasses but market researchers have spent plenty of money to prove it.

Due to the fact that most sunglasses manufactures also sell other varieties of optical equipment and unusually extreme seasonal price fluctuations makes the industry notoriously difficult to track, as the $1200 price tag for sunglass market research reports might suggest. The importance of ‘house brand’ and individually labeled glasses also contribute to the confusion. However, without dropping the big bucks it is possible to gather some information regarding the state of the sunglasses business.

It is said that sunglasses sales in the last few years have tapered off somewhat from the more than $2 billion in annual sales in 2000. Market research has suggested that this drop in sales in accounted for, at least in part, by the fact that the aging baby boomer population has started to turn from non-prescription to prescription sunglasses.

Industry experts are, however, optimistic. They say that with increasing awareness of the dangers of UV radiation to the eyes and growing availability of attractive styles at surprisingly low prices the sunglass industry can look forward to a brighter future. The fact that increasingly people view sunglasses less as a tool to bring out for certain purposes and more an everyday fashion accessory also contribute to the experts rosy predictions.

In recent months several Chinese sunglasses importers, including a consortium of manufacturers in Wenzhou, have announced plans to vastly increase the number of high-end sunglass lines they produce. This is good news for domestic dealers as it promises new styles with quality UV protective lenses at affordable prices.

New designer lines come available on an almost daily basis. Sunglass consumers can choose from old standbys like Christian Dior and Versace or from the new hot kids on the fashion block such as Killer Loop and Action Optics. These days if you’re a fashion designer without a line of sunglasses you’re not really a designer.

While we have covered these points before in past articles it is probably a good idea to revisit the salient facts about the health benefits of wearing sunglasses. Ultra-violet radiation, the same radiation that causes sunburn, is linked with the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. For the same reasons people are wearing sunscreen with high spf ratings they are also looking for sunglasses that offer a high level of UV protection.

Many sunglasses merchants deal exclusively with very inexpensive sunglasses that offer little or no UV protection but given the affordability of protective lenses and the demand for them there is little logic to sticking with the inferior products. As a rule sunglass prices are not determined by their UV protection but instead by the quality of the frames and the style. Customers are increasing educated about the dangers and the demand is changing accordingly.

UV protection is rated on a scale of 1 to 100, at least in theory. You will never see a pair of sunglasses rated below 80 or 90. The scale is based on the percentage of UV rays that the glasses will block. Vision health experts advise 99-100 ratings as the best choice. Sunglasses with this level of protection are plentiful and suppliers will certainly provide this information before you make a purchase.

An important technical point to keep in mind when considering sunglasses is that there is a difference between UV protection and polarized lenses. Polarization prevents light from being reflected towards the eyes. This is beneficial to vision and a very useful thing but they in no way protect the eyes from UV radiation.

The same is true of polychromatic lenses. The lenses that darken or lighten depending on the available light may be useful but they don’t protect the eyes from UV radiation.

So, the seasonal outlook is good for sunglass sales and if the experts are to be believed, even better than recent years. Merchants should get their UV information down pat and get those shades ready.
Art Micklewraith is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Top Ten Wholesale. He can be reached at