Planning to manufacture your next eyewear or sunglasses collection in Italy? In this guide, we explain what importers and brand owners must know about supplier qualifications, design options, technical specifications, compliance, and MOQ requirements.
Supplier Overview
Supplier qualifications
Design services
Material options
Custom products
Industry overview
Manufacturing capability
Some Italian eyewear suppliers don’t have in-house production. In short, they do not own or operate their own factory but function more as a service provider. Such companies can indeed be qualified, but if you are looking specifically for a supplier in Italy you are likely also primarily interested in suppliers that actually make their eyewear in Italy.
As such, ask your supplier to confirm if they operate their own factory in the country, or if they outsource production to either domestic or foreign suppliers.
Design services
Some Italian eyewear manufacturers, such as La Giardiniera srl, provide design services. This means that they have product designers that can help you create CAD files for the frames, and select suitable lenses. You can also provide your own designs, but it can certainly be helpful to access expert designers if you are launching your first eyewear collection.
Design options
You can either produce custom designed eyewear, which requires new tooling – or, you can produce private label eyewear based on existing factory owned tooling. Some Italian eyewear factories specialise in manufacturing custom designed eyewear, while others mainly produce private label products.
Material options
Not all eyewear manufacturers produce the exact same type of eyewear, or use the same materials. For example, if you intend to manufacture acetate eyewear then you should work with a manufacturer that is already making acetate eyewear.
The same can also be said about plastic frames, which require injection moulding, or wooden frames.
Examples
- Acetate
- PP plastic
- Wood
- Aluminium
- Stainless steel
Product compliance
Sunglasses and other types of eyewear are subject to regulations and safety standards in the EU, UK, and US. Italian manufacturers may be familiar with the EU PPE regulation, but this should still not be taken for granted. It is therefore essential that you first research all applicable regulations, standards, labelling, and testing requirements before you start production.
| Country/market | Examples |
| EU | Personal Protective Equipment Regulation (EU) 2016/425 |
| UK | The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations |
| USA | 21 CFR (FDA) |
Further, keep in mind that additional labelling requirements that are not specific to eyewear may apply. The table above is not a complete list of compliance requirements applicable to eyewear.
It should also be noted that eyewear produced for the EU market must be CE marked.
MOQ requirements
The minimum order quantity (MOQ) requirement largely depends on the following factors:
- Material (acetate or injection moulding)
- Product design and complexity
- Number of components/materials/colours
I.O.V.E.S. SPA
Founded in 1950, I.O.V.E.S. SPA has grown into a leading supplier of prescription frames and sunglasses. Today, the company exports to more than 45 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. They offer both private labelling and custom design manufacturing. In addition, they provide 2D and 3D design services as part of the process.
Main products
- Stainless steel eyewear
- Grilamid TR-90 eyewear
- Acetate eyewear
- Sunglasses
- Prescription frames
Location: Lozzo di Cadore, Italy
La Giardiniera Srl
La Giardiniera Srl was established in 1973 in northern Italy. They are mainly specialised in manufacturing acetate and injection moulded eyewear. As is often the case with qualified Italian eyewear factories, they also provide design services. In addition, their manufacturing capabilities include custom-designed eyewear, private label eyewear, lens cutting, and frame painting.
Further, La Giardiniera srl stands in the sense that they are one of few eyewear factories that are renewable energy certified. Their certificate is issued by TUV SUD on the basis that their office and factory facility only use energy from wind farms in Sicily.
Main products
- Injected eyewear
- Acetate eyewear
Location: Venegono Inferiore, Italy
Italian Eyewear Factory (1955 S.R.L.)
The Italian Eyewear Factory, incorporated as 1955 S.R.L., has manufactured high-quality eyewear in Italy since 1955. Sustainability is a core part of their business model, as all electricity used to power the production facility is provided by their own solar panels. This philosophy can also be seen in their material options. The company is one of few that make eyewear using recycled materials. More specifically, recycled acetate waste frames.
Today, the company manufactures custom-designed and private-label eyewear for other brands – as a contract manufacturer. That being said, the Italian Eyewear Factory also has its own brands – OA and PRIMUS.
Main products
- Acetate waste eyewear
- Metal eyewear
Location: Strada Comunale della Mattina, Italy
