100Percent Sunglasses 2026 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Sunglasses 2026 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: 100%
Interviewee: Elie Bellot / Marketing 100% EMEA/APAC

How was the sunglasses market overall in 2025?
2025 marked a return to healthier business conditions after a period of overstock and heavy discounting across the industry. Retailers are now operating with cleaner inventories and more focused assortments. We’re seeing strong demand for brands to be present and active in brick-and-mortar stores, elevating product value through in-store visibility, staff education, and service support rather than relying on price-driven sell-through.

What new trends have you seen for sunglasses in board sports for 2026?
For 2026, the category continues to be influenced by early-2000s aesthetics. Dual-lens constructions are resonating strongly with the new generation, delivering a technical look with performance credibility. Shield sunglasses remain key, but silhouettes are evolving toward narrower, more streamlined designs with a slick, minimalist feel.

Which segment of your 2026 offering do you expect to sell best and why?
We expect strong demand for our shield sunglasses equipped with polarized lenses, which align perfectly with the needs of board sports athletes and riders. Additionally, our expanded entry-level offering will help retailers increase SKU depth and accessibility in-store, supporting impulse purchases while maintaining brand performance credibility.

What new frame shapes and colours are in your 2026 offer?
The collection introduces slimmer shield profiles, reinforcing a sleek and modern performance aesthetic. We are also launching the A2, a sport performance eyewear model featuring a self-supporting 3D injected lens, specifically developed for running, scheduled for release in July. In parallel, we are strengthening our lifestyle offering with two new premium lifestyle frames, also available from July, designed to elevate everyday wear with refined construction and detailing. New colour stories include Toyoko and Juniper. Toyoko features a HiPER® Vital Pink Mirror lens, while Soft Tact Juniper is paired with a HiPER® Mint Mirror lens. Both executions introduce vibrant tones and fresh lens colours that bring energy and visual impact to the collection.

Which lens technologies from your 2026 offer are most in demand?
High-contrast performance lenses, photochromic options, and polarized technologies remain the most requested features. Riders prioritize visual clarity, glare reduction, and reduced eye fatigue across water, snow, and road environments.

Have you introduced any new lens colours and tints in your 2026 offering?
Yes, we are expanding our high-contrast range with new mirrored finishes and refined tints designed to enhance terrain definition and depth perception while maintaining accurate color balance in bright conditions. The 2026 lineup introduces five new HiPER® lens options, one new gradient lens, and one new polarized lens.

What are your marketing stories?
Our storytelling remains rooted in authentic performance and real riding environments, strongly driven by athlete stories. We highlight athletes pushing limits in snow, water, and dirt, reinforcing the credibility of our optics in demanding conditions while connecting with the next generation of riders. We will have more longer format documentaries styles coming. Along with all of our social media assets, video, new letter and any materials retailers needs to communicate aboute the brand.

How are you supporting retailers to sell this category?
We support retailers through staff education, product knowledge tools, and small merchandising elements that enhance in-store storytelling. For partners committed to the brand at a meaningful scale, we are developing custom brand corners designed to support long-term business and elevate in-store visibility.

Key Products:

ERBA:

ERBA

S3:

SLENDALE:

SLENDALE