Sunglasses 2025 Retail Buyer’s Guide
High-Performance Innovation Meets Style in Eco-Conscious sunglasses. By Rocio Enriquez.
The sunglasses market showed mixed performance in 2024. Cost of living pressures invited consumer caution, and some regions experienced challenging weather. However, there is growth expected in 2025, with opportunities for retailers to enhance their selections and meet the growing demands of health-conscious and active consumers. These are mainly high-quality, functional eyewear pieces made with sustainable practices.
There is a demand for premium quality and innovative styles, but consumers will factor in affordability when making their final decision. Sport-specific designs are growing alongside versatile shapes that are equally suited for performance and fashion. We will see a lot of retro-looking designs paired with advanced lens technology. The use of eco-friendly materials is widespread. There is ongoing exploration for new frame materials that can be lighter and more sustainable at the same time.
2025 Frames.
High coverage designs remain popular, especially the dominant shield shape. This design offers strong protection while serving as a fashion statement, bridging the gap between performance and style. Red Bull Spect enhances its shield range with tech features like air vents and nose pads. For 2025, they debut the Mark and Gabe shields in the Sun RX collection, plus the new Chain and Chess wraparounds. Naked introduces the Blade visor and Volt shield – both built for peak sports performance. Melon launches the Jester, blending the Kingpin’s comfort fit with the Alleycat’s lightweight frame. They also introduce the 90s-inspired Dealer wrap model. Glacier adds the Vorab to its performance range. Smith presents the 80s-style Ultralite cylindrical shield and angular wrap Outrigger.
Hilx debuts Domain and Inferno in the Kinetik series, featuring Dislo hinges for adjustable temple curvature angles. Zeal offers the Harbinger, tailored for cycling and touring, and the Westwater, a medium-fit shield with optional ventilated panels. Both use lightweight Z-Resin and ProFlex grip tech. Aphex introduces two shields. “Crafted from bio-based plastic, the IQ 2.0 and IX frames offer both durability and flexibility”, says Casper Holtzapfel.
Otis’ new “Request Sport answers the call of fashion meets function in a high-coverage frame with subtle blinders”, says Nathan Omodei. Hobie redesigns its wrap-style Cove into the floating Cove Float. CHPO and TSG also highlight new performance wrap styles.
Oakley introduces the new high-wrap lifestyle design Plantaris, Lateralis, and Masseter. They are classic Oakley designs modernised with current fit, function, and form. They will share shelves with their recently launched Flex Scape, a goggle/sunglass hybrid with a modular design that allows you to swap the goggle strap for sunglasses stems.
Spektrum pushes their successful Lom and Kesu shields made with bio-based material, announcing new colourful options for the Kesu. Fashion-forward frames are trending. Aphex unveils the sleek Lyra in bio-based material. I-Sea offers the edgy Cloud 9, Roxie, and Audrey, and classics like Chloe and Quinn for women. Men get the Mason, a sleek, classic shape with side cups. They also launch the CPR, their first ever sustainable line using Eastman’s Tritan Renew, and featuring Nova, Phoenix, and Ivan Florence’s signature model. Smith goes classic with the round lens Westward. Spektrum’s Rista is also a classic round mountaineering-inspired style, appealing to an active lifestyle consumer.
Hobie’s Mya sports a soft, oversized cat-eye. Otis elevates the square look with the Interlude, accented by metal temples and a keyhole bridge. Quiksilver launches the chunky, rectangular Flow as part of their Y2K inspired Mercury collection. Roxy presents four new fashion shapes: one cat-eye, one oversized geometric, and two rectangular ones.
Zeal’s Rowen blends bold style with ProFlex and Z-Resin. Knockaround goes flat lens with the women’s Cloud Catcher and the men’s Afters. Oakley is seeing organic growth of their 90s inspired silhouettes, like the oval shaped Eye Jacket Redux and other silhouettes that are catching young consumers’ attention. Wave adds panto, nerd, and browline styles. CHPO introduces retro-inspired rounded rectangles.
Soft, translucent frame colours are on trend. I-Sea adds Antique to favourites like dusty rose and vanilla. Smith introduces matte summit, summit crystal, and rosewood crystal to their lighter tones’ palette. Oakley announces some cool versions of translucent white unique to them. Red Bull Spect offers soft blue smoke, turquoise with black tips, and mint with pink tips.
Otis makes the Interlude in Eco crystal fern. Wave adds cream, yellow, silver, and transparent. Aphex broadens its range with matte finishes to pursue a more understated appeal. CHPO presents pastels and tinted transparents. Adidas and Dirty Dog expand their translucent lines, with Dirty Dog offering three new green tones based on different degrees of translucency.
For bold colours: 100Percent goes with pink, campari, and pitaya; I-Sea adds tangerine, cherry, kale, and dark seas; TSG offers acid yellow. Aphex joins in with vivid hues. Spektrum has added a range of vibrant colours to their Kesu style. Neutrals remain a strong offer: TSG presents smoke grey and black; I-Sea includes cola, olive, and taupe. 100Percent sticks with classic Black-on-Black. Adidas maintains black and white. Glacier debuts grey for the Pierredar line. Red Bull Spect adds shiny grey with purple tips and matte metallic grey. Neutral mattes also include Smith’s ash marble and Otis’ matte black, slate tort, and amberwood tort.
2025 Lenses.
Consumers value durability and advanced lens technology for both lifestyle and sport use. Photochromic lenses are becoming a go-to feature. Otis offers L.I.T. Polar, while Red Bull Spect uses IºBOOST for contrast and clarity in low light, and CHROMºX photochromic lenses. Melon’s Vantage Photochromic blends special lens bases with photochromic technology and colour chroming on top. Smith features ChromaPop Photochromic, Polarchromic, and Glacier Photochromic lenses. 100Percent highlights its HIPER lenses for sharp details and superior contrast. Oakley is seeing increased interest in their colour and detail enhancing Prizm 24K lens. CHPO, Aphex, Hilx, Mundaka Optics, Adidas, Glacier, and TSG also develop contrast-enhancing photochromic options.
Polarised lenses are widely used. Dirty Dog features Polyfilter and Polycarbonate lenses for radiation protection. Zeal uses premium Japanese polarised film in injected lens stacks.
Red Bull Spect offers POLARºZ, while Otis and Hobie deliver their own versions—Hobie’s includes a new castor oil–based bio lens in the Hull Float. I-Sea’s full range is polarised. TSG, Aphex, Mundaka Optics, and Hilx also provide polarised lenses. Additional treatments include anti-fog coatings from Aphex for snowy and humid conditions. Knockaround’s Knockterra lenses block UV rays, boost depth perception, and resist water and oil. I-Sea uses scratch-resistant, hydrophobic coatings and features multi-layer laminated recycled lenses in its Ivan Florence and Cole Houshmand models. “Adidas includes a range of treatments, such as oleophobic, anti-dust, and anti-scratch coatings”, says Julie Roué.
Mirror lenses are key in current styles. Dirty Dog expands with a green flash mirror in their Force style. Quiksilver introduces the flash gold in two of their Mercury collection. 100Percent launches copper and purple HIPER mirror lenses. Hilx adds pink, gold, purple, and red/dark pink photochromic mirrors. Smith features copper blue, copper opal, rose blue, and brown opal. Glacier releases the Alps mirror – grey base with a Category 3 mirror coat. Red Bull Spect introduces blue, red/purple, and pink/yellow mirrors. Oakley delivers their Prizm 24K lens in a standout gold coloured iridium coating. They have also brought black their classic slate colour with a modern touch. By adding black iridium mirror coating to the light grey base, these lenses become perfect for mid-light conditions. Aphex embraces mirrored lenses for a modern edge. Bold lens colours extend beyond mirrors. Naked offers purple/green, orange, and polarised red, blue, and purple.
I-Sea adds plum, navy, and copper. CHPO goes bold with orange lenses for standout looks and visibility. Aphex brings in copper and amber tints. Roxy introduces pink rainbow, light lila, and gradient green. Spektrum works with proven Zeiss colour deliveries, amber contrast and amethyst gradient. Classic tones remain strong – smoke, brown, green from I-Sea; clear, black, and a new clear smoke on the Volt from Naked; brown from Smith; smoke from Red Bull Spect; and green from Wave.
Sustainability.
As consumer awareness of sustainability grows, so does the implementation of sustainable practices in sunglasses production. The battlefronts are mainly three: frame and lens materials, packaging materials, and manufacturing practices. Aphex and CHPO use recycled plastics for their frames. I-Sea has launched their CPR sustainable series made with Tritan Renew recycled materials from Eastman. Smith’s Core Collection is made from post-consumer water bottles. Melon is working with Sea Shepherd to launch a range of eyewear made from recycled fishing nets.
Hobie launches the new Hull Float style made from upcycled kayak plastic. Bio-based acetate is popular. Otis’ frames are entirely made with either Eco Acetate or Eco Grilamid. Naked uses a bio-plastic blend that is based on 65% renewable plant-based material called CO2RE. Hilx offers the Nomad Green series made with bio-based G580 from Arkema.
Mundaka Optics works with bio-acetate and Grilamid Green. Zeal Optics frames are made with Z-Resin, a partially plant-based material derived from castor plant. Quiksilver uses bio-acetate and bio-nylon in their entire range and adds a special edition style made with recycled wetsuits.
Spektrum only uses bio-based materials for their frames. Red Bull Spect also uses renewable materials. Wave works with wood, but they carefully select it in accordance with environmentally friendly forestry and complying with FSC standards. Some lenses are made with sustainable materials too. Otis uses a mineral glass lens that is endlessly recyclable.
Hobie chooses bio-based lenses for their Hull Float. Packaging is generally reduced, and the one that remains is plastic free. Gogglesoc offers an environmentally conscious sunglasses case with microfiber fabric that’s made with recycled plastic bottles. Spektrum’s sunglass bag is also made of recycled polyester. The hard case of the new Hull Float by Hobie is made of the same recycled kayak plastic as the frame. Paper is widely replacing plastic in packaging.
Glacier, Smith, and Mundaka Optics use recycled cardboard packaging. Many brands report collaborations with monitoring organisations to enhance the responsibility of their manufacturing practices. Gogglesoc reduces their carbon footprint by working with SeaTrees to offset emissions. Otis is BCorp certified. Knockaround is ocean plastic neutral. “For every pound of plastic we use, we remove a pound of plastic from waters elsewhere”, says Marketing Director Remi Chaussemiche.
Retailer Support.
Brands are invested in helping their retail partners sell as many sunglasses as possible. Marketing stories rolling out this year are focused on performance and sustainability, mainly carried through in-store presence, online visibility, and retailer’s education about technologies. We find many strong POS programmes, with in-store displays and all sorts of ready to use imagery. I-Sea offers three display options: a 24-unit countertop, a 64-unit floor display, and a mega-114-unit one.
Wave also offers space-saving stands in different sizes. 100Percent has launched a 12-unit counter display that includes a mirror and case storage. Knockaround’s wooden handmade displays are developed in a 48-unit floor version, and a 12-unit countertop one. Red Bull Spect, Hilx, Hobie, Smith, Gogglesoc, Mundaka Optics, Aphex, TSG and Melon all offer in-store displays and materials.
Melon even throws in a Street Fighter 2 arcade machine that retailers can borrow. With so much innovation going into the development of sunglasses, education has become crucial. Most brands offer some sort of retailer’s staff education and incentive programmes. Otis has developed an engaging brand and product education clip available to all retail partners and cut into customer facing snippets. Adidas trains their sales reps so they can transfer this knowledge to stores.
Smith addresses the retailers’ staff directly using different incentive programmes, like Elastic. Hilx, Aphex, and Mundaka Optics offer comprehensive product training about key features and benefits. TSG develops detailed product knowledge guides. Making business easier makes a difference, for which reliable customer service and helpful ordering and pricing are key. Wave focuses on a decent margin. Melon eliminates the pressure of pre-orders and offers product swaps for styles that do not sell well. Glacier commits to never offering their sunglasses on hard discounter websites.
Hilx offers flexibility in their orders along with attractive bundle deals. From advanced lens technologies and high-performing and stylish frames to sustainable materials and practices, brands are aligning with the values of active, conscious consumers. With a strong retailer support behind a strong offering, the sunglasses category is ready to thrive in the year ahead.
Brand Previews
