Mundaka Sunglasses 2026 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Sunglasses 2026 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Mundaka
Interviewee: Didier Skripnikoff, Founder

How was the sunglasses market overall in 2025?
The sunglasses market in 2025 remained very active, but also more selective. Retailers are no longer looking for “just another pair of sunglasses”. They want products with a clear identity, good technical value, reliable margins and a story they can explain quickly to their customers. For board sports and outdoor shops, the strongest demand came from sunglasses that can move naturally between sport, travel, beach life and everyday use. The market is still competitive, of course, but we feel there is a real space for brands that offer serious protection, strong design and accessible pricing without pretending to be a luxury object from another planet. At Mundaka, we see customers looking for authenticity: sunglasses that can survive salt, sand, sun, van trips, after-surf coffees and occasionally being sat on by a child in the back of the car.

What new trends have you seen for sunglasses in board sports for 2026?
For 2026, we see three strong directions. First, performance sunglasses are becoming more lifestyle-friendly. Riders and outdoor users want technical frames, good coverage and reliable lenses, but they do not necessarily want to look like they are about to start a time trial every time they buy bread. Second, protective shapes are coming back strongly: wrap-around frames, side protection, category-specific lenses and models built for strong light conditions. With more people spending time in the mountains, on the water and travelling, serious sun protection is becoming easier to sell. Third, colour is becoming more refined. The loud fluorescent look still has its place, but many retailers are asking for natural, mineral, smoky or earthy colours that feel premium and easy to wear.

Which segment of your 2026 offering do you expect to sell best and why?
We expect our sport/outdoor segment to perform very strongly in 2026, especially our Grilamid models with high-protection lenses. This segment is very close to Mundaka’s DNA: ocean, mountain, travel, lightness and durability. The appeal is simple: the customer gets a technical product with real outdoor credibility, but at a price point that remains accessible. For retailers, this is an important argument. It allows them to offer a product with strong value, good design and useful technical features without having to sell only the usual global brands. Our lifestyle and acetate-inspired line will also remain important, especially for stores looking for a more urban or premium visual offer. But the outdoor/sport line is where Mundaka can be most distinctive.

What new frame shapes and colours are in your 2026 offer?
For 2026, we continue to work on shapes that feel modern without becoming fashion gimmicks. Our offer includes sporty wrap frames, compact outdoor shapes, more generous lifestyle silhouettes and clean optical-inspired profiles. On colours, we are focusing on tones that connect with nature and travel: deep greens, matte blacks, warm tortoises, crystal shades, smoke tones and subtle translucent colours. We like colours that look good in a surf shop, in a mountain store, or on a café table after a long day outside. We are also developing models with a more technical visual language: shield-inspired profiles, stronger temples, removable side protection and sport details, but always with the Mundaka idea that sunglasses should remain wearable, not scary.

Which lens technologies from your 2026 offer are most in demand?
The strongest demand is for polarized lenses, high-protection category lenses and lenses adapted to outdoor use. Customers understand polarization very well now, especially near the ocean, on the road, around water or snow. We also see growing interest in category-specific protection, especially for mountain, glacier, sailing and high-exposure environments. Retailers appreciate being able to explain a real usage difference between models, rather than simply saying “this one looks cool”. Comfort, contrast and eye protection remain the key words. A good lens should make the landscape clearer, not make the world look like an old nightclub.

Have you introduced any new lens colours and tints in your 2026 offering?
Yes. For 2026, we are working with a more focused lens palette: smoke, brown, green and mirror options adapted to different environments and product styles. Brown lenses remain very important for contrast and visual comfort, especially for outdoor use. Smoke lenses are still a safe and universal option. Mirror lenses bring a stronger sport look and work well on models designed for intense light. Our approach is not to multiply lens colours endlessly, but to select tints that make sense for the product, the environment and the retailer’s ability to explain them.

Any noteworthy sustainable practices in your production and shipping processes this year?
Our sustainability approach is pragmatic. We prefer concrete improvements over big green speeches printed on plastic. We continue to work on durable frames, long product life, reusable packaging where possible, and more efficient shipping consolidation. Producing sunglasses that last, reducing unnecessary packaging and avoiding pointless transport movements are simple but important parts of our process. We also continue to develop bio-acetate and more responsible material options in our lifestyle offer, while keeping a careful balance between sustainability, quality, price and real-world durability.

What are your marketing stories?
Mundaka is built around outdoor freedom: ocean roads, mountain light, surf towns, van trips, strong sun and real people using the product. Our story is not about perfect studio athletes with no dust on their shoes. It is about sunglasses made for movement, travel and everyday adventure. From the Basque coast to the mountains, our brand lives between surf culture and outdoor exploration. For 2026, our marketing focus is on protection, authenticity and accessible premium quality. We want to show that a technical pair of sunglasses can be stylish, durable and fairly priced — and that you do not need to sell a kidney to protect your eyes properly.

How are you supporting retailers to sell this category?
We support retailers with clear product segmentation, strong visual merchandising, catalogues, product information, lifestyle imagery and a price architecture that allows them to sell with confidence. We also work closely with agents and shops to keep the offer easy to understand: sport, outdoor, lifestyle, polarized, high protection, category-specific use. The clearer the story, the easier it is for the retailer to sell. Our goal is to give shops a credible alternative to the major global brands: products with good margins, strong visual identity and a brand story that feels close to the outdoor and board sports community.

Key Products:

ANETO:
ANETO is our high-protection outdoor model, designed for intense light conditions in mountain, glacier, sailing and high-exposure environments. With its protective shape and removable side shields, it brings a strong technical look while remaining wearable. A serious model for customers who do not negotiate with the sun.

ANETO

AKILA:
AKILA is a sporty, lightweight Grilamid frame built for movement, travel and active outdoor use. Its dynamic shape offers good coverage and a modern sport identity without looking over-engineered. A strong choice for retailers looking for a technical model that still works off the bike, off the trail and off duty.

TAMARIN

BIDASSOA:
BIDASSOA combines a Grilamid frame with a clean outdoor-lifestyle design, making it one of the most versatile models in the Mundaka range. Lightweight, comfortable and easy to wear, it fits perfectly between sport and everyday use. A strong all-rounder for shops looking for reliable sell-through and broad customer appeal.

BIDASSOA