Aviator Sunglasses Manufacturing Guide

The aviator is one of the most enduring sunglasses shapes ever made, and a reliable seller for any range. Manufacturing them well means understanding metal frame construction and lens fit. Here is the complete OEM guide to producing custom aviator sunglasses.

The aviator's enduring appeal

Born as pilot eyewear, the aviator’s teardrop lenses and thin metal frame remain timeless and universally flattering. It reads premium, suits both men and women, and never fully leaves fashion — making it a low-risk core style. Our aviator sunglasses page shows the range.

Metal frame construction

Aviators are built from metal — typically Monel, stainless steel or titanium. The frame is formed, soldered, plated and assembled with adjustable nose pads. Material choice drives weight, corrosion resistance and price.

Lens options for aviators

• Gradient tint — the classic aviator look
• Mirror/REVO — modern, high-glare
• Polarized — driving and outdoor
• Photochromic — adaptive
• Flat or base-curve to match the frame

Nose pads and fit

Adjustable silicone nose pads are characteristic of aviators and key to fit across face shapes. We use anti-slip nose pads and ensure nickel-compliant pad arms — see chemical compliance in our sourcing guides.

Custom branding

Aviator temples and lenses suit subtle branding: laser-engraved temples, a metal logo on the temple, or a lens etch. Our in-house decoration is detailed in our manufacturing capabilities.

The aviator lives or dies on the quality of its solder joints and plating. Cheap plating flakes within months — this is where a real metal factory shows.

MOQ, pricing and lead time

Metal aviators start at our 50-pair MOQ. Pricing depends on metal and lens: from ~$3.20/pair for plated Monel with basic lenses to higher for titanium with polarized/mirror lenses. Sampling 7–10 days, production 25–35 days. Model it in our free buyer tools.

Quality focus for metal frames

Metal frames need solder-joint strength, plating adhesion (salt-spray testing) and hinge durability checks — covered in our quality control process.

Buyer takeaways

Choose the metal for your price point, pair with the right lens, and verify plating quality. request a quote to develop a custom aviator for your brand. Related: round sunglasses and square sunglasses.

Why source this from Wenzhou with LumiShades

Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province is widely regarded as China’s eyewear manufacturing capital, producing a large share of the world’s sunglasses. That concentration matters to buyers: a deep local supply chain for acetate sheet, hinges, lens blanks, plating and packaging means shorter component lead times, easier color and material matching, and a workforce with decades of eyewear-specific skill. LumiShades has manufactured in this ecosystem since 2009, and our vertical integration — in-house injection molding, acetate cutting, CNC milling, lens tinting, decoration and quality control — means no part of custom aviator sunglasses is quietly subcontracted to a workshop you cannot audit.

For international buyers, that vertical control translates into accountability. When a single factory owns every step, defects are traced and fixed at source rather than bounced between vendors, and your specifications survive intact from first sample to bulk. We back this with 15+ years of experience, shipments to 60+ countries, more than 5 million pairs produced per year and a 98.5% on-time delivery rate. Our certifications — CE EN ISO 12312-1, FDA registration, ANSI Z80.3, AS/NZS 1067, REACH, ISO 9001 and BSCI audit — mean the compliance documentation your market requires already exists. Explore our manufacturing capabilities and quality control process to see how this works in practice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum order quantity? Our MOQ is 50 pairs per design, which lets new brands and buyers validate custom aviator sunglasses before committing to volume. Pricing improves at 300, 1,000 and 5,000+ pairs, dropping as low as $2.10 per pair on volume programs.

How long does it take? Samples are ready in 7–10 days and bulk production runs 25–35 days, plus QC, packing and shipping. Using an existing frame shape avoids new tooling and is the fastest route; fully custom moulds and acetate builds add time.

Can you handle custom branding and compliance documentation? Yes. We decorate in-house (laser engraving, pad printing, metal logo plates, custom temple colors and packaging) and provide the UV, impact and standard-specific test reports your destination markets require. Tell us your target countries up front and we build the right documentation into the order.