How to Quote Custom Sunglasses From a Tech Pack

This article is for brand owners, importers, and retail buyers who need factory quotes they can compare. A mood board shows direction. It does not tell a factory what to tool, print, test, or pack. A production-ready tech pack does. That means fewer quote revisions, clearer cost drivers, tighter lead-time planning, and less risk of finding out too late that your design is expensive or hard to make.

Why Mood Boards Produce Bad Quotes

A mood board is useful at the concept stage. It is not a quoting document. Factories will still quote it, but they are filling gaps with assumptions. Those assumptions change the price.

In sunglasses sourcing, small missing details create real cost swings. A frame that looks like standard injected plastic in a reference image may actually require acetate processing, CNC logo recesses, spring hinges, polarized lenses, anti-scratch coating, and custom retail packaging. That is not a small difference. It can turn a simple private label order into a full OEM build with different tooling, scrap risk, and lead time.

Buyers often complain that three factories gave three prices for the same design. Usually, it was not the same design. One factory assumed TAC polarized lenses. Another assumed standard tinted PC lenses. A third quoted acetate because the bridge shape looked premium. If you want quotes you can line up side by side, control the assumptions.

Quote logic is built around process steps. If the supplier has to guess whether a style is molded, cut, polished, plated, printed, or assembled with bought-in components, the quote will carry a risk premium. In eyewear, that premium is often hidden inside vague line items. That makes comparison messy.

LumiShades can quote from early references, but the cleaner route is to send a technical package that states frame construction, lens specification, finishing, branding, packaging, compliance target, and order quantity by color. That is what gets you from vague interest to a number you can use.

What a Factory Needs on Day One

A usable RFQ for custom sunglasses should answer five basic production questions: what you are making, what it is made from, how it is decorated, how many units you need, and what market it must satisfy.

• Frame construction: injected PC, injected TR90, acetate, or mixed material; full-rim, half-rim, or shield; hinge type; temple construction.
• Core dimensions: lens width, bridge width, temple length, front width, lens height, base curve if known, and any target weight.
• Lens specification: material such as PC, nylon, TAC polarized, or CR-39; tint color; mirror or flash coating; UV requirement; category target if applicable.
• Decoration: pad print, laser engraving, metal logo plate, emboss/deboss, inside temple text, country-of-origin marking.
• Commercial details: units per color, MOQ, sample deadline, bulk deadline, packaging type, carton pack-out, and destination market.

State the target market early. A US quote may need FDA-related product checking and alignment with ANSI Z80.3 if that standard is being requested. EU shipments usually point to CE EN ISO 12312-1. Australia and New Zealand buyers often ask for AS/NZS 1067. Chemical compliance can also matter, especially REACH for materials and coatings. If the market is not declared, testing assumptions drift, and the quote may exclude the paperwork or lab time you actually need.

Also be clear about the style tier. A stock private-label frame may use an existing front mold or an existing acetate pattern with cosmetic tweaks. A true OEM frame may require new tooling, revised hinge locations, lens groove changes, and color-matching trials. Those are different projects. Do not price them as if they were the same.

For quoting purposes, state whether the order is for a first sample run, a pilot run, or mass production. Sample pricing often includes extra adjustment time. It should not be compared directly with bulk pricing.

The Spec Sheet That Actually Gets You a Tight Quote

The best tech packs are not pretty. They are explicit. One clean page of dimensions and callouts is better than ten pages of styling references.

1. Front view drawing: show overall width, eye size, bridge, lens height, and key radii or angles.
2. Side view drawing: show temple length, temple thickness steps, hinge position, and pantoscopic angle if it matters.
3. Cross-sections: call out front thickness, rim thickness around the lens groove, temple thickness at hinge and tip.
4. Material callouts: identify frame material and lens material separately. Do not write only "plastic."
5. Finish callouts: glossy, matte, rubberized feel, crystal, tortoise pattern, transparent color, brushed metal effect for trim.
6. Branding positions: logo width, depth, print color, and placement tolerance.
7. Packing spec: pouch, microfiber cloth, barcode label, box dimensions, master carton count.

Tolerances matter more than many buyers expect. If your front width target is 145 mm, tell the factory whether plus or minus 1.0 mm is acceptable. If the lens height is 44 mm, specify a tolerance of ±0.3 mm or ±0.5 mm, depending on how critical the silhouette is. If the logo must sit 6 mm from the hinge centerline, say so. If the bridge tolerance is too loose, the frame can look asymmetrical even when it technically passes. Without these callouts, a factory may quote against a broader process window. That can be cheaper on paper and harder to control in production.

For premium acetate shapes, include lamination detail if you want a two-tone or crystal-and-solid combination. Acetate cutting and CNC milling are slower than standard injection molding, and polishing adds labor. A polished acetate frame may pass through rough cut, CNC trimming, tumbling or hand finishing, polishing, logo work, then assembly. Buyers who omit that fact often get an optimistic first quote that changes later.

Lens details should be equally specific. A TAC polarized lens is usually a laminated stack with a polarization film. A standard PC lens is simpler and often cheaper. If you want a mirrored lens, note whether the mirror is outer-surface coated or applied through another process, because that affects appearance and scratch sensitivity. If you want a specific sun lens category, say so. If you need a base curve of 2 or 4, include it so the lens fit can be checked against the frame geometry.

Hidden Cost Drivers Buyers Miss

The big cost drivers in sunglasses are usually not the ones shown in the reference photo. They sit in construction, decoration, compliance, and pack-out.

Color also matters. One black frame and one smoke lens is straightforward. Four frame colors plus three lens colors is not. More SKUs mean more setup, more resin or acetate color control, more in-process sorting, and more chance that one slow-selling color misses MOQ economics. If your quantity is 600 pairs total but split into six colorways, the factory may need to run short batches that push unit cost up even when the design is simple.

Decoration is a common trap. Laser engraving is durable, but it works best on suitable surfaces with enough contrast. It is usually clean on metal temples, painted surfaces, or darker materials, but may be weak on clear or glossy substrates. Pad printing is usually cheaper, but buyers need to specify logo size, Pantone reference, and abrasion expectations. For example, a 12 mm temple logo in one color is very different from a larger multi-position print with tight registration. Metal logo plates look good, but the recess has to be molded or milled accurately, the insert needs secure bonding, and any glue overflow is visible on arrival. Ask for the process in the quote, not just the finished look.

Packaging has real cost too. A soft pouch may add little, while a rigid retail box, microfiber cloth, instruction card, barcode label, and hangtag can add meaningful labor and sourcing time. If the buyer wants retail-ready packaging, the supplier should quote it as a defined pack set with named components and artwork status.

How MOQ, Price Breaks, and Lead Time Interact

Factories do not price only by unit count. They price by unit count per design, per color, and per process complexity.

MOQ is a commercial threshold, not a guarantee of the best unit price. Lower quantities usually carry more setup cost per pair because tooling, color matching, decoration setup, and packaging procurement are spread across fewer units. As quantity rises, the unit price often improves. The breakpoints depend on construction, number of colors, and amount of decoration.

Lead time follows the same logic. Samples are usually faster when the spec is clear and there is no new tooling. If a new mold, custom lens tint match, or logo plate insert is needed, sample time can extend because the factory must make, test, and adjust the first article. Bulk production usually starts after sample approval and deposit, assuming materials are available and packaging artwork is locked. If you send incomplete artwork after frame approval, you create your own delay.

Ask for pricing in the same quantity bands every time. A useful structure is 300 / 1000 / 5000 pairs, broken out by colorway. That makes it obvious where the price curve flattens. Also ask whether the quote assumes one color run per batch or mixed color production. Mixed color schedules can increase changeover time and raise waste, especially on painted, printed, or coated finishes.

For buyers comparing multiple factories, ask each one to break pricing into the same buckets: frame, lens, decoration, packaging, and testing if applicable. Otherwise a low quote may simply exclude the pouch, barcode labels, or compliance test document set you expected to be included. A quote that is lower but missing cartons, color approval, or lens testing is not actually cheaper.

Compliance Details to Put in the RFQ

This is where many RFQs go vague. Buyers write "need CE" or "for US market" and stop. That is not enough.

If the target is Europe, say the product must align with CE EN ISO 12312-1 for sunglasses. If the target is the US, ask the factory to confirm the documentation and product requirements relevant to FDA registration and any requested alignment with ANSI Z80.3. For Australia and New Zealand, specify AS/NZS 1067. If restricted substances matter, call for REACH compliance on applicable materials and finishes.

Some factories have systems and quality controls such as ISO 9001 and BSCI, but that does not make every style compliant for every market. Buyers still need to state which compliance route applies to the order. The same style might be acceptable with UV400 and category 3 lenses in one market but require different labeling or documentation in another.

Put these items directly in the tech pack or RFQ:

• Destination market by country or region
• Required lens performance standard
• Required markings on temple or packaging
• Need for test report copies before shipment approval
• Any retailer-specific packaging or labeling rules
• Whether third-party lab testing is required before mass production

That block of information prevents rework. It also stops suppliers from quoting the cheapest acceptable lens when your market requires a different spec. It is far easier to confirm lens category, transmittance range, and marking requirements before sample approval than to fix them after bulk is finished.

A Simple RFQ Format Buyers Can Reuse

If you want fast, comparable quotes, send the factory a fixed format. Keep it blunt. Factories respond better to structured data than to long explanations.

Design code: LS-SUN-014
Construction: Full-rim injected PC frame, standard metal hinge, PC lenses
Dimensions: 52-20-145, front width 145 mm, lens height 44 mm
Colors: Black frame/smoke lens 600 pcs; crystal brown/brown lens 400 pcs
Decoration: 1-color white pad print logo, both temples, 18 mm wide
Lens: UV400, category target stated by buyer, no polarization
Finish: Gloss front, matte inner temples
Packing: polybag, 12 pcs inner box, 300 pcs master carton, custom barcode label
Market: EU and US
Compliance requested: CE EN ISO 12312-1, ANSI Z80.3 support, REACH materials compliance
Quote request: sample cost, tooling if any, unit price at 300/1000/5000 pcs, sample lead time, bulk lead time, carton size and GW/NW

That format exposes the important variables quickly. It also makes it easier to compare one supplier against another without chasing long clarification emails. If your style requires acetate cutting, CNC milling, lens tinting, laser engraving, spring hinges, or metal logo plates, state those processes directly.

If you already have a reference sample, include it as an attachment and label what must be matched: silhouette, tint, temple thickness, hinge feel, or packaging style. The goal is not to overload the RFQ. The goal is to identify the few variables that actually move cost.

For recurring programs, use the same RFQ format every season so price trends are visible. If one season's quote jumps, you can quickly see whether the difference came from material changes, a new logo method, a higher decoration count, or a packaging upgrade.

What to Ask Before You Approve the Quote

Before you release sample payment or deposit, ask the questions that flush out assumptions. This is where experienced buyers save themselves from avoidable arguments later.

• Is this quote based on new tooling, existing tooling, or a modified stock model?
• What lens material and thickness did you assume?
• What is included in the unit price, and what is excluded?
• What approval points can delay bulk production?
• What are the critical cosmetic and dimension tolerances?
• What is the final QC method used before shipment?
• How many pieces are assumed per color, per carton, and per batch?

Ask for a pre-production sample confirmation process and final inspection criteria in writing. A supplier's certifications and quality systems are useful, but your order still depends on whether your spec, artwork, and approvals are issued on time.

Also ask how the factory handles minor defects. For example, what is the acceptable level of small surface marks on a matte frame? How visible can a print shift be before rejection? Are lens color variations checked against a master sample under daylight or under a light box? Those details matter because cosmetic rejection criteria vary from one supplier to another.

Do not let a factory quote against "same as image" if you care about margin or repeatability. That phrase is the start of many sourcing problems. A solid tech pack takes longer up front, but it usually saves weeks in revisions and gives you quotes tight enough to support a real buying decision.

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 your order 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

Can I get a valid quote if I only have reference photos? Yes, but treat it as a budget quote only. A photo-based quote is usually built on assumptions about material, lens type, decoration, packaging, and compliance. To get a quote you can compare and approve, send at least the frame material, lens material, dimensions, color split, branding method, packaging type, destination market, and quantity by color.

What is the minimum information I should send for a first real RFQ? Send frame material, lens material, key dimensions, color split by quantity, branding method, packaging type, destination market, tolerance notes, and target quantity breaks such as 300, 1000, and 5000 pairs. If you already know the standard you need, include it in the same message so the factory can quote against the correct market requirement.

Why do factories ask for quantity per color instead of total quantity only? Because setup, material planning, and scrap risk happen at color level. One thousand pairs across two colors is usually easier to produce than one thousand pairs across five colors. Color splits affect resin or acetate purchase planning, sorting, changeovers, and the way MOQ is applied.

How long should custom sunglasses samples and bulk production take? Timing depends on whether the style uses existing tooling and whether the spec is complete. If no new tooling or custom development is needed, samples are often faster. If a new mold, custom lens tint, or logo insert is required, sample time increases because the factory must make and confirm the first article. Bulk production usually starts after sample approval and deposit, once materials and artwork are confirmed.

Do certifications on a factory profile mean every sunglass style is already compliant? No. A factory may have systems or registrations such as ISO 9001, BSCI, or FDA-related capability, but each SKU still has to be checked against the target market requirement. Ask for the specific standard, marking requirement, and test-document scope for the exact style you are buying.