Reference
Sunglasses & Eyewear Glossary
A plain-English reference to the 50 terms you will meet when sourcing custom sunglasses — from acetate and UV400 to AQL, REACH and Incoterms.
A
- Acetate
- A plant-derived plastic (cellulose acetate) supplied as colored sheets or blocks and CNC-milled into premium frames. Prized for deep color, tortoise and laminated patterns, and a substantial hand-feel.
- ANSI Z80.3
- The US consensus standard (from the American National Standards Institute) for non-prescription sunglasses, covering UV transmittance, optical quality, lens category and labeling.
- Anti-reflective (AR) coating
- A thin coating, usually on the lens back surface, that reduces reflections bouncing into the eye from behind. Common on premium and prescription lenses.
- AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit)
- A statistical inspection method (ISO 2859-1) defining the maximum number of defects a sampled batch may contain to pass. Sunglasses commonly use AQL 2.5 for major and 4.0 for minor defects.
- AS/NZS 1067
- The mandatory Australia/New Zealand sunglasses standard, legally enforced by the ACCC, setting lens categories, UV protection and labeling for a high-UV environment.
B
- Base curve
- The curvature of a lens or frame front, expressed in diopters. 6-base is flatter (casual); 8-base is steeply curved for wraparound sport coverage.
- Beta-titanium
- A titanium alloy with added flexibility and shape memory, used for premium rimless temples and bridges. Lightweight, hypoallergenic and corrosion-proof.
- Bio-acetate
- Acetate made with bio-based plasticizers, biodegradable under industrial composting, used by brands making sustainability claims while keeping acetate's look and feel.
- Blue-light filter
- A lens treatment that attenuates high-energy visible (blue) light, mainly relevant to clear or lightly-tinted optical and computer eyewear rather than dark sunglasses.
- Bridge
- The part of the frame that spans the nose, connecting the two lenses. Bridge width (typically 14–21mm) is a key fit measurement.
- BSCI
- Business Social Compliance Initiative — an ethical-sourcing audit scheme covering labor and workplace standards at the factory.
C
- CE marking
- The mandatory European conformity mark indicating a sunglass meets EU PPE requirements, evidenced by conformance to EN ISO 12312-1, a technical file and a Declaration of Conformity.
- CR-39
- A cast plastic lens material with excellent optical clarity but lower impact resistance; used in some fashion and optical lenses, not recommended for rimless or sport.
D
- DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)
- An Incoterm where the seller delivers to the buyer's door with all freight, duties and customs clearance handled. Simplest for the buyer.
- Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
- A signed statement by the manufacturer or importer declaring that a product meets the applicable standard (e.g. EN ISO 12312-1) for legal sale.
F
- FDA registration
- Registration with the US Food and Drug Administration; sunglasses are FDA-regulated for impact resistance under 21 CFR 801.410. LumiShades manufacturing is FDA-registered.
- FOB (Free On Board)
- An Incoterm where the seller delivers goods cleared for export onto the vessel at the origin port; the buyer arranges and pays ocean freight, insurance and duties.
G
- Gradient tint
- A lens that fades from a darker top to a lighter bottom (or dark at both ends in a double gradient), popular for driving and fashion.
- Grilamid
- A high-performance polyamide (nylon) closely related to TR90, used for light, flexible, impact-resistant sport frames.
H
- Hinge
- The mechanism connecting the temple to the frame front. Common types are 5- and 7-barrel hinges and spring hinges; barrel count and quality affect durability.
- HS code
- The Harmonized System tariff classification used by customs; sunglasses are generally classified under HS 9004.10, which determines the duty rate.
- Hydrophilic grips
- Rubber on sport-frame nose pads and temple tips that grips more firmly as it becomes wet with sweat, keeping frames secure during activity.
I
- Incoterms
- International Commercial Terms (published by the ICC) defining the division of cost, risk and responsibility between buyer and seller in a shipment (e.g. FOB, CIF, DDP).
- IP plating
- Ion plating — a durable, scratch- and corrosion-resistant decorative coating for metal frames, superior to conventional electroplating.
- ISO 9001
- An international quality-management-system standard certifying that a factory has documented, audited processes for consistent quality.
L
- Laser engraving
- A permanent monochrome mark burned into acetate, metal or TR90 by laser, typically on the temple. The most durable branding method.
- Lens category
- A classification (0–4 under EN ISO 12312-1) describing how much visible light a lens blocks. Category 4 is very dark and not legal for driving in most markets.
M
- Mirror coating
- A reflective metal-oxide layer on the lens front that reduces transmitted light and creates a flash look in silver, gold, blue and other colors.
- Monel
- A nickel-copper alloy that is the industry-default affordable metal for frames; easy to solder, plate and shape. The basis of most aviators.
- MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)
- The smallest order a factory will accept per style and color, set to cover fixed setup costs. LumiShades' MOQ is 50 pairs.
N
- Nylon (polyamide) lens
- A premium lens material offering high optical clarity and impact resistance, used in high-end polarized and rimless lenses.
O
- ODM (Original Design Manufacturer)
- A factory that designs as well as manufactures products, offering existing designs a brand can adapt and rebrand, in addition to building to a client's own design.
- OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
- Manufacturing a product to a client's own design and specification, branded as the client's. The core of custom eyewear sourcing.
P
- Pad printing
- A decoration method transferring ink from an etched plate onto curved surfaces like temples, supporting multiple Pantone-matched spot colors.
- Pantone
- A standardized color-matching system. Frame and logo colors are specified against physical Pantone chips (TPX/TCX) because screen colors are unreliable.
- Photochromic
- Light-adaptive lenses that darken in UV light and clear indoors. Popular for cycling and everyday wear; react less behind UV-blocking windshields.
- Polarized lens
- A lens containing a TAC film that filters horizontally-reflected glare from water, roads and snow. The most-requested performance upgrade.
- Polycarbonate (PC)
- A lightweight, highly impact-resistant lens (and sometimes frame) material; the default for sport and value lenses, and it takes coatings well.
- Proposition 65
- A California law requiring warning labels on products containing listed chemicals; relevant to frames, lenses and packaging sold into California.
R
- REACH
- The EU regulation restricting hazardous substances (e.g. certain phthalates, nickel release, PAHs) in products including eyewear frames and components.
- REVO
- A premium multi-layer mirror coating that selectively filters wavelengths for enhanced contrast, originally developed for high-altitude use.
- Rimless
- A frame style where the lens carries the structural load, with temples and bridge mounted directly to drilled or grooved lenses for a minimalist look.
S
- Salt-spray test
- A corrosion test exposing plated metal frames to a salt mist to verify plating durability before shipment.
- Spring hinge
- A hinge with an internal spring allowing the temple to flex outward beyond 90 degrees, improving comfort, fit tolerance and durability.
T
- TAC (tri-acetate cellulose)
- The film at the heart of polarized lenses, and a low-cost lens material in basic fashion sunglasses.
- Temple
- The arm of the frame extending from the hinge over the ear. Temple length (typically 135–150mm) is a key fit measurement and prime branding real estate.
- Titanium
- A premium frame metal: featherweight, hypoallergenic (nickel-free), corrosion-proof and excellent at holding adjustment. Common in rimless and high-end optical frames.
- Tortoise (shell)
- A mottled brown-and-amber acetate pattern emulating natural tortoiseshell, a perennial fashion finish achievable in many custom color variations.
- TR90
- A thermoplastic nylon injected into molds to produce extremely light, flexible, impact-resistant frames; the default for sport and high-volume programs.
U
- UKCA marking
- The UK Conformity Assessed mark required for the Great Britain market post-Brexit; CE marking continues to be accepted under transitional arrangements.
- UV400
- A specification meaning a lens blocks 100% of ultraviolet radiation up to 400nm (all UVA and UVB) — the non-negotiable baseline for any genuine sunglass, independent of tint darkness.
W
- Wayfarer
- A bold, slightly trapezoidal acetate frame silhouette; the highest-volume unisex style in custom eyewear, flattering most face shapes.
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