Customizing & Branding Your Sunglasses

From stock silhouette to signature product

Anyone can buy a generic wayfarer. What separates a brand is how the frame is colored, where the logo lives and how the product is presented when the box is opened. LumiShades is a vertically integrated factory, so frame, lens, decoration and packaging all happen under one roof in Wenzhou — which means we can combine techniques without the coordination losses and markups of using separate workshops. This guide covers the six in-house decoration methods and how to brief them.

Laser engraving

Laser engraving burns a permanent, precise mark into acetate, metal or TR90 — typically on the temple, but also on the lens corner or hinge area. It is the most durable branding method (it cannot rub off), looks understated and premium, and carries no per-color cost because it is monochrome by nature. It is ideal for logos that work as a single-tone mark. The main limitation is exactly that: laser is not for multi-color logos. Provide vector artwork (AI, EPS or PDF) and we will set the depth and contrast on a sample for your approval.

Pad printing

Pad printing transfers ink from an etched plate onto curved surfaces like temples and lens corners. It supports multiple spot colors (matched to Pantone), making it the go-to for colored logos and small text such as model names or "UV400 / CAT 3" markings. Each color needs its own plate and pass, so cost scales with color count. Pad print is durable when sealed but, unlike laser, it is a surface decoration that can wear over years of heavy use. It is the most common temple-branding method across the industry.

Metal logo plates

A metal logo plate — etched, stamped or printed — is riveted or glued to the temple for a premium, three-dimensional brand statement. Plates can be finished in gold, silver, gunmetal or custom colors and are popular with fashion and luxury programs. They add cost and a small assembly step but deliver the most "designer" perceived value of any temple decoration. We tool the plate to your logo; minimums apply to custom plate dies.

Custom temples and temple tips

The temples are prime brand real estate. Beyond a logo, you can specify custom temple shapes, contrasting acetate or rubber temple tips, cut-out patterns, two-tone laminates and core-wire reinforcement. For sport frames, overmolded rubber temple grips can carry a raised logo molded directly into the part. Custom temple tooling is a volume decision; at smaller quantities we work from existing temple profiles with custom colors and tips.

Custom color injection and Pantone matching

For TR90 and injected frames, we color-match the raw material to your Pantone before molding, so the color runs all the way through the part. For acetate, color comes from the sheet — solids, tortoise and laminates — with fully custom Pantone-matched sheets requiring roughly a 600-pair-per-color minimum. Rubber and metal components can also be color-matched. Always provide a physical Pantone reference (the coated or uncoated TPX/TCX chip you intend) rather than a screen color, because monitors are not color-accurate.

Custom packaging

Packaging is where margin and brand perception are made. Options include hard cases (zip, clamshell, magnetic), soft pouches (microfiber, leatherette, drawstring), microfiber cleaning cloths (printable full-color), hangtags, retail boxes and display-ready cartons. Sustainability-minded brands choose FSC-certified board, recycled pulp cases and compostable cloth pouches. Packaging is also a compliance surface: many markets require the lens category, CE/UKCA marking and importer details to appear on the product or packaging. We can print all of this to your artwork.

Briefing your decoration package

The cleanest way to brief us is a tech-pack (use our free tech-pack template) specifying: frame color (Pantone), lens spec, each decoration method with placement and Pantone, packaging components, and any required compliance markings. Send vector artwork for all logos. We will return a digital mock-up, then a physical sample for sign-off before bulk production. Getting the brief right up front is the single biggest lever on both speed and final quality.