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ROTECTING EYES HAS BECOME BIG BUSINESS.With the floodgates from China opened, and quality constantly improving, there

has been a huge influx of brands, sometimes creating more confusion than ever.

“The number of competitors has increased tenfold,” said Liz Randall at Smith Op-tics. “When we started manufacturing eyewear a decade ago, the amount of companiescatering to action sports enthusiasts was nil—pretty much us and Oakley, then a bitlater, Arnette. Now, everyone has an eyewear line in addition to other apparel or hard-goods brands—Quiksilver, Hurley, adidas, Nike, Billabong’s purchase of Von Zipper.

“Eyewear, for whatever reason, seems to be very high on the priority list for largebrands looking to spread out their name over multiple product offerings,” added Ran-dall. “Right now, the eyewear market in action sports and outdoor is brutal. The pie hasn’tgrown, there’s just a lot more slices in the pie. The outdoor market is also competitivewith some brands offering inferior polarized product at reduced pricing.”

Even the cheapest drugstore sunglasses are required by the FDA to offer complete UVprotection and pass minimal impact standards. Given this reality, it comes as no sur-prise that it’s getting harder for specialty retailers to sell higher-priced sunglasses that,at first glance, don’t offer much more than fashion and branding. To succeed in this cat-egory, it helps to know a little about the manufacturers involved, as well as markettrends and the latest developments in technology.

OUTDOOR EYESSunglasses of all types (prescription and non-prescription) are roughly a $4 billion in-dustry in the United States. While the outdoor industry has never been a large part ofthat pie, the size of its slice continues to diminish. According to the Outdoor Industry As-sociation Top Line Retail Sales reports, specialty and chain stores sold 3.7 million pairs ofsunglasses for $141 million last year. This represents an overall 26 percent decrease in vol-ume and a 19 percent decrease in dollars from 2002. Specialty stores fared a bit better

than the chain retailers did, but both ex-perienced double-digit dips in sales.

For perspective, Oakley alone grossed$315 million by selling 4.1 million pairsof sunglasses in 2004—little surprise thecompany no longer attends Outdoor Re-tailer trade shows.

EYEWEAR PLAYERSThe sunglass market is dominated by ahandful of large corporations, many basedin Italy. Each owns several smaller com-panies, and each has license agreementswith numerous designer labels. In this con-fusing lineup of players, it’s hard to keeptrack of who’s on first. Yet there are still afew independent brands that should be ofparticular interest to specialty retailers.

For example, the Marcolin Group ownsCébe and also makes eyewear for TheNorth Face as well as fashion mavens suchas Dolce & Gabbana. Nike sunglasses aremade by Marchon, which also producesfor Calvin Klein, Disney and Nautica. Co-lumbia’s sunglasses are made by L’Amy,which also manufactures for Lacoste,among others. The powerhouse LuxotticaGroup includes well-known brands such

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as Arnette, Killer Loop, RayBan and Revo,not to mention the ubiquitous LensCraftersand Sunglass Hut stores. And the SafiloGroup makes product for Carrera andSmith, along with the likes of Dior, Armaniand Ralph Lauren.

While homegrown Oakley is still a pri-vate label, the brand has come a long waysince Jim Jannard (who owns 62 percentof the company) started producing hand-grips for motocross motorcycles in 1975.Though the company didn’t start sellingsunglasses until 1984, Oakley has risen tothe top of the sports eyewear market withgood products and exceptional marketing.

In terms of product design and quality,Oakley’s main high-end competitor is ar-guably Rudy Project. Best known in thecycling and triathlon worlds, family-ownedRudy Project (founded by Rudy Barbazzain 1985) has made significant inroads inthe ski and outdoor markets. With one ofthe strongest warranties in the businessand a commitment to specialty retailers,Rudy Project is becoming a favored pre-mium line, retailers told us.

While Smith got its start making ski gog-gles in 1975, the company wasn’t big inthe sunglass market until Safilo acquiredit in 1996. Since then, Smith has capturedsignificant market share, with the Slider se-ries doing exceptionally well.

Long a strong player in the sports eye-wear market, century-old Bollé was pur-chased by Bushnell Performance Opticsin 2000; the company also owns the fash-ion-oriented Serengeti Eyewear. To com-pete in the edgier snow/skateboard mar-ket sold by sporting goods chains, Bollécreated the Dirty-8 brand which featuresmodels such as the Spank which, accord-ing to the company website, “is made forthe guy who parties with the naughty girls.”

One of the few remaining family-ownedbusinesses, Julbo, has been making glacierglasses for more than 50 years. This longhistory with mountaineering shops hasgiven it an edge in the outdoor market.Since splitting off from its prior distribu-tor in 2003, Julbo has aggressively pursuedthe more general sports market in the Unit-ed States, and is placing a recent empha-sis on eyewear for toddlers and kids.

Native—a relatively new companyfounded in 1998—was among the earliestadvocates of affordable polarized poly-carbonate lenses for sports. This gave thebrand an early lead in what has emergedas the major growth category for eyewear.

Another private company with passionfor sports eyewear is Zeal Optics, based inMoab, Utah. Zeal Optics President MichaelJackson said, “Zeal is owned by Wink andmyself, no bigger companies. We are one

of the last remaining companies to not sellout. Zeal was started in 1997 out of a needfor performance- and fashion-fused eye-wear. We competed in a lot of events andalways felt our eyewear failed us due tolack of design, weight or function.”

Among the biggest brands in the low-price market of the outdoor niche, Moun-tain Shades claimed over 55 percent ofthe sub-$25 category at out-door snow specialty shops,according to LeisureTrends. Its slightly moreupscale label, Optic

Nerve, accounted for about half of the sun-glasses sold in the $25 to $50 range at thosesame shops. The latter in particular hasearned a reputation for solid quality at rea-sonable prices.

WHAT TO STOCK?While reports of falling sales numbers areless than encouraging, outdoor specialty re-tailers can still do well with a good sunglassprogram. As with other product categories,this is where product knowledge and cus-tomer service make all the difference.

Unless your store has huge buyingpower and significant traffic, it will be dif-ficult to compete on volume sales of low-price sunglasses ($40 and under). Thisprice range is flooded with private labelbrands “in part because there is no barri-er to entry, just take $10,000 to China,”said Paul Craig, president of Rudy Project.

The mid-range sunglass segment ($40 to$80) has long been something of a no-man’sland. These have typically offered decentlenses with mediocre frames, though theyare increasingly benefiting from the trickledown of technology. According to Julbo’s

Nick Yardley, “The $50 to $75 price rangehas generally been ignored by the biggerguys, and below that the product is of

poorer quality. We have posi-tioned ourselves to makethe most of this slot.”

For some stores, theproblem with high-endglasses is that they re-

quire expertise to sell ef-fectively. Simply stockinga case full of expensive

glasses will not ensurea good turnover

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quality sport optics are in the $100 pricerange, some of the high-end models aremore than double that.

The customer willing to spend that kindof cash requires a selection of styles andsizes—fit and fashion are equally impor-tant. They also need store staff to explainfeatures, provide good information on lenschoices and help with adjusting the fit. Allof this is where a specialty shop has theopportunity to shine and make the sale.It’s also where stores can lose out to thesunglass outlet under the mall escalator ifstaff members aren’t well-trained.

NOTEWORTHY NEW MATERIALSGiven the recent advances in technology,there is no reason for an outdoor retailerto sell sunglasses with glass lenses. Whilebrands such as RayBan, Revo, Serengetiand Vuarnet offer great urban eyewear, the

SUNGLASS SALESSpecialty & Chain Stores (Data is for Feb. 1 to Jan. 31 selling cycle)

2002 2003 2004Specialty . . . . . 939,358 pr. . . . . . . . . 801,234 pr. . . . . . . . . . 805,278 pr.

$49,998,861 . . . . . . . $42,867,701. . . . . . . . . $43,024,691

Chain . . . . . . . . 4,191,624 pr. . . . . . . 3,808,275 pr. . . . . . . . . 2,963,503 pr.$124,752,906 . . . . . . $122,102,276. . . . . . . . $98,467,585

Total . . . . . . . . 5,130,982 pr. . . . . . . 4,609,509 pr. . . . . . . . . 3,768,781 pr.$174,751,767 . . . . . . $164,969,977. . . . . . . . $141,492,276

Source: Leisure Trends »

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weight and relatively low impact resist-ance of glass makes them a poor choicefor outdoor sports.

Since the 1980s, polycarbonate has beenthe lens material of choice for perform-ance sports eyewear. Although it doesn’thave the greatest optics and it scratcheseasily (unless expensive production tech-niques are used), polycarbonate is muchlighter than glass and offers superior im-pact protection. The ability to mold poly-carbonate into complex shapes allows forwrap-around styles that block wind.

For the most part, all sport sunglassesover $50 have polycarbonate lenses,though they are often hidden behind fancynames. The ultimate price point is affect-ed by the grade of the material, the so-phistication of the injection-moldingmethod to reduce distortion, and the qual-ity of the anti-scratch and anti-reflectivecoatings. Just about anyone can makepolycarbonate lenses that give decentstraight-ahead optical performance—thetrick is making them so they don’t distortperipheral vision. Of course, factor in mar-keting cachet as part of the price on thepremium brands as well.

Less expensive sunglasses tend to useacrylic (CR-39 is one type commonly usedin cheap prescription eyeglasses), whichcan shatter upon impact. Like glass, acryliclenses should be avoided for use in sports.

While polycarbonate has enjoyed a longrun, it is now being challenged by new ma-terials that have even superior qualities.Among these is NXT, a thermoplasticpolyurethane polymer that is cast insteadof molded. The material was originally de-veloped for the defense industry by Simu-la Technologies and has been licensed forprescription lenses under the name Trivex.

Compared to polycarbonate, NXT islighter, more resistant to cracking andhas better optical quality. A particular ad-vantage is the ability to combine polar-ization with photochromic material in-side the lens. This was previously onlyachievable by applying an exterior coat-ing to acrylic lenses.

Both Julbo and Panoptx are now offeringNXT lenses that polarize the light and alsodarken in bright conditions. Rudy Projectwill soon introduce a competing non-poly-carbonate lens it calls ImpactX that sharessimilar properties. Since the prices are notexorbitant, it’s reasonable to expect thistechnology will become more popular.

The Kaenon eyewear company in New-port Beach, Calif., uses a proprietary lensmaterial called SR-91. “It’s neither poly-carbonate, CR-39 nor glass,” said SteveRosenberg of Kaenon. “It offers the impactresistance of the best polycarbonate, it’s

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FIT IS AMONG THE MOST IMPOR-TANT CRITERIA WHEN IT COMESTO PERFORMANCE SUNGLASSES.A frame that fits a long, narrow facewith a pronounced nose is likely to beintolerable to someone with a round, wider face and a flatter nose.

The ability to customize the fit of sunglass frames has improved greatly, particularly on thehigher-end models. Rudy Project is one brand that has made adjustable frames a key selling point.

“Our glasses fit a wider range of facial structures than any other brand,” Paul Craig toldGearTrends®. “Asians particularly like Rudy because they have a hard time getting a good fit.”

Julbo has given great attention to fitting children at affordable prices ($20-$30), accordingto Nick Yardley. “We are the only company to offer a quality range of glasses right from infantthrough to young teens. Each model is specifically designed for the morphology of the head forthe age group concerned to give the best possible fit. These are not sized-down adult glasses.”

Along with a good fit, keeping the glasses in place during activities is also important. Thebetter frames have grippy rubber on the nose pads and earpieces that will hold even whensoaked with sweat. It’s also worth considering how well a frame stays in place when atop thehead; glasses that fall off when you lean forward or look down can be more than a nuisance.

While frames with interchangeable lenses have enjoyed great success, they have also beena source of consumer complaints. Many have been prone to breaking when lenses areswapped, and warranty support from manufacturers has often been less than satisfactory.Retailers we spoke with said they’ve had to deal with the problems themselves.

Another problem, according to Michael Jackson at Zeal, “is most frames either aren’t well-designed or they don’t use higher-quality materials. Despite some claims of superiority,over time the frames stretch, and the lenses fall out due to poor design.”

The makers of premium sport sunglasses have largely addressed these issues. However,it’s no easy task to make lenses that are easily swapped and will stay in place with a framethat is durable enough to take the manhandling. Ryders has introduced a burly alternative—interchangeable lenses that have a slim frame around them, adding a sturdiness that helpsa user feel confident they will not snap every time they are changed.

The latest trend in performance sunglasses has been half-frame and frameless designs.While shield-styles have long offered this feature, it’s grown in popularity for dual-lens glass-es. The increase in peripheral vision, particularly downward, over full-frame designs can bedramatic, making these styles popular for running and cycling. An unobstructed upward viewis helpful for road biking and rock climbing, but often overlooked by designers.

The amount of curvature of lenses determines levels of wind protection and peripheral vision.Most sport sunglasses have an 8-base curve, which is a good compromise in fit and function.Some of the most radical designs have a 12-base curve, but these may not work for everyone,and wearers can experience problems with distortion.

Resistance to fogging is also an important concern for aerobic athletes—the glasses dono good if you must take them off to see. Sunglasses with a tight wrap-around fit requirea special design for ventilation, and some have anti-fog coatings.

Traditional styles of glacier glasses have largely fallen out of favor now that wrap-around lens-es offer the same protection from light entering the sides. As long as the lenses are sufficientlydark, there is little need for side blinders. However, some companies such as Julbo offer stylesthat combine contoured shapes with detachable side shields that offer the best of both worlds.

For high-speed sports, the combination of sunglasses and goggles offers the best pro-tection against wind. Pioneered by Panoptx, lenses with orbital seals are well-suited to down-hill skiing and motorcycle riding; other brands offering this feature include Wiley-X and Zeal.But these glasses can have issues with fogging for high-output activities like cycling, sodetachable eyecups are now an option.

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lighter and more scratch resistant than poly-carbonate, and has the optical clarity ofthe finest glass.”

No matter the lens material, the coat-ings applied after molding or casting havea significant effect on performance andprice. The best sunglasses have a very hard,relatively thick coating to protect againstscratches; less expensive models skimp.

Anti-reflective coatings inside the lens areimportant for eliminating distracting re-flections; more layers do a better job butcost more. Some high-end brands also adda hydrophobic coating to help water beadand runoff—a real plus for vision in wa-tersports and land sports on wet days.

A DIFFERENT SHADEInterchangeable lenses continue to be amajor trend driving development in thesport sunglasses market. This started withshield-style glasses, such as the Oakley M

Frames. More recently, interchangeablelenses have become a standard accessoryfor dual-lens glasses, such as Smith Slid-ers, and nearly all come with a light anddark set of lenses.

Most manufacturers report that gray isthe preferred lens tint, followed by brown.(In Europe, the split is supposedly aboutequal.) While gray offers the truest colors,

brown cuts haze better and offers greaterdepth perception. For overcast conditions,either yellow or orange lenses give goodeye protection while allowing enough lightto pass. Clear lenses are best at night asshields against flying debris.

The most difficult situations are thosein-between times where weather canquickly change from sunny to cloudy andback again. The gray or brown lenses tendto be too dark, while the yellow or orangelenses don’t block enough light. For thisvariable lighting, manufacturers offer a

wide range of mixed lens tints that oftencombine shades of red and amber.

Although photochromic lenses that tran-sition between lighter and darker would ap-pear to be a no-brainer, the reality has beendisappointing so far. The main problem hasbeen a strong dependency on temperature—when it’s below freezing or very hot (above80 F), the photochromic layer is very slow

to change. Even in ideal temperatures, thelenses don’t react quickly enough for activi-ties like cycling and running where people aregoing in and out of the shade frequently.

However, photochromic technology hasbeen a major area of research for manycompanies. For example, Transitions, theheavily advertised photochromic treat-ment for prescription glasses, is now inits fourth generation. Many see improvedlight-changing lenses as the next majorgrowth opportunity—Oakley jumps onboard in a big way next year.

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RIGHT NOW, THE EYEWEAR MARKET IN ACTION SPORTS AND OUTDOOR IS BRUTAL. THE PIE

HASN’T GROWN, THERE’S JUST A LOT MORE SLICES IN THE PIE.” —Liz Randall, Smith Optics“

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There are also a number of specialty tintsthat are specific to certain sports, like greenfor tennis and yellow for shooting. The onelens tint that is all fashion and no functionis blue. It makes focusing more difficultand enhances haze.

For better or for worse, polarized sun-glass lenses are all the rage now. These are,of course, de rigueur for watersports andfishing since they do an exceptional job ofcutting glare. Increasingly, polarized lens-es are being hyped for other outdoor sportsas well. However, this isn’t necessarily inthe best interest of consumers.

From a safety standpoint, polarizedlenses sometimes work too well. Cyclistsneed to see if there is a slick layer of wateron a road surface, and German profes-sional cyclist Jan Ullrich said polarizedsunglasses were to blame in a spectacu-lar crash in the Tour de France. Similar-ly, skiers want to see a patch of ice beforethey hit it at speed. There is also the has-sle of reading digital watches and bikecomputers because polarized glasses turnthem into a rainbow of colors.

The big breakthrough in polarizationcame a few years ago when manufactur-ers figured out how to mold polycarbon-

ate around the polarizing film. Prior tothat, sandwiching the film between lay-ers of glass was the standard practice. Inrecent years, a wide range of wrap-around,impact-resistant polarized lenses havereached the market.

As with many things, there is a range ofquality in polarized lenses; some are moreefficient than others. The most effective(read: expensive) use a darker film withexceptional clarity that is carefully alignedwithin the lens for maximum performance.These will block more than 97 percent ofhorizontal glare compared to less than 90percent for cheaper versions. Lighter fash-ion tints with polarization may be only 50percent efficient or less.

Whether you’re gazing through polar-ized or non-polarized lenses, it’s clear asthe summer sun that the eyewear catego-ry grows more complex by the day. Thismarket segment demands you do yourhomework and choose wisely—that is, ifyou want to be the Lance Armstrong ofthe competition, rather than poor Jan Ull-rich splashed all over the pavement.

» To read more about sunglass testing standards,go to www.GearTrends.com/extras.

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About 61 percent of the U.S. population re-quires vision correction. While contact lens-es and laser correction are popular optionstoday, many people require (or prefer) eye-glasses. Retailers should be able to directtheir customers to several alternatives forprescription sunglasses.

Lest there be any doubt, prescription sun-glass lenses are far superior to any of the in-serts since there are fewer surfaces to fog,collect dirt and reflect light. The best of theseactually split the prescription in half and gluethe pieces to the outer and inner surface ofthe flat sunglass lens; the sandwich con-struction offers the best optics. However, thisgets expensive when more than one lens tintis required. Zeal offers a significant discountfor multiple sets of lenses ordered to fit itsinterchangeable frames.

The second best choice to the rather priceyprescription lenses is the intraSPX insert soldby Sved Optics. This system fits many Bollé,Oakley and Smith shield-type glasses (andmany knock-offs), and is lighter and trimmerthan most of the prescription insert offerings.The high-end Sved inserts cost about $160shipped and can easily swap between lenses.

4OUR EYESa sight for

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