Polarized Sunglasses Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Sunglass Shape (Round/Oval, Rectangular, Square, Others (Pilot, Aviator, etc.)), By Lens Material (Plastic, Glass), By Lens Type (Progressive, Bifocal), By End-User (Men, Women, Kids)and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

Lenses of polarized sunglasses are applied with coating/polarizing films such as that of crystalline iodine matrix and dichroic dye molecule which acts as a filter and reduces distortion of light reflected from surfaces such as water, snow, or road. It prevents blocking of the vision caused by bright light and provides clear eyesight by reducing the glare which is an important factor driving the growth of the market.

Players operating in the market are focused on offering sunglasses in various new frame styles and lens colors to attract consumer base. This is owing to increasing consumer inclination towards new fashion trends and a high standard of living. Sunglasses designed to block UV-A and UV-B sun rays which provide extra protection to the eyes, are also expected to gain major traction over the forecast period. Furthermore, various offers and discounts are provided by polarized sunglasses brands on e-commerce websites which in turn is also expected to fuel demand for polarized sunglasses. 

The use of polarized sunglasses reduces the glare caused by sunlight which in turn reduces strain on the eyes and thereby protects the eyes from damage. An increasing number of eye-related issues caused by increased eye strain is expected to result in rising awareness regarding eye care products. For instance, according to the article, ‘Blindness and vision impairment’ published by World Health Organization in October 2019, about 2.2 billion people have a vision impairment or blindness across the globe, of which about 1 billion have a vision impairment which could have been prevented if proper eye care had been taken.

Moreover, increasing participation in outdoor and sports activities such as skiing and hiking globally is expected to propel the demand for polarized sunglasses as polarized sunglasses reduces glare and offer better and clear sight. For instance, according to the National Ski Areas Association, several visits for snow sports in the U.S. were 52.792 million in 2015/16, which increased to 59.343 million in 2018/19.

However, polarized sunglasses have a higher price as compared to other sunglasses as they are employed with an additional polarizing filter over the lenses. This, in turn, is expected to hamper the growth of the global polarized sunglasses market

Key Players Covered:

Some of the major players in the global polarized sunglasses market include Luxottica Group S.p.A., Safilo S.p.A., Oakley, Inc., Maui Jim, Inc., Lenskart, HUGO BOSS, Costa Del Mar, Inc., DUCO Glass, Reks C/O Solarna, LLC, and Kering Group

Players operating in global polarised sunglasses market are focused on various growth strategies to maintain a strong foothold in the market. Players are engaged in new product development to offer new lens colors, new frame colors as well as new lens types due to the increasing demand from consumers which in turn has become a major success for the polarized sunglasses manufacturers. For instance, Maui Jim, Inc. offers polarized reading sunglasses that are developed using bifocal lenses and are specifically designed to read in intense sunlight.

The global polarized sunglasses market is segmented into, by sunglass shape, by lens material, by lens type, by end-user, and by region.

Based on the sunglass shape, the market is segmented into round/oval, rectangular, square, and others. The round/oval segment is expected to gain a major share in the global polarised sunglasses market as these sunglasses suit both men as well as women's end-user and are also convenient to wear.

Depending on the lens material, the market is fragmented into plastic and glass. The plastic segment is expected to account for the major market share in global polarized sunglasses during the forecast period market owing to its benefits over the glass-based sunglasses. The benefits include its lightweight nature and low-cost lenses of the sunglasses.

Based on lens type, the market is bifurcated into progressive and bifocal. The progressive segment is expected to hold a major market share in the global polarized sunglasses market. Bifocal lenses are intended for use only by individuals who have impaired vision or have issues in reading, whereas the mass population can use progressive sunglasses.

Based on the end-user, the market is segmented into men, women, and kids. The men segment is expected to hold significant market share in the global polarized sunglasses market over the forecast period. Increasing demand for polarized sunglasses from men can be attributed to greater participation of men in sports activities such as biking and hiking as compared to women. For instance, research titled ‘(In) equality in the outdoors: gender perspective on recreation and tourism media in the Swedish mountains’ published by journal of Current Issues in Tourism in July 2018 concluded that participation of men in all the outdoor activities done by women is equal, whereas men dominate the rest of the activates which in turn indicates that women are engaged in a narrower range of outdoor activities.

Regional Analysis:

Geographically, the global polarized sunglasses market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa.

North America is expected to hold a significant share in the global polarized sunglasses market during the forecast period. This is owing to increasing skiing, fishing as well as other sports activities such as hiking and bike racing in the region where wearing polarized sunglasses offer convenience in performing the activities and protect the eyes from glare. For instance, according to the Canadian Ski Council, there are a total of about 275 ski areas in Canada where more than 19 million visits are reported per season. Moreover, Canadian skiers and snowboarders are engaged in skiing or snowboard activities on an average of 7.5 days per year.

Asia Pacific is expected to experience strong growth in the global polarized sunglasses market. This is owing to the increasing standard of living and changes in lifestyle in countries such as India, China, and Japan among others which is expected to result in increasing demand for polarised sunglasses in the region.

Segmentation

Key Industry Developments

• In June 2017, Kering Eyewear, the subsidiary of Kering Group entered into partnership with Maison Cartier for development of eyewear products. Maison Cartier is owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont and is engaged in manufacturing of different fashion accessories which also produces polarized sunglasses.


• In May 2019, Xiaomi Group launched two unisex Mi Polarized Sunglasses in India through Mi online store. The launch includes Mi Polarized Square and Mi Polarized Pilot sunglasses.