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| Cluster Name | Xiamen – China’s Core Sunglasses Manufacturing Base (Fujian) |
| History | Late 1980s–early 1990s: Taiwanese eyewear manufacturers moved in; 2009: widely recognized as China’s core sunglasses production base; 2016: local “Xiamen Eyewear” regional standard launched |
| Manufacturers | 300+ eyewear-related enterprises; 20+ with annual output above 100 million RMB; leading firms include Chengyi Optical, Yaree Optical, Huamao Optical, Aojie, Aipu and Tengnuo |
| Employment | Large workforce across frame manufacturing, lens processing, assembly, testing and brand operations; R&D staff share ranks among China’s highest, with Yaree and Chengyi each having 200+ R&D staff |
| Annual Output | Total industry output above 10 billion RMB; 2019 output: about 60 million sunglasses, 25 million optical frames, 10 million reading glasses and 150 million lenses |
| National Output Share | Mid-to-premium sunglasses account for over 80% of the Chinese market and about 50% of overseas markets |
| Export Ratio | About 50% of output sold overseas; compliant with European, US and Asia-Pacific market access standards |
| Core Products | Mid-to-premium sunglasses, optical frames, polarized lenses, sports protective eyewear, AI smart glasses |
| Service | Brand ODM, development from drawings or samples, in-house R&D and testing laboratories, national and industry standard participation, compliance support for Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific, rapid response and small-batch trial production |
Xiamen, Fujian, is China’s core sunglasses manufacturing base. The industry began in the late 1980s when Taiwanese eyewear manufacturers moved to Xiamen, and over decades it has grown into a key supplier of mid-to-premium sunglasses and optical frames. The city hosts more than 300 eyewear-related enterprises, including over 20 with annual output above 100 million RMB, and total industry output has stabilized above 10 billion RMB. Xiamen’s mid-to-premium sunglasses account for over 80% of the Chinese market and about 50% of overseas markets, making it a key sourcing base for global eyewear brands, retail chains and outdoor sports channels.
Technical upgrading on the product side is Xiamen’s most prominent strength. Early frame manufacturing was limited in variety and mid-level in quality; after years of iteration, Chengyi Optical’s PEI steel and titanium frames, Yaree Optical’s stainless steel frames and Huamao Optical’s special plastic frames have reached the industry’s first tier in variety, quality and capacity, directly raising the grade and unit price of finished sunglasses. Lenses are a traditional strength: PC and nylon polarized lenses have become standard for sunglasses, and Xiamen has significant advantages in high-end polarized lens processing, with fast-growing 100-million-RMB lens technology firms such as Aojie, Aipu and Tengnuo. In 2019 the base produced about 60 million sunglasses, 25 million optical frames, 10 million reading glasses and 150 million lenses; with total volume roughly flat, overall sales value rose 110%, reflecting a quality-and-efficiency upgrade path.
Brand operation is what distinguishes Xiamen from ordinary manufacturing bases. Among local brands, Bolon, Helen Keller and Parim lead in sunglasses and frames, with Bolon far ahead in annual sales. The base also handles localized operations for many international brands — Ports, Santa Barbara Polo, Pilkington, Jeep, BMW and NBA all place R&D, manufacturing and marketing across Xiamen, adapting to the Chinese market while feeding global channels.
R&D and standard-setting are the industry’s underlying competitiveness. Both brand owners and OEM factories generally maintain independent R&D departments, and the share of R&D staff ranks among the highest in China; Yaree Optical and Chengyi Optical each have R&D teams of more than 200 people. Product styles have evolved from early imitation of European and American leaders into proprietary design language. On standards, Xiamen has 9 experts on the eyewear subcommittee of the National Optical Standardization Technical Committee, second only to Shanghai; enterprises participate deeply in drafting national and industry standards for sunglasses, 3D glasses and reading glasses, and more than ten 100-million-RMB factories have built their own professional laboratories, leading in polarized lenses and sports protection testing.
The base’s rapid response capability has been proven repeatedly. During the 2020 pandemic, Aipu, Fuyuanda and Aojie went from mold opening to finished product in just 20 days, producing 140,000 protective goggles for donation; they then quickly expanded into protective goggles and face shields, producing nearly 30 million units within half a year. In the current smart-hardware wave, Xiamen is leveraging its optical manufacturing foundation to enter the AI smart glasses race, with an ecosystem covering chips, sensors, algorithms and complete devices gradually taking shape, driving the upgrade from traditional eyewear to smart wearables.
For overseas buyers, Xiamen suits development of mid-to-premium sunglasses, optical frames, polarized lenses, sports protective eyewear and complete AI smart glasses. It supports brand ODM and development from drawings or samples, with mature testing and compliance capabilities matching entry standards in Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific. Sourcing tips: define the target market and price band, and confirm frame materials, lens polarization and protection grades; audit R&D teams, in-house laboratories and whether key processes are kept in-house; for brand ODM orders, write design drawings, pre-production samples, testing standards and lead times into contracts; for smart glasses, confirm chip, sensor and algorithm solutions and certification paths in advance.
