Sourcing guide
Sport Sunglasses Compliance: A Checklist for Importers
Compliance is the part of a sunglasses order that cannot be fixed after the goods ship. This is what importers are typically asked for in the EU, the United States and Australia/New Zealand, which documents answer it, and the packaging registrations that can stop a container at the border.
The five questions that decide whether a sunglasses order clears smoothly are not about the product. They are about paper: which standard applies, which report proves it, which packaging registration is in place, and whether the certificate names the model you actually bought.
What each market asks for
| Market | Typically required | What answers it |
|---|---|---|
| European Union | CE marking under PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 | Certificate of Conformity tested to EN ISO 12312-1, naming the covered models |
| Germany | Packaging EPR registration before sale | LUCID registration number |
| France | Packaging EPR registration | UIN / IDU unique identifier |
| United States | Impact resistance under FDA 21 CFR 801.410 | Drop-ball documentation, plus the factory’s FDA establishment registration |
| United States (optical) | ANSI Z80.3 for sunglasses | Lens test report with transmittance and traffic-signal results |
| Australia / New Zealand | AS/NZS 1067.1 lens categories | Lens category report per colourway |
The four documents that matter most
These are the ones buyers ask for first, and the ones we can send. Everything quoted below is on file and named in the documents themselves.
- CE Certificate of Conformity. Ours is certificate no. UTT202503833C (issued 31 March 2025) under PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425, tested to EN ISO 12312-1:2022. Crucially, it names the covered models — including KC06-13A, KC07-15K and KC08-16K from our range.
- Third-party laboratory report. Intertek report no. SHAH01729242 (30 August 2024) for sunglasses to EN ISO 12312-1:2013+A1:2015, with UV400 performance noted for the submitted sample.
- Impact resistance. Lenses tested and guaranteed impact-resistant within the meaning of 21 CFR 801.410, inspection certificate no. 3017185669. The supplying factory holds a US FDA establishment registration.
- Packaging registrations. Germany (LUCID) and France (UIN) are both in place, which is what allows goods to be placed on those markets rather than held at the border.
Lens category: the number buyers misread most
Category is a light-transmission band, and it is the detail that most often differs between what a buyer assumes and what was tested.
| Category | Transmission | Our tested sample |
|---|---|---|
| Category 2 | 18–43% | PC lens sample: 21.12% — PASS |
| Category 3 | 8–18% | TAC ice-blue lens sample: 9.09% — PASS |
| UV400 | Blocks at least 99% of UVA and UVB | Confirmed in the laboratory reports on file |
Two consequences for importers. First, category depends on the tint ordered, not only on the model — so confirm it per colourway. Second, all three standards state that sunglasses are not suitable for driving in twilight or at night, and our reports record that statement. If your listing omits it, you are the one making an unsupported claim.
Packaging EPR: the requirement that stops containers
Extended Producer Responsibility rules are enforced before goods reach a shelf, not after. Germany requires a LUCID registration; France requires a UIN. Buyers who discover this at the port pay for storage while the paperwork is resolved. Ask for both up front and put the registration numbers in the order file.
The checklist to run before you pay a deposit
- Certificate of Conformity naming your models and colourways
- Lens test report with measured transmission values
- Impact-resistance documentation (FDA) where the US is a destination
- ANSI Z80.3 or AS/NZS 1067.1 reports if you sell into those markets
- Packaging EPR registration for Germany and/or France
- Material safety documents for any part in prolonged skin contact
- Pre-shipment inspection: in-house photographs, or a third-party inspection you book and pay for
One more item belongs on the list, although it is not a certificate: a written statement of which documents will accompany the shipment. The cheapest time to discover a missing report is before production, not after the container is booked.
Ask for the file that covers your models
Send us the models, colourways and destination markets, and we will list the standards that apply and the documents we can send with the quotation.
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Selling into the EU, US or ANZ?
Tell us the market and the models — you will get the document list that applies, not a general brochure.