SZ's eyewear industry output hits nearly ¥10B

As one of the five major eyewear manufacturing hubs in China, Shenzhen churns out over 125 million pairs of eyewear a year, with the total output value of the city’s eyewear industry reaching nearly 10 billion yuan (US$1.4 billion) a year, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported yesterday.

Eyeglass frames on display in an eyeglass shop. Photos courtesy of the Shenzhen Eyeglass Industry Association

As a segment of Shenzhen’s fashion industry, the eyewear industry is a traditionally competitive industry which has over 800 enterprises. The city’s eyewear companies are mainly located in Henggang and Yuanshan subdistricts in Longgang District.

Shenzhen’s eyewear output accounts for more than 50% of the output of medium and high-end eyewear in China, according to statistics.

“An ordinary pair of glasses needs over 100 production processes, and it usually takes more than 40 days to manufacture a pair,” Chen Weitao, chairman of Shenzhen Icare Libo, an eyewear manufacturer, told the Daily.

Workers assemble eyeglasses in a factory in Longgang District. 

In the company’s factory, many workers have more than 10 years of experience. “Making eyeglasses is a fiddly job, and one can’t be careless,” a seasoned employee was quoted as saying.

According to Chen, one of the advantages of Shenzhen’s eyewear industry is that the upstream and downstream enterprises work closely with each other. “Our company has more than 300 partners,” Chen said.

The eyewear industry in Shenzhen provides about 100,000 jobs every year, statistics showed. The eyewear enterprises in Longgang are mainly engaged in the processing and production of medium and high-end eyeglass frames, sunglasses and optical glasses.

Sample eyeglasses on display in an eyewear shop.

Another company, Shenzhen Huiming Optical Co. Ltd., founded in 1998, provides professional workmanship and production services for Luxottica Group, a global leader in premium, luxury and sports eyewear. The company is also the manufacturer of brands such as Ray-Ban and Armani.

Li Zhaojiao, founder of the company, said that Shenzhen’s eyewear industry has been focusing on workmanship and production, saying that brand awareness needs to be improved. In the future, the city’s eyewear industry must set sights on high-quality development and creating high-end brands.

The industrial cluster in Henggang has won over 60% of the orders for high-end eyeglass frames worldwide, according to statistics.