According to Statista 2023 data, the global market size of women’s sunglasses was 48 billion US dollars, and the demand for small faces female sunglasses was 27%, while the annual growth rate was 12%. Facial measurement research shows that the average face width of Asian females is 13.5 cm (14.8 cm for European and American females), the adaptive frame width should be controlled at 50-54 mm (55-58 mm for standard models), and the mirror leg length is acceptable at 135-140 mm. The nose bracket spacing should be reduced to 16-18 mm (20-22 mm for standard models). For example, Japanese brand JINS launched the “Petite Fit” series, the frame width is accurate to 52 mm, the nose anti-slip base is made of silicone material, the UPF is 50+, and the lens curvature radius is optimized to 8.5 base bends (industry standard is 9 base bends). In the first month after market listing, more than 120,000 pairs of sales were broken, and the re-purchase rate was 33%.
In terms of material and weight specifications, Optical Association of America (AOA) recommends that the total weight of sunglasses for small faces female should be below 25 grams. Ultra-light TR90 material is used in Italian brand Ray-Ban’s “Erika” series, it only weighs 18 grams, mirror leg hinge structure has reached 200,000 times of opening and closing tests, service life has increased by 40%, and the price of $150 still occupies 19% of Amazon small-face sunglasses business. Korean e-commerce site Coupang research finds that reducing the lens area by 15% (about 32 square centimeters) will reduce the visual pressure, and the thickness of the lens should be regulated to 1.2 mm, Oakley with high-definition polarized technology to reduce the rate of edge distortion from 7% to 2.5%. The rate of return in this category will fall by 18% in 2023.
According to market reaction, 68 per cent of small face women consumers prefer cat-eye or oval shapes because they are vertically high (approximately 40mm), making facial ratios longer. The “Blondie Oval” series that Gucci released in 2024, the thickness of the metal decorative line on the frame top is just 1.5 mm, the gradient of the lens is maximized to 0.08/mm, and the social media exposure is more than 2.6 million times, which promotes the brand’s sales growth of 9% in the second quarter. According to China’s e-commerce platform statistics, the complaint rate of customer about adjustable design of nose pad has dropped by 45%, and during the “618” promotion on Tmall, LOHO brand’s “AirLight Nano” has achieved 32 million yuan single item sales and a 28% increase in conversion rate because the nose pad is able to perform 0.5 mm fine adjustment.
Technological innovation also constantly optimizes the wearing experience. The “Nikon Fit Small” lens by French optical industry Essilor controls the deviation of the optical center in **±0.3 mm through pupil positioning technology, and improves visual sharpness by 30%. Supply chain research finds that the cycle of delivery for customized small faces female sunglasses by 3D printing technology shortens from 21 days to 5 days, and saves the production cost by 22%.”. When Korean fashion house Gentle Monster adopted this technology for its “My Ma” collection, the proportion of made-to-order products rose from 8% to 35% in 2023. Under the trend for sustainability, the US eyewear brand Warby Parker’s “Recycled Light” collection consists of recycled Marine plastic, reduces the carbon footprint of the frame by 50%, weighs just 21 grams, and yet accounts for 18% of the brand’s sales volume at a 25% premium.
Consumer behavior research shows that 62% of customers have “fit” as their primary concern when purchasing sunglasses for small faces female. In 2023, University of London Face Engineering Laboratory determined that the most comfortable is to maintain the distance between the lower rim of the frame and cheekbone at 3-5 mm, and a deviation greater than 2 mm will lead to nonuniform pressure distribution and increase the friction coefficient by 0.15. Japanese Rakuten market statistics show that models with memory titanium alloy mirror legs (e.g., J! NS “Memery Titanium”) can be used for up to 9.2 hours a day, 2.3 hours longer than the basic model. Note should be taken of the “Frames Tempo” series of smart glasses manufacturer Bose and Oliver Peoples, which integrates directional audio technology in sunglasses for small faces woman. The amplitude of the speaker is regulated below 85dB, and the North American market share has already been 7% in the first quarter of 2024, leading to an innovative track of “functional aesthetics”.