Private label eyewear — where a manufacturer produces frames under your brand name, with your packaging, using your design direction — is one of the most effective ways to build a differentiated optical brand with strong margins. It’s how many of the most successful optical brands and retail chains got started.
The process is more accessible than most buyers realize, but it requires structure. Here’s the step-by-step guide to doing it right.
Step 1: Define Your Brand Positioning
Before you talk to any manufacturer, you need a clear answer to these questions:
- Who is your customer? (Age, income, lifestyle, geography, purchase motivation)
- What problem does your brand solve for them?
- What is your price positioning? ($50-100? $100-250? $250+?)
- What does your design language look like? (Classic? Modern? Minimalist? Bold?)
- Which materials and quality standards does your brand represent?
These answers determine everything that follows: the frame styles you select, the materials you specify, the pricing you set, and the channels you sell through. A brand built around titanium frames for premium optical retailers has a completely different product development process than a brand built around TR90 frames for the mass market.
Step 2: Decide on OEM vs. ODM
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) means you provide the design and the manufacturer produces it. You control the design entirely. This is the right path if you have in-house design capability, have commissioned designs from a design firm, or are working from reference styles that you own the rights to.
ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) means the manufacturer provides the design and you select from their catalog, applying your brand to their existing styles. This is faster and lower-risk — the designs are proven in production, and your main work is brand application and market positioning. This is the right path for brands that are entering the market, testing a product direction, or want to move quickly.
The hybrid approach: Start with ODM from an existing catalog to validate market response, then migrate to OEM with custom designs once you have proven product-market fit. This is the path we see most often from successful private label brands.
Step 3: Sign an NDA Before Any Design Discussion
This step is non-negotiable. Before you share any design files, reference samples, sketches, or detailed design direction, you need a signed NDA. A proper NDA for private label eyewear covers:
- Confidentiality of all design information shared during the relationship
- Production exclusivity for custom designs (the factory cannot produce your design for other buyers)
- Intellectual property ownership (who owns the molds, CAD files, and designs after the project)
Read the NDA before you sign it. Specifically check the exclusivity clause — confidentiality without exclusivity means the factory can’t share your design, but can still produce it for other buyers who request something similar.
Step 4: Design Development
For OEM projects: The process starts with your design files — CAD (STEP, IGES, SolidWorks formats), technical drawings (PDF, DXF), or detailed reference samples. Our engineering team reviews the designs for manufacturability and provides feedback on any adjustments needed for production. The design is confirmed, then moved to prototyping.
For ODM projects: We provide our current catalog — current production styles, material options, available colors, and customization options. You select styles, specify branding requirements (logo type, logo location, packaging), and we provide samples for your approval.
Whether OEM or ODM, the sample process is the same: samples are produced, reviewed, revised as needed, and approved before bulk production. Sample fees are credited against the bulk order.
Step 5: Brand Application
Private label branding typically includes:
Temple lettering. The most common branding location for optical frames. Typically laser-etched, printed, or foil-stamped on the temple arm. Lettering specifications include text content, font, size, and position.
Bridge logo. A small metal or acetate logo applied to the nose bridge. More premium than temple lettering, more visible when the frame is being tried on.
Logo on temple tips. Applied to the end pieces that go over the ears. Common for brands that want visible branding from the side.
Packaging. Custom boxes, cases, cleaning cloths, and warranty cards all carry your branding. The packaging is often the first physical touchpoint your customer has with your brand — it matters more than most new private label buyers realize.
Step 6: Quality Standards and Documentation
Establish quality standards before production, not after. Specify:
- Material grades and sources (so the bulk order matches the sample)
- Inspection standards (AQL levels for dimensions, visual defects, function)
- Testing requirements for your target market (EN ISO 12870 for EU, FDA standards for US)
- Packaging specifications
These standards should be documented in the purchase agreement. Without documented standards, you have no basis for a quality claim if the bulk order doesn’t match the sample.
Step 7: MOQ and Order Structure
Private label orders typically have higher MOQ than standard wholesale because of the branding setup costs (logo application tooling, custom packaging production) that need to be amortized. The exact MOQ depends on:
- Number of styles in the order
- Color count per style
- Custom packaging requirements
- Whether new tooling is required
For brands starting out, we typically recommend beginning with two to four core styles and scaling from there as you validate market response. The initial order doesn’t need to be large to establish a credible product line — it needs to be well-chosen.
The Economics of Private Label
The case for private label is straightforward: you buy at factory cost and sell at brand price. The margin structure for a well-executed private label optical brand typically looks like:
- Factory cost (frame + packaging): $8-15 per unit depending on material and complexity
- Your selling price to retailer or end customer: $35-150 depending on brand positioning
- Retail price: $100-450 depending on channel and brand
The margin at each level of the chain is what makes private label attractive. The factory-to-retail markup in eyewear is significant — private label lets you capture it.
Our Private Label Process
We offer full private label programs for eyewear brands: OEM (your designs, our production) and ODM (our designs with your branding). We handle temple lettering, bridge logos, custom packaging, and documentation for EU and international markets. NDA is signed before any design discussion. Sample fees are credited against bulk orders.
- WhatsApp: +86 152 5809 0639 (Mimi)
- Email: mimi@wenzhouframe.com
Wenzhouframe — Established 2015. Wenzhou, China. Private label eyewear programs. OEM and ODM. NDA before any design discussion. Sample fees refundable. Flexible MOQ for emerging brands. Full documentation for international markets.
FAQ
What is the minimum order for a private label program?
It depends on the number of styles, colors, and whether new tooling is required. For a basic private label program starting with existing ODM styles, we can often structure an initial order below our standard production MOQ for the right buyer profile. Contact us with your requirements for specific numbers.
Who owns the molds after the project is complete?
This is specified in the NDA and purchase agreement. Standard terms for OEM projects: molds are typically owned by the buyer or held jointly, with the buyer’s molds not used for other projects without written consent.
Can I start with a small trial order before committing to a full private label program?
Yes. We have a structured trial process for private label buyers: start with ODM styles and branding, validate market response, then expand into custom OEM designs as your line grows. The trial order approach reduces risk while you validate your product-market fit.
