Most children's eyewear problems do not appear in the warehouse. They appear after a few weeks of wear: a hinge that breaks early in the school term, a bridge that slips on a small nose, or a temple that will not stay behind the ear. For the buyer, each issue can mean a return, an unplanned reorder and a customer who may not come back.

This guide is for buyers who carry that risk: independent opticians, optical chains, specialty retailers, importers and private-label brands ordering by the carton. It covers the decisions that most affect cost and returns in a children's programme, and closes with the information we need to prepare a quotation.

Procurement Snapshot

The questions buyers ask before anything else: how much must I commit, how long will it take, who owns what, and what paperwork comes with it.

Stock MOQ:
From a few hundred pairs for stock models in your own colour and logo.

Custom-tooling MOQ:
Set by mould and process requirements; quoted per project.

Lead time:
15 to 30 days for stock models; 25 to 45 days plus mould development for custom tooling.

Tooling ownership:
Agreed in the contract. Where the customer pays for tooling, ownership is typically transferred to the customer. Storage and maintenance terms can be included to support long-term supply.

Quality and capacity:
Three-level inspection before shipment; monthly capacity is approximately 80,000 pairs; peak-season coverage should be confirmed against the order schedule.

Payment:
T/T or Alibaba Trade Assurance, with settlement terms fixed in the contract.

Three Things Change When the Wearer Is a Child

Three things change when the wearer is a child, and each one carries a cost if you get the sourcing wrong.

The buyer is a parent, the user is a child

An adult chooses for fit and style; a parent chooses for durability, safety and acceptance. Bendable frames, hypoallergenic materials, soft contact points and a warranty a parent understands in one sentence are the features that help sell stock and reduce returns.

Replacement cycles are short and seasonal

Industry practice is to plan around a 9 to 15 month window, with peaks at back-to-school and before summer. That short cycle means the size range has to match each age band, and it makes colour repeatability a procurement issue: ask where the paint is applied and how the batch is recorded, so that reorders match the first drop.

Safety and compliance belong in the spec

Fix the document set before you ask for a price: CE/EN ISO 12312-1 for sunglasses, FDA registration and drop-ball reports for the US, CPSIA and lead-content declarations, and nickel or REACH declarations for metal. Ask for them with the quotation: a supplier who cannot name the documents for your market will not produce them at shipment.

Step 1: Choose the Frame Material by Age, Not by Look

Sourcing decisions often start with a photo, but material should be selected before style.

TR90
What it is: Flexible nylon, injection moulded.
Why buyers choose it: Bends and returns to shape; light, hypoallergenic, bright colours.
Best for: Ages 3 to 12, daily and school wear.
Watch-outs: Painted finishes need bend and adhesion testing.

G850
What it is: Transparent polyamide (EMS grade).
Why buyers choose it: Crystal-clear gloss, stress-crack resistant, premium without acetate cost.
Best for: Fashion-led kids' lines, teen optical.
Watch-outs: Higher cost; tight mould temperature control.

CP
What it is: Cellulose propionate.
Why buyers choose it: Acetate-like depth of colour, gentle on skin, easy to adjust.
Best for: Toddler and classic kids' optical.
Watch-outs: Heat stability — avoid hot storage and car dashboards.

PPSU
What it is: Medical-grade, high-heat polymer.
Why buyers choose it: Baby-bottle-grade safety; heat and chemical resistant; autoclavable.
Best for: Infants, toddlers, medical and orthoptic programmes.
Watch-outs: Premium price; narrower colour range.

Metal and acetate
What it is: Hybrid construction.
Why buyers choose it: Adjustable temples, premium weight, dress-up styling.
Best for: Teens, dress optical, higher price points.
Watch-outs: Nickel and REACH compliance; hinge QC; not for rough play.

A common first assortment uses TR90 for the volume core, PPSU or CP for toddlers, and metal-and-acetate for teens. Yimingxing moulds these materials in-house, which allows one supplier and one colour/approval standard to cover multiple age bands.

Step 2: Specify Fit With an Age-by-Age Size Map

Size is where kids' programmes lose money: a frame that looks right on a display can be unwearable on a five-year-old. Plan the size map first, then confirm it against the factory chart.

Step 3: Understand MOQ, Lead Time and Landed Cost

The three sourcing routes differ in MOQ, lead time and cost profile.

Stock models, your colour and logo
Typical MOQ: From a few hundred pairs.
Typical lead time: 15 to 30 days from order to shipment.
Best for: Speed and low commitment; ideal for testing a market.

OEM from your sample or drawing
Typical MOQ: Set by material and process.
Typical lead time: 25 to 45 days, depending on mould complexity.
Best for: Your existing design, produced and finished to your spec.

ODM with new tooling
Typical MOQ: Set by mould and process requirements.
Typical lead time: 25 to 45 days, plus mould development.
Best for: A differentiated frame for your market.

Landed cost is not unit price. Build it from tooling amortisation, packaging, freight and duty, a QC and rework allowance and a returns reserve. Payment is normally T/T or Alibaba Trade Assurance.

How an Order Runs

• Enquiry to quotation. Send the key inputs — age bands, materials, first-drop volume, destination market, and logo/packaging requirements — and we will scope the quotation to that market.
• Sample approval. Approve structure, colour and packaging against a written spec, not a photograph.
• Production. Stock models run 15 to 30 days; custom tooling adds mould development and 25 to 45 days.
• Inspection and shipment. In-process patrol, finished-goods inspection and a random open-box check before the container is sealed.

Step 4: Audit the Factory, Not Just the Sample

A sample shows what one pair can be; a factory audit gives more confidence that production pairs will match it.

Mould design is in-house. Confirm who designs and cuts the tooling; this affects how quickly design changes can be made.

Injection material is traceable. Named grades — G850, EMS, TR90, CP, PPSU.

Colour is applied in a dust-free workshop, with the colour process documented, to support colour matching on later reorders.

QC is layered and capacity covers the peak. In-process patrol, finished-goods inspection and an open-box check before shipment.

Ownership and documentation are in writing. Ownership, storage and maintenance should be set out in the contract; where the customer pays for tooling, ownership is typically transferred to the customer.

Yimingxing has made frames in Henggang, Shenzhen, since 1999: 4,800 m², about 100 people and roughly 80,000 pairs a month, with mould design, CNC mould machining, injection, dust-free spraying and colouring, QC and packing under one roof.

OEM or ODM: Which Route Fits Your Programme?

OEM
When it fits: You already have a best-selling model.
What you supply: Sample, drawing or spec sheet.
What you get: Structure optimisation, tooling, injection, spray painting, logo customisation, packaging design.

ODM
When it fits: You have a market, not a design.
What you supply: Age band, volume, target market.
What you get: Product design, structure development, mass production, process recommendations.

Custom tooling
When it fits: You want exclusivity.
What you supply: Concept, drawing or reference sample.
What you get: Dedicated mould and a model positioned for exclusivity in your market, subject to contract terms.

For a first kids' line, ODM is the faster route: borrow the mould library, keep your own colours, logo and packaging. If exclusivity is more important than speed, custom tooling can support a more differentiated model; exclusivity terms should be agreed in the contract.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum order quantity?
Stock models start from a few hundred pairs; custom tooling depends on mould and process requirements — confirm the exact figure for your model with the sales team.

What do you need from us to quote?
Please send the age bands, materials, first-drop quantity, destination market, and any logo or packaging requirements. We come back with a costed proposal scoped to that market.

Can you produce from our sample or drawing?
Yes. OEM follows your drawings; ODM runs from product design and structure development through to production, including tooling, spray painting, logo customisation and packaging.

What is the typical lead time?
15–30 days from order to shipment for stock models; 25–45 days plus mould development for custom tooling, depending on mould complexity. Book early ahead of peak season.

What payment methods are accepted?
T/T, Alibaba Trade Assurance and other common international methods, with flexible terms negotiable for long-term partners under contract.

What quality control is in place, and who owns the mould?
A three-level system — in-process patrol, finished-goods inspection and a random open-box check before shipment. Tooling ownership is agreed in the contract. Where the customer pays for the tooling, ownership is typically transferred to the customer; storage and maintenance can be arranged as set out in the contract.

Plan Your Children's Range with an In-House Moulding Partner

If you are planning a 2027 children's assortment, send the key details — the age bands you want to cover, the materials you want on the shelf, the quantity you can commit to for a first drop, your destination market, and any logo or packaging requirements. We will come back with a costed proposal covering model options, colours, logo treatment, packaging, MOQ, and lead time.

Shenzhen Yimingxing Eyewear Co., Ltd. (Yimingxing Eyewear)
Manufacturer of injection-moulded and metal-and-acetate eyewear since 1999. Henggang, Shenzhen. About 100 employees, 4,800 m², approximately 80,000 pairs monthly capacity. Children's eyewear, sunglasses, optical frames, smart eyewear components and precision mould development.

Email: ymx@eyewearbulk.com
Phone and WhatsApp: +86 176 2039 7273
WeChat: Yimingxing-Eyewear
Working hours: Monday to Saturday, 8:30 to 18:00 (GMT+8)
Websites: eyewearbulk.com (English) and szymxopt.com (Chinese)