How to Brief a Metal Sunglasses Factory: What Information You Need to Provide

Most of what is written about sourcing eyewear manufacturers focuses on the buyer’s side of the relationship: how to evaluate a factory, what questions to ask, what red flags to watch for. Almost none of it addresses the other half of a successful sourcing relationship — what the brand needs to bring to the table before a manufacturer can produce an accurate quote or a correct first sample.

A reference image and a price target are not a brief. They are a starting point for a conversation that, without further specification, will produce a sample reflecting the manufacturer’s default assumptions rather than the brand’s actual requirements. For metal sunglasses specifically, where construction decisions are less visually obvious than they are with acetate frames, an incomplete brief is the most common cause of sample revision rounds — and the resulting delays are entirely avoidable.

This article covers what a complete metal sunglasses brief includes, organized by the production decisions a manufacturer actually needs to make.

Why a Vague Brief Costs You Time and Money

A manufacturer receiving an incomplete brief does not stop production to ask clarifying questions on every point. In practice, they fill the gaps with their own default specification — whatever material, hinge type, or plating method they most commonly use — and produce a sample based on those assumptions.

When the sample arrives and does not match what the brand had in mind, the result is a revision round: new instructions, a new sample, another 20–30 days of lead time. Each revision round at the sample stage is recoverable but costly in time. The same gaps left unaddressed through to bulk production are far more expensive to correct, because by that point material has been purchased and tooling has been used.

The brief is the document that prevents the manufacturer from having to guess. A complete brief does not guarantee a perfect first sample — there is always a physical and visual component that benefits from hands-on review — but it eliminates the gaps that come from information never being provided in the first place.

The Reference Image Is Not a Brief

It is standard practice for a brand to start a conversation with a manufacturer using a reference image — a photo of an existing frame, a competitor’s product, or a sketch. This is a reasonable starting point, but it is frequently mistaken for a complete specification.

A reference image communicates shape and approximate proportion. It does not communicate:

• What alloy the frame should be made from
• What wire gauge to use
• What hinge type and barrel count
• What plating method and color depth
• What lens material and tint
• What the logo method and placement should be

A manufacturer working only from a reference image will make all of these decisions independently, generally defaulting to whatever specification they produce most often. If the brand’s actual requirements differ from those defaults — and they usually do, even without the brand realizing it — the resulting sample will need revision.

What a Complete Metal Sunglasses Brief Includes

Frame Construction Basics

Beyond the overall shape, a complete brief specifies the construction type and key proportions.

Construction type: Full-rim, semi-rimless, or rimless. Each carries different structural requirements and lens mounting methods. For a detailed comparison, see Full-Rim vs Semi-Rimless Metal Frames: Pros and Cons.

Key dimensions: Lens width, bridge width, temple length, and overall front width. If these are not specified, the manufacturer will produce the sample at a standard size that may not fit the intended target demographic.

Wire gauge: This is a specification unique to metal frames — acetate frames are cut from sheet material and do not have an equivalent parameter. Wire gauge, specified in millimeters, determines the visual weight of the frame, its resistance to bending, and — critically — what hinge barrel count is physically achievable. A thin wire gauge cannot accommodate a 5-barrel hinge; the temple is not wide enough to house it.

Wire Gauge	Visual Result	Hinge Compatibility
≤1.0 mm	Minimal, delicate	1–2 barrel only
1.2–1.4 mm	Standard fashion weight	Up to 3 barrel
1.5–1.8 mm	Substantial, structured	Up to 5 barrel
≥2.0 mm	Bold, heavy presence	Up to 7 barrel

Specifying wire gauge and hinge type together — rather than independently — avoids a common conflict where a brief calls for a delicate thin-wire frame with a 5-barrel hinge that physically cannot fit.

Material Specification

“Metal frame” is not a material specification — it describes a category, not an alloy. A complete brief names the specific base material.

Material	What to Specify in the Brief
White copper alloy	Standard grade is usually sufficient to specify
Stainless steel	Grade (304 is common for eyewear)
Monel	Confirm availability — not all factories stock Monel as standard
Titanium	Confirm IP plating requirement, as titanium cannot use water plating

For a full comparison of how these materials perform on durability, weight, and plating compatibility, see Metal Sunglasses Materials Compared: Stainless Steel, Monel, Aluminum.

If the brief does not name a material, the manufacturer will default to whatever base alloy is used most commonly in their standard production — typically white copper alloy for fashion metal frames. This may be entirely appropriate, but it should be a decision the brand makes deliberately rather than one that happens by default.

Hardware Specification

Hardware — hinges and nose pads — is where briefs are most frequently incomplete, because these components are small and easy to overlook relative to frame shape and color.

Hinge type: Standard or spring hinge. If spring hinge, specify whether a named supplier is required (such as OBE Germany) or whether a generic spring hinge is acceptable.

Hinge barrel count: State the required barrel count explicitly — 3-barrel, 5-barrel, etc. — rather than leaving it to manufacturer default, particularly if the frame is positioned at a premium tier where hinge quality matters to the brand story.

Nose pad material: Silicone, soft PVC, hard PVC, or acetate. Silicone is the appropriate specification for mid-range and above; PVC is acceptable for entry-level product.

Nose pad mounting: Screw-mount or clip-in. Screw-mount is more secure and replaceable; clip-in is faster to assemble but less durable.

Plating Specification

Plating affects appearance, durability, and regulatory compliance, and is one of the areas where an unspecified brief produces results the brand did not anticipate.

Plating method: Water plating or IP plating. The choice affects achievable colors, surface finish (gloss vs. matte), and cost.

Color reference: A specific Pantone reference, a physical swatch, or a previously approved sample. “Gold” is not specific enough — there is a wide range of gold tones achievable through plating, and without a reference, the manufacturer will select their own standard gold formulation.

Nickel-free requirement: State explicitly if the product is intended for the EU, UK, or other markets with nickel release regulations. This should not be assumed as standard unless confirmed.

Sealing coat standard: If durability is a priority, specify a target salt spray test rating (for example, 65 hours minimum) rather than leaving the sealing coat specification unstated.

For a complete breakdown of plating methods and what to specify, see Electroplating on Metal Eyewear: Colors, Durability, and What to Ask Your Supplier.

Lens Specification

Lens decisions are sometimes treated as secondary to frame design in the brief, but they affect both cost and compliance.

• Material: TAC, CR-39, polycarbonate, or glass
• Polarization: Yes or no
• UV standard: UV400 should be confirmed explicitly, even though it is standard practice — confirming it in writing avoids ambiguity
• Tint and coatings: Solid tint, gradient, mirror coating, or any combination
• Mounting method: Groove mount (most common for full-rim and semi-rimless) or screw mount

Logo and Branding

Logo specification is covered in detail in Metal Sunglasses Logo Options: Engraving, Inlay, Pad Print, but the brief-level requirements are:

• Logo file in vector format, at actual application size
• Method: laser engraving, metal inlay, pad printing, or a combination
• Position: temple side, surface (outer/inner), and approximate distance from the hinge
• Color (if applicable): PMS reference for pad printing or epoxy fill

Packaging

Packaging is frequently an afterthought in early briefs, but it affects cost and lead time, and should be specified alongside the frame itself.

• Case type: hard case, soft pouch, or both
• Cleaning cloth: included or not, and branding requirement
• Outer packaging: branded box, generic box, or polybag
• Carton specification: units per carton, labeling requirements

Volume, Timeline, and Budget Information

Beyond the physical product specification, a complete brief includes the commercial parameters that affect how the manufacturer plans production.

Order volume: Total quantity per style and the number of colorways. This determines whether the order can be accommodated within standard MOQ or requires special arrangement.

Target price: A realistic target unit price, or a price range, helps the manufacturer propose a specification that fits the budget rather than producing a sample at a cost point the brand cannot work with. For context on what drives metal sunglasses pricing, see Metal Sunglasses MOQ and Pricing: What Determines Your Quote.

Timeline: The date by which bulk production needs to be delivered. This affects whether the project is feasible as an OEM development with new tooling, or whether an ODM frame using existing tooling is the more realistic path given the timeline.

ODM or OEM: State explicitly whether the brief is for a new, exclusive design (OEM, requiring new mold development) or for an existing frame design from the manufacturer’s portfolio (ODM, no new mold required). This single piece of information changes the entire production pathway.

What Happens When Information Is Missing

The table below illustrates what a manufacturer typically does when a specific piece of information is not provided in the brief, and what the resulting risk is.

Missing Information	Manufacturer’s Default Action	Resulting Risk
Base material	Uses standard white copper alloy	Frame may not meet durability or weight expectations
Wire gauge	Uses standard gauge for the frame style	Frame may feel heavier or lighter than intended
Hinge barrel count	Uses 3-barrel as standard	Premium positioning undermined by standard hardware
Plating color reference	Uses house-standard gold/silver formulation	Color does not match brand’s intended tone
Nickel-free requirement	Not applied unless requested	Non-compliance risk for EU/UK markets
Logo file format	Manufacturer recreates logo from low-res image	Logo detail lost or inaccurately reproduced
Target price	Manufacturer proposes standard specification	Quote may exceed budget, requiring a second round

A Sample Brief Checklist

The following checklist consolidates the brief elements covered above into a format that can be used directly when preparing documentation for a manufacturer.

Construction:

• [ ] Construction type (full-rim / semi-rimless / rimless)
• [ ] Key dimensions (lens width, bridge width, temple length, front width)
• [ ] Wire gauge (mm)

Material:

• [ ] Base alloy (white copper / stainless steel / Monel / titanium)
• [ ] Grade, if applicable

Hardware:

• [ ] Hinge type (standard / spring)
• [ ] Hinge barrel count
• [ ] Nose pad material
• [ ] Nose pad mounting method

Plating:

• [ ] Method (water plating / IP)
• [ ] Color reference (Pantone or physical swatch)
• [ ] Nickel-free requirement (yes/no)
• [ ] Sealing coat / salt spray target

Lens:

• [ ] Material
• [ ] Polarized (yes/no)
• [ ] UV400 confirmation
• [ ] Tint / coating
• [ ] Mounting method

Branding:

• [ ] Logo file (vector format)
• [ ] Method
• [ ] Position
• [ ] Color (if applicable)

Packaging:

• [ ] Case type
• [ ] Outer packaging
• [ ] Carton specification

Commercial:

• [ ] Order volume and colorway split
• [ ] Target unit price
• [ ] Timeline
• [ ] ODM or OEM

At Sailook, when a new client brief comes in with some of these fields unspecified, our standard process is to flag the gaps and confirm them before quoting or sampling — rather than filling them with assumptions and discovering the mismatch at sample review. A brief that arrives with these fields already completed moves directly to quoting and sampling without the back-and-forth that an incomplete brief requires.

FAQ

What is the minimum information a metal sunglasses manufacturer needs to provide a quote?

At minimum: construction type, base material, approximate dimensions, hinge type, plating method and color, lens material, and order volume. A quote without these specified will be a rough estimate based on the manufacturer’s standard specification, not a quote for the actual product the brand intends to produce.

Do I need a technical drawing to brief a metal sunglasses factory?

A technical drawing (also called a tech pack) is not strictly required to start a conversation, but it becomes necessary before sample production for an OEM design. For ODM orders using an existing frame, a written specification covering material, hardware, and plating is generally sufficient without a full technical drawing.

What is wire gauge, and why does it matter for the brief?

Wire gauge is the diameter of the metal wire used to form the frame and temples, specified in millimeters. It is unique to metal frame construction — acetate frames do not have this parameter. Wire gauge affects the visual weight of the frame and directly constrains which hinge barrel counts are physically achievable; thin wire gauge cannot accommodate a high-barrel-count hinge.

Should I specify ODM or OEM in my brief?

Yes, and early. This single specification determines whether the manufacturer proposes an existing frame design with no mold cost, or scopes a new mold development project. Leaving this unspecified means the first conversation with the manufacturer will need to resolve it before any other planning can proceed.

What happens if I don’t specify a nickel-free requirement?

If your product is intended for the EU, UK, or other markets with nickel release regulations, and you do not specify a nickel-free requirement, the manufacturer may produce the frame using their standard plating process, which may not meet the regulatory threshold. This is a compliance risk that should be stated explicitly in the brief rather than assumed.

How specific does my logo file need to be?

The logo should be provided in vector format (AI or EPS) at the actual size intended for application on the frame. A low-resolution raster image, or a logo provided only at a much larger size than the application, requires the manufacturer to recreate or rescale it — introducing room for inaccuracy in fine detail.

Summary

A complete brief is the difference between a manufacturer producing a sample based on your actual specification and a manufacturer producing a sample based on their own defaults. For metal sunglasses specifically, where construction decisions like wire gauge, hinge barrel count, and plating method are not visually obvious from a reference image, the brief carries more of the specification burden than it would for a simpler frame material.

Working through frame construction, material, hardware, plating, lens, branding, and packaging specifications before the first conversation with a manufacturer — rather than during it — produces a faster sampling process and a first sample that more closely matches what the brand actually needs.

Sailook’s full range of metal sunglasses construction, material, and customization options is covered on our metal sunglasses page.