Solar eclipse: who makes the glasses for viewing it?
The US and China lead the way, but European production is on the rise. In Italia, several companies resell the devices
Key points
Solar eclipse – the last one was in 1999. The total eclipse set to be visible across mainland Europe on 12 August has not been seen for over two decades. In Italia, it will occur shortly before sunset but will be partial: in Milan, the peak is expected at 8.20 pm, with around 92 per cent of the Sun obscured.
To view the phenomenon safely, you must wear glasses with filters designed for direct observation of the Sun. Ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not sufficient. Behind these cardboard frames lies a small international industry, ranging from the production of the filter material to assembly and compliance testing.
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) currently lists 25 verified manufacturers across the United States, Europe and China. To be included on the list, companies must submit test reports demonstrating compliance with the international standard ISO 12312-2, carried out by accredited laboratories.
The American giant
The industry leader is American Paper Optics, based in Tennessee. It also produces sunglasses and solar viewing glasses on behalf of other brands and manufactures them in the United States; it claims to have sold more than 50 million pairs for the 2017 American solar eclipse and 75 million in 2024.
The AAS list also includes Rainbow Symphony and Thousand Oaks Optical. However, a proportion of global production takes place in China: Cangnan County Qiwei Craft, Hangzhou Retsing Eyewear, Jaxy Optical Instruments and Shenzhen Lionstar Technology. Some of these companies also manufacture on behalf of foreign distributors, who will then apply different brand names to the products.
