What an Indian Sunglasses Catalogue Actually Contains
Original Data
What an Indian Sunglasses Catalogue Actually Contains
Lens colours, frame shapes, protection standards and coverage styles, measured across a full catalogue rather than asserted. A reference for what the Indian market actually offers.
In this article
- What this measures
- Lens colour distribution
- Shape composition
- What is consistent across the catalogue
- What the composition tells a buyer
- Frequently asked questions
What this measures
Most writing about sunglasses trends describes what is fashionable. This looks instead at what is actually stocked, which is a different and more useful question if you are trying to buy something specific.
The figures below come from a complete Indian sunglasses catalogue and are given as percentage shares, so they describe proportions rather than counts.
Lens colour distribution
| Lens colour | Share of catalogue |
|---|---|
| Black | 38.1% |
| Brown | 14.4% |
| Green | 10.6% |
| Clear | 9.7% |
| Blue | 8.4% |
| Grey | 5.9% |
Black dominates at well over a third, which reflects demand rather than optical merit. Black and grey together account for 44%, and these are the neutral tints that preserve colour accuracy.
Brown at 14.4% is the second largest, and it is the tint that enhances contrast, which makes it a strong choice in the flat light of overcast and monsoon conditions. Green at 10.6% sits between the two, offering balance.
The 9.7% clear share is worth separating out. These are optical and computer frames rather than sunglasses, which is a reminder that a catalogue described as sunglasses often is not entirely that. Our lens colour guide covers how each tint behaves in practice.
Shape composition
| Shape | Share of catalogue |
|---|---|
| Square | 26.0% |
| Rectangle | 19.7% |
| Wayfarer | 9.4% |
| Aviator | 6.0% |
| Round | 6.0% |
| Wrap around | 4.1% |
| Hexagon | 3.8% |
| Oval | 3.4% |
Square and rectangle together make up 45.7%, close to half of everything available. Adding wayfarer, itself an angular shape, takes angular designs past the halfway mark.
Soft shapes are comparatively scarce. Round and oval together account for 9.4%, which has a direct consequence for anyone with an angular face shape looking for a softer frame to balance it. The frame shapes glossary explains which shapes suit which faces.
Wrap around at 4.1% is the figure worth flagging for anyone buying for sport, dust or wind. Wrap coverage is functionally different from a flat frame, and the available choice is narrow.
What is consistent across the catalogue
Two attributes do not vary at all, and their consistency is more informative than their distribution.
Ultraviolet protection is 100% UV400 across every frame. There is no tiered protection where darker or more expensive frames filter more. This is the correct arrangement, because protection and darkness are unrelated properties and a category system that tied them together would mislead buyers.
Fit designation is unisex across the entire catalogue. Sizing is treated as a function of face measurement rather than gender.
Frame weight sits in a 30g to 35g range across the catalogue, which is at the light end for full-coverage sunglasses and is a function of material selection rather than size reduction.
What the composition tells a buyer
If you want a neutral tint that preserves colour accuracy, you have the widest choice. Black and grey are 44% of what exists.
If you want contrast enhancement for flat light, driving or overcast conditions, brown is your tint and it is roughly one frame in seven.
If you want a round or oval frame, you are choosing from under a tenth of the catalogue, so filter by shape first rather than browsing.
If you need genuine wrap coverage for wind, dust or sport, that is one frame in twenty five. Search for it specifically.
And if ultraviolet protection is your priority, the useful question is not how much a given frame provides but whether the catalogue treats it as a baseline or a differentiator.
Frequently asked questions
Key takeaways
