15 Best Australian Sunglasses Brands

We all know sunglasses are essential when you’re living in Australia; our harsh sun, glorious as it may be, can take its toll on our eyes. But sunglasses are more than eye protection; they’re a fashion statement and an expression of style, and with so many brands out there, it can be hard to find the perfect pair for you.

Best Australian Sunglasses Brands at a Glance

Our picks from Australia’s best sunglasses brands, matched to what you need versus what you’re currently wearing.

• Best overall: Pacifico Optical. Handmade locally from German and Italian materials and fitted with Carl Zeiss Vision lenses, these are designer frames with optics to match.
• Best for value: Quay. The men’s range covers oversized coastal, classic and sports-inspired shapes, and every pair sits at a budget price.
• For Japanese craftsmanship: Dot Dot. Handcrafted in Japan from first-rate materials, these sit at the higher end of the list but deliver a finish that justifies the price.
• Best for recycled frames: Good Citizens. Every frame is made entirely from recycled single-use bottles, a mission that has earned it a Selfridges window and a speaking slot at the UN.
• For surfer style: Le Specs. Around for decades, it blends modern shapes with a hint of surfer chic, from swinging sixties to grungy nineties looks.

Now that you’ve read our favourites, let’s check out the complete list.

Best Australian Sunglasses Brands

So if you’re looking for men’s or women’s Australian designer or Australian-made sunglasses to buy online, we’ve got you covered. Here is a list of the best Australian sunglasses brands.

1. Pacifico Optical

Featured many times across Man of Many and even Vogue, Pacifico Optical is the ultimate designer brand for beach-loving Aussies. Their premium handmade sunglasses are designed here in Bondi, using the finest quality German and Italian materials and featuring Carl Zeiss Vision lenses (basically, the best of the best).

If you’re looking for designer sunglasses online, you can shop their collection on the Pacifico Optical website. With prices starting from just $159 and free shipping and returns in Australia, it’s not hard to see why Pacifico Optical is one of the best Australian sunglasses brands.

The current range uses two earthy frame colours, Tuscan Green and Sahara Sand, across the Yacht Master, Buckler and Lucius, each with a polarised green, grey or brown lens. The bigger reason to buy direct is Try Before You Buy. You choose up to two frames, the order total is held on your card but not charged, and you get three days at home to decide. Send everything back, and a restocking fee applies. AM Eyewear gives you longer to make up your mind.

• Founder: Alain Guglielmino, Nick Guzowski
• Year Established: 2013
• Place of Launch: Bondi Beach

2. Local Supply

Another Bondi-born sunglasses brand, Local Supply is worn and loved by home-grown celebs, including Olia Burtaev, world-famous synchronised swimmer, and Genesis Owusu, one of Australia’s hottest hip-hop artists. Using the world’s best designers and high-tech manufacturers, Local Supply prides itself on creating strong yet lightweight frames with polarised lenses.

But that doesn’t mean they come with an outrageous price tag; in fact, all of their cool sunglasses can be snatched up for under $100. If you’re after cheap Australian sunglasses that don’t compromise on quality or style, it doesn’t get much better than Local Supply.

Founder: Sean Satha
Year Established: 2013
Place of Launch: Bondi Beach

Local Supply now leads with sustainability. The frames are plant-based, the lenses are bio-nylon, and every pair comes with the brand’s free No Worries cover. The current lineup runs on short model names such as ROM, MEX, VIE and CMB, in colourways from tort brown to gold green. Buy these if weight is your priority and you want a pair you forget you’re wearing. If materials and warranty matter more than lightness, Mari & Clay adds polarised lenses and a lifetime craftsmanship warranty.

3. Bailey Nelson

Bailey Nelson is an Australian designer sunglasses brand that does it all. Optical glasses, contact lenses and, of course, sunnies. It has a great range of unique, fashion-forward shades to suit every style, whether you prefer a classic look or something a little edgier.

The Australian eyewear brand’s boutiques are scattered across Australia, with one in every major city, but if you prefer to shop online, you can simply jump onto their website. Since launching in 2012 on Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, Bailey Nelson has dished up a smattering of beautiful, affordable sunglasses that are now sold in London, New Zealand, and Canada, too. Alternatively, you can simply visit the website if you prefer to buy sunglasses online in Australia.

Bailey Nelson’s real edge over most brands here is the eye care behind it. Stores run comprehensive eye tests, the site lists health fund support and accepts external prescriptions, so this is the obvious pick if you need prescription sunnies rather than a fashion frame. The current sun range includes the Twiggy, Otis and Emilio, with the Kaia listed as coming soon. A Bio & Recycled line covers buyers who might otherwise look at Mari & Clay or Szade.

• Founder: Nick Perry, Scott Triana, Peter Winkle
• Year Established: 2012
• Place of Launch: Bondi Beach

4. Quay

Cool and affordable? Quay is a Melbourne-born Australian sunglasses brand that manages to be both, and they’ve built a loyal following (#QUAYSQUAD) not only in Australia but around the world. Their men’s sunglasses collection features a range of styles, from oversized coastal looks to classic shapes to sports-inspired looks, all for less than $70.

These high-performance sunnies are inspired by the ultra-cool music artists and festival-goers of Melbourne, so you know you’ll stand out in the crowd. Made from quality, long-lasting materials, these sunnies offer a flexible, lightweight fit, so they’re comfy as well as cool. Also, their reasonable pricing makes Quay a contender for best sunglasses Australia has to offer.

Founder: Linda and Allen Hammond
Year Established: 2004
Place of Launch: Melbourne

Fit is the detail worth knowing. Quay sorts its frames into Low Bridge Fit and Universal Fit, both with adjustable nose pads, which helps if standard frames slide down your nose or rest on your cheeks. Not every pair is polarised, so check the name, as with the All Good Polarised and Techno Polarised from the new arrivals. A Virtual Try-On tool covers the range. Le Specs offers the same virtual try-on, but its styling is more retro and less festival.

5. RIXX Eyewear

Born out of a need for affordable, high-quality frames that exude personal style, RIXX Eyewear is a shoo-in for our favourite Australian sunglasses brand. With a host of fantastic designs and silhouettes (our editor has been rocking a pair since 2017), RIXX has fast become one of the top exports in the global fashion game. The brand first rose to prominence a few years back when NFL legend Odell Beckham Jr. was spotted wearing a pair of the Orbits in Champagne. If it’s good enough for one of the most stylish men on earth, it’s good enough for us.

Founders: Tommy Sheridan and Coen Rodgers
Year Established: 2016
Place of Launch: Perth

RIXX is marking ten years by bringing back early frames, including the Orbit in Black and Wolf Grey and the Eclipse in Black and Gold, all listed as coming soon. That’s good news if you missed the Orbit the first time. The SoHo is now the core model and comes in standard, Large and Extra Large, which is unusual sizing and makes RIXX the first stop in this list for bigger heads. The Ginni x RIXX collaboration adds metal-toned options in gold and silver.

6. Dot Dot

Dot Dot Eyewear is an Australian-owned designer brand known for its effortlessly chic, selfie-ready sunglasses collection. Handcrafted by expert craftsmen in Japan using first-rate materials, these high-end sunnies exude quality and class, and they offer both contemporary styles and classic looks, so you’re bound to fall in love with at least one! Dot Dot sits on the more expensive side of Australian sunglasses brands, with prices starting around $350, but if you check out their collection (exclusively online), you’ll quickly see why.

• Founder: Michael Koutroulis
• Year Established: 2017
• Place of Launch: Sabae, Japan

7. AM Eyewear

AM Eyewear doesn’t sell your run-of-the-mill shades; no, these babies are handcrafted Australian sunglasses that have an element of individuality that not many other brands can boast. Top-quality Carl Zeiss nylon lenses with Gold ET AR back coating are set in unique frames to protect your eyes and add style. Each frame is carefully crafted from premium materials, so you can be confident they will last. AM Eyewear was founded in 2003 with a mission to create unique handcrafted frames in Australia, and it’s now a global favourite.

Frames are now cut from Italian bio-acetate, still paired with ZEISS lenses, and AM Eyewear runs a buy-back program alongside its sustainability pitch. The free home try-on is generous: up to two frames for seven days, paying only for what you keep, compared with three days at Pacifico Optical. The Lukie and Tommy both come in Large versions for broader faces, and every order ships with a free monogrammed case. If you want polarised lenses, check the model first, as the Todd and Charlie are offered in polarised versions.

• Founder: Simon Kumar Ponnusammy
• Year Established: 2003
• Place of Launch: Sydney

8. Le Specs

Le Specs is a well-established Australian sunglasses brand that’s been around since 1979, so if there’s any brand that knows its stuff when it comes to sunnies, it’s these guys. These Australian designer sunglasses stay fresh and modern while adding a hint of surfer chic, whether it’s swinging 60s or grungy 90s.

It’s the brand of choice for many stars, including Lady Gaga and Zayn Malik, and for customers of popular retailers like David Jones and Nordstrom. Le Specs is an Australian eyewear company that’s long maintained its status as one of the best Australian sunglasses brands.

• Founder: Hamish Tame (Creative Director)
• Year Established: 1979
• Place of Launch: Bondi Beach

9. Mari & Clay

Crafted by Melbourne-based optometrists, Mari & Clay make some of the best sunglasses for your style and the environment. After many years as practitioners, the pair noticed the significant waste the industry produces, which prompted them to launch the business. Mari & Clay provides modern, sustainable sunglasses for people who appreciate timeless and thoughtful designs.

• Year Established: 2020
• Place of Launch: Melbourne

10. Good Citizens

Good Citizens is an Australian sunglasses brand focused on what matters. A story of sheer determination, Good Citizens believes in the power of ‘untrashing’ the planet. The brand turns single-use bottles into 100% recycled sunglasses. From an entire window in Selfridges London to speaking at the UN, Good Citizens is an Aussie brand kicking goals on the global stage.

Year founded: 2020
Headquarters: Balmain, Sydney
Founder: Nik Robinson

Repairability sets Good Citizens apart. It sells spare parts through its Fix & Mix range, so a snapped arm doesn’t mean a new pair, and the frames are made in Sydney, not just designed there. The range has grown to include prescription and reading glasses, all with 100 per cent UV protection lenses. If recycled material is your priority, Szade is the closest rival. If you’re hard on your sunnies, the replaceable parts make Good Citizens the better buy.

11. Soda Shades

With trendsetting styles that are always current, Soda Shades sunnies are as refreshing as an icy lime-spritzed soda on a summer’s day. It’s what all the hip young people are wearing, so if that’s your crowd (or if you want it to be), then go check out their collection, available online only, for now, at least. These Instagram-worthy Australian shades are all about making a statement without breaking the bank, and this Aussie brand uses premium polarised lenses, so you know you’ll be protected.

• Founder: Stephanie Claire Smith, Josh Miller, Luke Young, Georgie Saggers
• Year Established: 2018
• Place of Launch: Instagram

12. Chronicles Of Never

Chronicles of Never sunglasses are pretty much as cool as they sound. Australian designer sunglasses brand Chronicles of Never was founded in 2006 by Gareth Moody, one of the original founders of the clothing brand Ksubi. Chronicles of Never originally started as a clothing brand, and the collection soon expanded to include high-end sunnies that are timeless and classic, yet effortlessly sophisticated with their signature black frames and lenses. If you’re looking for good designer sunglasses in Australia, you can score a pair at David Jones and other boutiques around the country.

• Founder: Gareth Moody
• Year Established: 2006

13. Ozeano Vision

Headquartered on Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, sustainable Australian sunglasses brand Ozeano Vision is local to the core. The brand makes all its frames from an innovative, environmentally friendly material that is plant-based and 100 per cent biodegradable. Even better, Ozeano Vision helps fund the collection of 12KG of ocean litter with every sale through our partnership with the Australian company Seabin Project. All that means you can feel good while you look good.

• Year Established: 2018
• Place of Launch: Bondi

14. South Cali

This Australian sunglass brand may be inspired by the beautiful beaches of Southern California, but don’t let that fool you; they are designed right here. With polarised lenses and a UV-400 protection rating, you can be sure South Cali sunnies are among the best polarised sunglasses in Australia. Few pairs of sunglasses do a better job of shielding your eyes from the harsh Aussie sun.

These affordable sunnies reflect the carefree vibes and trendsetting styles that the world’s sunniest state is known for. Named after California beaches, many of these sunnies feature dreamy blue lenses that remind you of the ocean, in a variety of shapes and styles. Regardless of the brand name, South Cali makes some of the best cheap Designer sunglasses Australia claims as its own.

• Founder: Chad Stephens
• Year Established: 2013
• Place of Launch: Melbourne

15. Szade

Designed in Melbourne, Szade aims to break the cycle of waste and excess in the Australian sunglasses industry. The brand takes broken, discarded sunglasses destined for landfill and turns them into a premium, 100 per cent certified recycled product. It gives everyone the power to buy sunglasses that are better for the planet and make them feel good, both physically and consciously.

Place of Launch: Melbourne

The frames to look at now are the Ryder, Austin and Cherry, and every Szade frame comes with a warranty. Each style starts as a hand sketch, and the brand documents each frame’s journey from drawing to finished sunglasses, which is a nice touch if you want to know where your pair came from. Good Citizens is the better pick for replaceable parts. Szade suits buyers who want frames made from old sunglasses rather than bottles.

Things to Consider When Buying Australian Sunglasses

Before settling on a brand, think about where you’ll wear your sunglasses and what you’re willing to spend. Style matters, but a good pair should also protect your eyes, fit comfortably and stand up to everyday use.

• UV protection: Look for sunglasses labelled UV400 or offering 100 per cent UV protection. In Australia, Category 2 or 3 lenses are generally suitable for everyday use, while Category 4 lenses are too dark for driving.
• Polarised lenses: These help reduce glare from reflective surfaces such as water, roads and sand. They’re worth considering if you spend plenty of time outdoors, although polarisation doesn’t automatically mean better UV protection.
• Fit and comfort: Consider frame width, nose bridge and temple length. Sunglasses that pinch, slide down your nose or sit against your cheeks won’t be comfortable for long.
• Materials and durability: Acetate, titanium and lightweight plastics each have their advantages. Look beyond the frame material to hinge quality, scratch resistance and the availability of replacement parts.
• Price and after-sales support: A higher price doesn’t necessarily mean better protection. Consider warranties, returns, prescription options and whether you can try the frames before committing.

How Man of Many Chose the Best Australian Sunglasses Brands

Our editors live in Australia and wear sunglasses year-round, so this list starts with first-hand experience of how local frames hold up under harsh UV, salt air and long days outdoors. We added independent research and a close read of customer reviews to check those impressions against a wider pool of owners. When ranking, we weighed lens quality and UV protection, frame materials and build, fit and comfort, design range, warranty and after-sales service, and value against comparable brands. You can review our editorial policy here for more on how we maintain our independence.

Alternatives to the Best Australian Sunglasses Brands

If nothing here quite fits, start with how you’ll actually use them. If you wear prescription glasses, an optometrist can often fit tinted or polarised lenses to a frame you already like. For cycling, running or time on the water, sport-specific eyewear gives up some style for grip, coverage and impact resistance. A cheaper pair suits beach days and the pair you’ll inevitably lose; a secondhand or vintage frame can get you quality acetate for less than new.

Australian Sunglass Brands FAQs