3D printing is the transformative process of converting a digital model into a tangible three-dimensional object of diverse forms, which involves the successive layering of various materials to shape the final product. Within the realm of eyewear, this innovation encompasses the manufacturing of glasses and the creation of frames. The gamut of eyewear, spanning reading glasses, sunglasses, protective eyewear, and even sports goggles, can reap the rewards of 3D printing technology.

The global market for 3D printing in the eyewear sector is experiencing rapid growth due to the expanding horizons of 3D printing applications. Beyond its initial role in prototyping, this technology has evolved to embrace the production of finished goods, notably sunglasses, protective eyewear, and reading glasses.

The Global 3D Printing in Eyewear Market was valued at around US $621 MM in 2022 and is expected to reach US $1187 MM by 2030 with a CAGR of 12.78% during the forecast period.

Factors Driving the Market

Drivers

Increasing demand for customized eyewear

3D printing, or additive manufacturing, creates a three-dimensional object layer-by-layer using a computer-created design. 3D printing is an additive process whereby layers of material are built up to create a 3D part. 3D printing offers freedom of designs and shapes and uses less material to produce glasses frames. Additive manufacturing also offers new opportunities to improve products with new designs and materials. For example, lighter 3D printed glasses frames can be made thanks to 3D printable frames.

Choosing the right pair takes work for people who wear glasses. Finding comfortable glasses with good design takes time. In some cases, the limited choices of design lead wearers to sacrifice design for comfort. Thanks to this cutting-edge technology, 3D-printed glasses can be customized to fit the individual's needs. This gives wearers a feeling of comfort and a cool style.

Furthermore, increasing demand for fashionable and customized eyewear due to significant growth in social media and fashion influencers on various platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and others leads to increasing consumer spending on the fashion accessories such as eyewear. Such higher spending on fashion products is increasing the demand for customized eyewear and thus driving market growth.

Other drivers include faster prototyping and production and increasing adoption of 3D printing technology.

Challenges

The high cost of the final finishing process to achieve smooth eyewear

3D printing is a promising technology for producing eyewear, offering several advantages over traditional manufacturing methods. For example, 3D printing can create custom-made eyewear perfectly tailored to the individual wearer's needs. Additionally, 3D printing can produce eyewear with complex designs that would be difficult or impossible to manufacture using traditional methods.

However, one of the challenges facing the adoption of 3D printing in the eyewear market is the high cost of the final finishing process. To achieve a smooth, polished finish, 3D-printed eyewear parts must often be subjected to several finishing steps, such as sanding, polishing, and coating. These finishing steps can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, and they can significantly add to the final product's cost.  As a result of the high cost of finishing, 3D-printed eyewear is currently more expensive than eyewear manufactured using traditional methods, restraining the market growth over the forecast period.

Other challenges include the High cost of material required for manufacturing 3D-printed eyewear.

Trends

Increasing new product launches

The global 3D printing in the eyewear market is growing rapidly, and one of the key drivers of this growth is the increasing number of new product launches. In recent years, there have been several new 3D-printed eyewear products launched by companies such as:

In May 2023, Vuzix Corporation, a leading supplier of Smart Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technology and products, and Materialise NV, a 3D printing pioneer, announced a collaborative effort to accelerate the design and production of smart eyewear using 3D printing technology. By integrating 3D printing into manufacturing, Vuzix and Materialise aim to accelerate the development of innovations for enterprise applications, from warehouses to operating rooms.

In April 2022, Materialise announced an expansion of its range of materials, including bio-based Ultrasint PA11, which Odette Lunettes will use to create its sustainable eyewear designs. The Belgian 3D printed solutions provider Materialise said PA11 had been integrated to address overproduction in the fashion industry and meet the expectation of environmentally conscious customers.

As the global 3D printing in the eyewear market continues to grow, we can expect to see even more new product launches in the years to come. This is an exciting time for the 3D printing industry, and it is clear that 3D printing has a major impact on the eyewear market.

Other trends include increasing consumer focus on adopting sustainable fashion and integrating smart features in eyewear.

Market Segmentation

By Material

Based on Material, the market is divided into nylon (polyamide), metal, resin, and others (wood, carbon, etc.). Nylon (Polyamide) led the global 3D Printing in Eyewear market in 2022 and are expected to continue to lead the market during the forecast period. This segment contributed around XX% in 2022 and is expected to hold the fastest-growing CAGR over the forecast period.  Nylon is a versatile material used in additive manufacturing or 3D printing. Nylon is a lightweight material, which makes it ideal for eyewear frames. Lightweight eyewear is more comfortable for extended periods and less likely to cause headaches or neck pain. Nylon is a durable material that can withstand everyday wear and tear. This makes it a good choice for eyewear that will be used in active settings, such as sports or outdoor activities; due to this property of nylon, the material is widely used for various manufacturing 3D printed eyewear and is expected to drive the segment growth.

Market Segmentation

By Technology

Based on Technology, the market is divided into selective laser sintering (SLS), stereolithography (SLA), multi-jet fusion, digital light processing (FDM), and other (binder jetting, etc.). Selective laser sintering (SLS) led the global 3D printing in the eyewear market in 2022 and is expected to continue to lead the market during the forecast period. This segment contributed around XX% in 2022. Selective laser sintering (SLS) is the largest used 3D printing technology for eyewear manufacturing. It offers several advantages over other 3D printing technologies, including precision, freedom of design, strength, cost-effectiveness, etc. In addition to these advantages, SLS is a relatively fast 3D printing technology, which can be important for businesses that need to produce eyewear frames quickly.

Stereolithography (SLA) will be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period, with a CAGR of around XX%, owing to the increasing need for 3D printing in eyewear globally. SLA is a 3D printing technology that uses a laser to cure a liquid resin. This process produces parts with smooth, polished surfaces ideal for eyewear frames, thus contributing to the market share.

Market Segmentation

By Applications

Based on Applications, the market is divided into sunglasses, optical glasses, Safety glasses, and others (sports glasses, etc.). Optical glasses led the global 3D printing in the eyewear market in 2022 and are expected to continue to lead the market during the forecast period. This segment contributed around XX% in 2022. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is when people cannot see objects clearly in the distance. It is the most common eye condition in the world, affecting over 2.6 billion people. The prevalence of myopia is expected to continue to grow in the coming years due to factors such as increased screen time and urbanization., thus contributing to the market and will continue to contribute significantly in the coming years.

Sunglasses will be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period with a CAGR of around XX%; 3d printing allows for custom sunglasses perfectly tailored to the individual wearer's face shape and style preferences. This contrasts traditional sunglasses, which are typically mass-produced and may not fit everyone perfectly, thus contributing to the market share.

By Regions

The market is divided by geography into North America, Europe, APAC, and others. North America led the 3D printing in the eyewear market in 2022 with a market share of around XX%. The high presence of the major key players in the U.S. is the prime factor for the high market share of the North American region.

APAC will be the fastest-growing region during the forecast period with a CAGR of around XX% due to the increasing demand for customized eyewear, and increasing consumer spending on fashion accessories is expected to improve the market growth across the region.  

Competitive Landscape

The global 3D Printing in Eyewear market is concentrated by major key players, namely Formlabs, Inc., MonoQool Eyewear, Carbon, Inc., Fuel 3D, Hoya Corporation, Materialise, Sculpteo, and Seiko Epson Corporation.

Formlabs, Inc. - Formlabs launched its 3D-printed eyewear line in 2019, quickly becoming one of the most popular 3D-printed eyewear brands. Formlabs offers a variety of 3D-printed eyewear frames, lenses, and accessories, allowing customers to customize their eyewear to their exact specifications. It also provides services such as customer care, pro service plan, technical services, premium service plan, standard services plan, medical services plan (MSP), enterprise service plan, and dental service plan (DSP).

MonoQool Eyewear.- MonoQool eyewear is made from nylon using selective laser sintering (SLS) technology. This process allows MonoQool to create eyewear frames with complex designs and precise tolerances. MonoQool eyewear is also lightweight and durable, making it a good choice for people who are active or who live in harsh climates. MonoQool offers a variety of 3D-printed eyewear frames, including sunglasses, prescription glasses, and reading glasses. The company also offers a custom eyewear service for customers to create unique designs.

At present, it contributes very little share in the market, around 10-12%, since it has been authorized comparatively recently and is also available only in Indonesia, Europe, the UK, and Brazil.

 Other Key Market Players

• Carbon, Inc. – Carbon is one of the leading companies in the 3D printing industry. The company's technology is used by businesses worldwide to create high-quality, complex parts. Carbon is also a pioneer in the development of new 3D printing materials.
• Fuel 3D – Fuel 3D is a British company that develops and manufactures 3D printers and printing materials. The company was founded in 2014 by Stuart Mead, Professor Ron Daniel, and Professor Peter Shepherd. Fuel 3D's 3D printers use a process called stereolithography (SLA) to create parts.
• Hoya Corporation – Hoya is one of the world's leading eyeglasses and contact lenses manufacturers. The company offers many products, including prescription glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses. Hoya offers a wide range of prescription glasses, sunglasses, and reading glasses. The company's eyeglasses are made from a variety of materials, including plastic, metal, and titanium
• Materialise – Materialise is one of the leading companies in the 3D printing industry. The company's software and services are used by businesses worldwide to create prototypes, tooling, and end-use products. Materialise is also a pioneer in the development of new 3D printing technologies.
• Sculpteo – Sculpteo is a French company that provides 3D printing services. Sculpteo can print 3D parts from your digital file. The company has a global network of 3D printing facilities that can produce parts in various materials.
• Seiko Epson Corporation – Seiko Epson Corporation is a Japanese multinational electronics company headquartered in Suwa, Nagano, Japan. Epson's 3D printers are used to create prototypes and tooling for manufacturing. They are also used to produce end-use products, such as medical devices and consumer goods.

Recent Developments

1. May 31, 2023: Vuzix and Materialise announced a collaboration to launch new Smart Eyewear with 3D Printing. This collaboration aims to swiftly drive innovations for enterprise applications, ranging from warehouse operations to surgical rooms.
   
   
2. November 19, 2023: Austrian eyewear manufacturer Rolf has designed a plant-based glasses collection called Substance, made from water and powdered castor beans.
   
   
3. December 29, 2022: Meta announced the acquisition of Netherlands-based 3D printed lensmaker Luxexcel. The acquisition will enable Meta to produce prescription augmented reality (AR) glasses using lenses produced with Luxexcel's proprietary 3D printing technology

3D Printing in Eyewear Market Scope

Table of Contents

1... Introduction

1.1 Research Scope

1.2 Market Segmentation

1.3 Research Methodology

2... Executive Summary

3... Market Dynamic

3.1             Market Drivers

3.2             Market Restraints

3.3             Market Opportunities

4... Key Insights

4.1             Number of Major Developments on 3D printing in eyewear Performed in Key Countries, 2021/2022

4.2             New Product Launches, By Key Players

4.3             Key Industry Developments

4.4             Impact of COVID-19 on the 3D printing in eyewear Market

4.5             Regulatory & Reimbursement Scenario, By Key Countries

5... Global 3D printing in eyewear Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2019-2030

5.1             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Material

5.1.1            Nylon (Polyamide)

5.1.2            Metal

                          5.1.3           Resins
                          5.1.4           Others (Wood, Carbon, etc.)

5.2             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Technology

5.2.1            Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

5.2.2            Stereolithography (SLA)

5.2.3         Multi Jet Fusion

                          5.2.4           Digital Light Processing (FDM)
                          5.2.5           Other (Binder Jetting, etc.)

 5.3           Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Application

5.2.1            Sunglasses

5.2.2            Optical Glasses

5.2.3         Safety Glasses

                          5.2.4          Others (Sports Glasses, etc.)

5.5             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Region

5.5.1            North America

5.5.2            Europe

5.5.3            Asia Pacific

5.5.4            Latin America

5.3.5            Middle East & Africa

6... North America 3D printing in eyewear Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2019-2030

6.1             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Material

6.1.1            Nylon (Polyamide)

6.1.2            Metal

                          6.1.3           Resins
                          6.1.4           Others (Wood, Carbon, etc.)

6.2             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Technology

6.2.1            Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

6.2.2            Stereolithography (SLA)

6.2.3            Multi Jet Fusion

                         6.2.4           Digital Light Processing (FDM)
                          6.2.5           Other (Binder Jetting, etc.)

         6.3           Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Application

6.2.1            Sunglasses

6.2.2            Optical Glasses

6.2.3         Safety Glasses

                          6.2.4          Others (Sports Glasses, etc.)

 6.3         Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Country

6.3.1            U.S.

                     6.3.1.1 By Material

6.3.2            Canada

                     6.3.2.1 By Material

7... Europe 3D printing in eyewear Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2019-2030

7.1             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Material

7.1.1            Nylon (Polyamide)

7.1.2            Metal

                          7.1.3           Resins
                          7.1.4           Others (Wood, Carbon, etc.)

7.2             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Technology

7.2.1            Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

7.2.2            Stereolithography (SLA)

7.2.3            Multi Jet Fusion

                          7.2.4          Digital Light Processing (FDM)
                          7.2.5           Other (Binder Jetting, etc.)

   7.3           Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Application

7.2.1            Sunglasses

7.2.2            Optical Glasses

7.2.3         Safety Glasses

                          7.2.4          Others (Sports Glasses, etc.)

                      7.3   Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Country

7.3.1            Germany

                     7.3.1.1 By Material

7.3.2            U.K.

                     7.3.2.1 By Material

7.3.3            France

                     7.3.1.1 By Material

7.3.4            Italy

                     7.3.4.1 By Material

7.3.5            Spain

                     7.3.5.1 By Material

7.3.6            Scandinavia

                     7.3.6.1 By Material

7.3.7            Rest of Europe

                     7.3.7.1 By Material

8... Asia Pacific 3D printing in eyewear Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2019-2030

8.1             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Material

8.1.1            Nylon (Polyamide)

8.1.2            Metal

8.1.3            Resins

                            8.1.4           Others (Wood, Carbon, etc.)

8.2             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Technology

8.2.1            Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

8.2.2            Stereolithography (SLA)

8.2.3            Multi Jet Fusion

                         8.2.4          Digital Light Processing (FDM)
                          8.2.5           Other (Binder Jetting, etc.)

       8.3           Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Application

8.2.1            Sunglasses

8.2.2            Optical Glasses

8.2.3         Safety Glasses

                          8.2.4          Others (Sports Glasses, etc.)

8.3             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Country

8.3.1            China

                     8.3.1.1 By Material

8.3.2            India

                     8.3.2.1 By Material

8.3.3            Japan

                     8.3.1.1 By Material

8.3.4            Australia

                     8.3.2.1 By Material

8.3.5            Southeast Asia

                     8.3.1.1 By Material

8.3.6            Rest of Asia Pacific

                     8.3.2.1 By Material

9... Latin America 3D printing in eyewear Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2019-2030

9.1             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Material

9.1.1            Nylon (Polyamide)

9.1.2            Metal

9.1.3            Resins

                            9.1.4           Others (Wood, Carbon, etc.)

9.2             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Technology

9.2.1            Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

9.2.2            Stereolithography (SLA)

9.2.3            Multi Jet Fusion

                         9.2.4          Digital Light Processing (FDM)
                          9.2.5           Other (Binder Jetting, etc.)

          9.3           Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Application

9.2.1            Sunglasses

9.2.2            Optical Glasses

9.2.3         Safety Glasses

                          9.2.4           Others (Sports Glasses, etc.)
                         

9.3             Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Country

9.3.1            Brazil

                     9.3.1.1 By Material

9.3.2            Mexico

                     9.3.2.1 By Material

9.3.3            Rest of Latin America

                     9.3.1.1 By Material

10. Middle East & Africa 3D printing in eyewear Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2019-2030

10.1           Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Material

10.1.1          Nylon (Polyamide)

10.1.2          Metal

10.1.3          Resins

                            10.1.4         Others (Wood, Carbon, etc.)

10.2           Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Technology

10.2.1          Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

10.2.2          Stereolithography (SLA)

10.2.3          Multi Jet Fusion

                         10.2.4        Digital Light Processing (FDM)
                          10.2.5         Other (Binder Jetting, etc.)

       10.3           Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Application

10.2.1          Sunglasses

10.2.2          Optical Glasses

10.2.3       Safety Glasses

                          10.2.4          Others (Sports Glasses, etc.)
                                                  

10.3           Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast – By Country

10.3.1          GCC Countries

                     10.3.1.1 By Material

10.3.2          South Africa

                     10.3.2.1 By Material

10.3.3          Rest of Middle East & Africa

                     10.3.1.1 By Material

11. Competitive Analysis

11.1           Global Market Share Analysis (2022)

11.2           Company Profiles (Overview, Products, SWOT analysis, Recent developments, strategies, financials (based on availability))

11.2.1          Sanofi Pasteur

11.2.1.1 Overview

11.2.1.2 Products

11.2.1.3 SWOT analysis

11.2.1.4 Recent developments

11.2.1.5 strategies

11.2.1.6 financials (based on availability)

11.2.2           Formlabs Inc.

11.2.2.1 Overview

11.2.2.2 Products

11.2.2.3 SWOT analysis

11.2.2.4 Recent developments

11.2.2.5 strategies

11.2.2.6 financials (based on availability)

11.2.3           MonoQool Eyeweare

11.2.3.1 Overview

11.2.3.2 Products

11.2.3.3 SWOT analysis

11.2.3.4 Recent developments

11.2.3.5 strategies

11.2.3.6 financials (based on availability)

11.2.4           Carbon, Inc.

11.2.4.1 Overview

11.2.4.2 Products

11.2.4.3 SWOT analysis

11.2.4.4 Recent developments

11.2.4.5 strategies

11.2.4.6 financials (based on availability)

11.2.5           FormLabs

11.2.5.1 Overview

11.2.5.2 Products

11.2.5.3 SWOT analysis

11.2.5.4 Recent developments

11.2.5.5 strategies

11.2.5.6 financials (based on availability)

11.2.6           Fuel 3D

11.2.6.1 Overview

11.2.6.2 Products

11.2.6.3 SWOT analysis

11.2.6.4 Recent developments

11.2.6.5 strategies

11.2.6.6 financials (based on availability)

11.2.7           Hoya Corporation

11.2.7.1 Overview

11.2.7.2 Products

11.2.7.3 SWOT analysis

11.2.7.4 Recent developments

11.2.7.5 strategies

11.2.7.6 financials (based on availability)

11.2.8           Materialise

11.2.8.1 Overview

11.2.8.2 Products

11.2.8.3 SWOT analysis

11.2.8.4 Recent developments

11.2.8.3 strategies

11.2.8.6 financials (based on availability)

11.2.9           Sculpteo

11.2.9.1 Overview

11.2.9.2 Products

11.2.9.3 SWOT analysis

11.2.9.4 Recent developments

11.2.9.5 strategies

11.2.9.6 financials (based on availability)

11.2.10         Seiko Epson Corporation

11.2.10.1 Overview

11.2.10.2 Products

11.2.10.3 SWOT analysis

11.2.10.4 Recent developments

11.2.10.5 strategies

11.2.10.6 financials (based on availability)

Global 3D Printing In the Eyewear Market Segmentation

3D Printing In the Eyewear by Material: Market Size & Forecast 2023-2030

• Nylon (Polyamide)
• Metal
• Resins
• Others (Wood, Carbon, etc.)

3D Printing In the Eyewear by Technology: Market Size & Forecast 2023-2030

• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
• Stereolithography (SLA)
• Multi Jet Fusion
• Digital Light Processing (FDM)
• Other (Binder Jetting, etc.)

3D Printing In the Eyewear by Application: Market Size & Forecast 2023-2030

• Sunglasses
• Optical Glasses
• Safety Glasses
• Others (Sports Glasses, etc.)

3D Printing In the Eyewear by Geography: Market Size & Forecast 2023-2030

• North America (USA, Canada, Mexico)
• Europe (Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy, Rest of Europe)
• Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, South Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Rest of Asia-Pacific)
• South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Rest of South America)
• Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Rest of MEA)

Major Players:

• Sanofi Pasteur
• Formlabs Inc.
• MonoQool Eyewear
• Carbon, Inc.
• Fuel 3D
• Hoya Corporation
• Materialise
• Sculpteo
• Seiko Epson Corporation