The latest news and analysis about trade, imports, exports, tariffs and sourcing.
Italy’s eyewear sector ramps up export promotion efforts
Italy’s eyewear industry has ramped up efforts to promote its products overseas, as tariffs, geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty bite, but new markets also provide opportunities.
Meta and Essilux reported AI glasses capacity doubling no easy task
Meta and EssilorLuxottica are discussing boosting their Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses annual production capacity to 20-30 million units to address growing demand, Bloomberg reported yesterday. The leak came from people familiar with the matter who asked to remain anonymous, which may also mean that it is a deliberate communication strategy ...
Meta pauses international Ray-Ban Display launch amid AR supply-chain crunch
Meta has postponed the international launch of its Ray-Ban Display AR glasses, citing overwhelming US demand and waitlists extending into 2026. The delay highlights critical supply chain bottlenecks in waveguide production and memory chips, as the smart eyewear market reaches a tipping point for consumer adoption.
Italian eyewear exports slip 3% in first eight months as US struggles, other markets improve
The value of Italian eyewear exports in the first eight months of 2025 fell by3.4 percent to €3,519 million as sales in the US continued to suffer in the wake of tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump earlier this year but markets in Europe and elsewhere showed signs of ...
Italian H1 eyewear down 4% as Europe, China and others partially offset US collapse
The value of Italian eyewear exports in the first half of 2025 fell by 3.7 percent to €2,779 million, dragged down by the collapse of the US market in the wake of tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, data from eyewear trade association ANFAO showed.
Italy Q1 eyewear exports fall 1.5% as industry braces for higher US tariffs
The value of Italian eyewear exports in the first quarter of 2025 fell by 1.5 percent compared to the year earlier to €1,427 million, as the market’s contraction deepened following a 0.6 percent fall in exports in 2024, according to data from eyewear trade association ANFAO.
Italian eyewear industry warns companies risk survival with hefty US tariffs
Should US President Donald Trump follow through with a threat to impose hefty import tariffs on European Union goods, many Italian eyewear companies could see their survival threatened, warned Lorraine Berton, President of the Italian eyewear association ANFAO.
Unclear US ‘Transshipping’ tariff rate scope keeps Vietnam on its toes
Two days ahead of the July 9 deadline for the US “reciprocal tariffs” pause – or rather, the reduction of all import duties to a 10 percent baseline rate – only two ”definitive” bilateral agreements have been announced by President Donald Trump: with the UK, in early May, and with ...
US-China tariffs climbdown provides ‘breathing room’ but uncertainties loom large
In a steeper-than-expected climbdown of the trade war between the US and China, both superpowers agreed yesterday to slash down their respective “reciprocal” tariffs for a period of 90 days, approximately one month after their implementation. The agreement followed a weekend of trade talks in Switzerland and was accompanied by ...
The Vision Council highlights change in US customs tactics, analyzes supply chain scenarios
TVC details the impact of the US administration’s trade policy changes on eyewear supply chains, and sends a delegation to the White House to advocate on behalf of its 500+ members and the eyewear sector at large.