A complete eyewear RFQ (Request for Quote) contains eight sections: company background, product specs, materials, customization, quantities, quality requirements, packaging, and commercial terms. A well-written RFQ gets you accurate quotes in one round — an incomplete one gets you three rounds of back-and-forth and quotes you cannot compare.
This article provides a ready-to-use RFQ template. Copy it, fill in your details, and send it to any Sunglasses factory. You will be surprised how much better the quotes you receive become.
Why RFQ Quality Determines Quote Quality
The factory responds to exactly what you send. A one-line email — "please quote for custom sunglasses" — forces the salesperson to make assumptions: about material, lens type, logo technique, packaging, and volume. Every assumption is a potential mismatch between what you want and what gets quoted.
A detailed RFQ signals three things to the factory:
- You know what you want — you are a serious buyer
- You will compare quotes — they must price competitively
- You are ready to move — you get priority treatment
Factories receive dozens of vague inquiries weekly. Detailed RFQs go to the top of the queue.
The Eyewear RFQ Template
Section 1: Company Background
Company name: Country / market: Business type: Brand / Retailer / Importer / Designer Brand name (if applicable): Target launch date: Order frequency: One-time / Seasonal / Recurring
Why the factory needs this: Your market determines compliance requirements (US FDA, EU CE, Australia AS/NZS). Your launch date determines whether standard or express production applies. Recurring buyers get better terms.
Section 2: Product Type
Product category: Sunglasses / Optical frames / Reading Glasses / Combination Frame material: Acetate / Metal / Titanium / TR90 / Wood / Horn / Combination Frame style: Cat-eye / Round / Square / Aviator / Geometric / Oversized Number of styles: Number of colors per style:
Section 3: Materials (If You Have Preferences)
Acetate supplier: Mazzucchelli / Jimei / Jinyu / No preference Sheet thickness: 6mm / 8mm / Custom Lens type: Polarized / UV400 tinted / Photochromic / Anti-blue / Clear Lens supplier: Zeiss / Essilor / HOYA / CHEMI / No preference Lens coating: AR / Scratch-resistant / Hydrophobic / None Hinge type: 3-barrel / 5-barrel / Spring / Custom Metal finish: Gold / Silver / Rose gold / Gunmetal / No preference
Section 4: Customization Level
Customization model: Semi-Custom (existing frames) / Full OEM (new molds) / ODM (factory designs) If Semi-Custom: Which frame catalog styles do you like? (list style numbers) If Full OEM: Do you have CAD files? / A reference frame? / Sketches? Logo technique: Pad print / Laser engraving / Hot stamp / Metal plate / No logo Logo placement: Outer temple / Inner temple / Lens / Temple tip
Section 5: Quantities
MOQ per style: Total order quantity: Sampling quantity: 1 / 2 / 5 / 10 pieces Expected annual volume (if recurring):
Section 6: Quality Requirements
Target market compliance: US / EU / UK / Australia / Other Certifications required: FDA / CE / UKCA / REACH / RoHS / Other Third-party inspection: Required / Not required / Undecided Inspection agency preference: SGS / TUV / Bureau Veritas / Other Acceptable defect rate:
Section 7: Packaging and Branding
Packaging type: Poly bag / Paper box / Rigid box / Custom Case: Standard / Custom branded Accessories: Cleaning cloth / Hangtag / Sticker / Manual Label requirements:
Section 8: Commercial Terms
Target price per piece (if you have one): Payment terms preference: T/T / L/C / PayPal / Escrow Shipping method: Air express / Sea freight / Rail Destination port / address: Incoterm preference: FOB / CIF / EXW / DDP
Three Mistakes That Ruin RFQs
Mistake 1: No Target Price
Some buyers hide their budget, fearing the factory will quote high. The opposite is true — without a target price, the factory quotes their full margin and you negotiate down from there. State a realistic range ("our target is $8-10 per piece at 300 units") and you get quotes engineered to that range.
Mistake 2: Overloading One RFQ
Sending 20 styles, 5 materials, and 3 customization levels in one RFQ produces an unquotable mess. Split into a single clear scenario, or structure the RFQ as "Style A: acetate Semi-Custom, Style B: titanium Full OEM."
Mistake 3: No Deadlines
Without a response deadline, quotes trickle in over weeks — by which time your timeline has shifted and the quotes are stale. Set a clear expectation: "Quotes received after [date] will be considered for the next order cycle."
What a Good Quote Should Contain
When the factory responds, check that their quote breaks down:
| Line Item | Why It Matters |
| Unit price by quantity tier | Confirms volume discounts are real |
| Mold cost (if Full OEM) | Should be a separate line, $500-800 per mold |
| Sampling cost and timeline | Should be separate from production |
| Production lead time | 3-4 weeks Semi-Custom, 6-8 weeks Full OEM |
| Shipping cost by method | Compare apples to apples across suppliers |
| Payment terms | Deposit percentage, balance before or after shipping |
| Validity period | How long the quote holds |
If any of these are missing, ask before comparing quotes across factories — otherwise you are comparing different things.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many factories should I send my RFQ to?
3-5. Enough for a baseline, few enough to manage the responses. Sending to 20 factories signals you are shopping on price alone.
Should I send my RFQ to factories and trading companies?
No. Trading companies add margin and cannot control quality directly. Send only to verified factories — see our 7-point manufacturer checklist.
Can I send the same RFQ to multiple factories?
Yes, and you should. Just remove any confidential details (your brand name, your pricing) before sending.
What if a factory asks for clarification instead of quoting?
That is a good sign — it means they read your RFQ carefully. A factory that quotes immediately on a vague RFQ is often quoting from a template.
