Find out where Oakleys are made and whether the sunglasses are still Made in the USA!
If you’ve ever bought a pair of Oakley Sunglasses, you may have wondered where exactly they’re made. Is it the USA, China, or somewhere else? It can be confusing and has created controversy in the company’s history, as the location has changed over time for some pairs.
But don’t worry; we’ll explain what you need to know and how you can spot where your sunglasses were made.
Are Oakleys Made in the USA?
Since the beginning of Oakley, their sunglasses have been designed and made in the United States of America (USA). Some pairs were even manufactured at their Foothill Ranch headquarters.
However, after Luxottica acquired Oakley in 2007, this began to change.
Luxottica is one of the largest eyewear manufacturers and retailers in the world. So it’s no surprise that they already have large factories in Italy (their headquarters) and China.
But that hasn’t changed where Oakleys are designed.
All Oakleys are still designed and engineered in the USA at their Foothill Ranch Headquarters.
Additionally, up to 70% of Oakley parts are still manufactured in the USA as well. However, some parts are produced in the Luxottica factories overseas.
Let’s also be clear that whether your sunglasses were made in China or the US doesn’t tell you if they’re real. To determine authenticity, we recommend checking out our guide to spot fake Oakleys.
How can you tell which Oakleys are made in the USA?
One of the questions you may have now is if there’s any way to tell which Oakleys or even parts are made in the USA. Unfortunately, the answer is it’s complicated.
If a pair is made entirely in the USA, you will typically find the “USA Made” or “Made in the USA” stamp on the frame. This doesn’t mean that if your frame doesn’t have this, it was made outside the USA or fake. These markings have been phased out a bit in recent years, so it’s not always the best indicator.
Obviously, if your sunglasses are stamped with “Made in China,” this is a giveaway that they were indeed made outside the USA. A general rule of thumb is if your Oakleys are from prior to 2013 (approximately), they were made in the USA. This is the approximate time period when more production began shipping overseas.
There are also Oakleys with the marking: “Assembled in the USA.” This marking means parts may have been created in other countries, but the pair was assembled in the US.
What Oakleys Are Made in the USA?
Almost all military or Oakley Standard Issue ballistic sunglasses, such as the Ballistic M Frame, are made in the USA. Additionally, any pairs stamped with the “Made in the USA” are indeed produced in the United States.
For standard pairs, most O-Matter, Wireframe, or Acetate frame models are made in China and will be stamped accordingly.
While specific pairs vary, most of the limited edition Oakleys, like the re-released MUZM series X-Metals, were made in the US.
As we mentioned above, the easiest way to know is to look for markings on the earstem that will indicate where the sunglasses were made.
Has the Quality Changed?
With all this talk of Oakleys made in the USA vs. China or Italy, the question may be, are they the same quality? Short answer – Yes. Despite certain manufacturing of parts overseas, Oakley continues to maintain the same high level of standards, patented technologies, and materials.
Join our community and let us know what your sunglasses are stamped with or where they are made in the comments below!
