Wholesale Eclipse Glasses: ISO 12312-2 Supply for Schools, Events, and Retailers
Orders start at 500 units. Send us your volume, country and event date and we introduce you by email to a manufacturer whose ISO 12312-2 paperwork we have reviewed. The service is free, we add no markup, and we neither make nor ship the glasses. Below: what to ask any supplier for before you pay.
How a wholesale request works
Eclipse Guide is not a shop. We do not manufacture eclipse glasses, hold stock or ship orders. You tell us your volume, target date, country and whether you need branding. If we have a manufacturer that fits, we make a direct introduction by email, and a person reads every request. Pricing, samples, lead time and the contract are then between you and the manufacturer.
What we do
- ✓Ask each manufacturer for a certificate of conformity naming the filter material and, where one exists, a test report from an accredited lab, before we route requests to it.
- ✓Match your volume, timeline, country and branding needs to a manufacturer that fits.
- ✓Make a direct email introduction, at no cost to you.
What we don't do
- ✗We don't manufacture eclipse glasses or hold stock.
- ✗We don't set or mark up pricing; you negotiate with the manufacturer.
- ✗We're not a party to the contract, the shipment or the invoice.
The minimum is 500 units. For fewer pairs, a retail multi-pack is usually the better fit.
What to put in your request, by buyer type
Manufacturers issue their own quotes once they have these details. A range is enough to start.
| Buyer type | What drives the order | Worth specifying in your message |
|---|---|---|
| Schools & universities | Safety compliance and duty of care | Student count, indoor or outdoor viewing, adults per student |
| Event organizers & municipalities | A fixed date that cannot slip | Expected attendance, handed out or pre-registered pickup, rain-date plan |
| Retailers & distributors | Resale margin and shelf timing | One-time order or restock, private label, return terms, the country you sell in |
| Media, corporate & nonprofits | A confirmed final quantity | Branding, giveaway or staff-only, delivery deadline before the event |
What to ask a wholesale supplier for before you pay
A printed "ISO 12312-2" proves nothing by itself. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) says anyone can print such a statement, and that some companies have printed a listed manufacturer's name on their own products.
Read the label first
Madrid's municipal consumer institute tells buyers to look for the exact wording EN ISO 12312-2:2015 on the glasses, the pack or the instructions. A pair marked only "ISO 12312-1" meets the standard for ordinary sunglasses and is not for looking at the Sun. The same guide lists what the label must carry: the name and details of the manufacturer or EU importer, use and storage instructions, and warnings, at least in Spanish for sales in Spain. In Great Britain, gov.uk requires distributors to check that PPE has the right marking and instructions in easily understandable English.
Three documents to request
Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2016/425 treats eye damage from sunlight as a minimal risk only "other than during observation of the sun". Direct solar viewing is therefore outside that minimal-risk category. Spain's consumer ministry classes eclipse glasses as Category II, which covers the remaining risks, and Article 19 requires an EU type-examination by a notified body for that category. Ask the supplier for each item below, and keep copies.
| Document | What it shows | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Test report from an accredited laboratory | The filter was measured against ISO 12312-2, which caps visible light at 0.0032% transmitted | The report names the exact model you are ordering and the lab's accreditation covers this test |
| EU type-examination certificate | A notified body examined the product under Regulation (EU) 2016/425 | The notified body's number is on the certificate; look the body up in the European Commission's NANDO database |
| Declaration of conformity | The manufacturer's own statement that the product meets the standard and the regulation | It names the product and the standard. Manufacturers must keep it and the technical file for 10 years (Article 8), so a supplier can produce a copy |
Check lots, not only the sample
One approved sample says nothing about unit two thousand. When University of New South Wales researchers measured 43 commercially sold filters, only 18 met the visible-light requirement (details in our eclipse glasses guide). Ask how the manufacturer spot-checks finished lots, and whether the lab report's model number matches the lot you are buying.
Test the sample, then still read the paperwork
The AAS indoor and outdoor tests are in our guide to checking a pair. The AAS says a pair that passes is "probably" safe, not certainly safe. Certainty comes from accredited-lab testing, which it describes as the manufacturer's job.
Shelf life, storage and reselling
Does stock expire?
The American Astronomical Society says compliant modern viewers last up to 10 years if stored and kept in good condition. The conditions are ISO 12312-2 compliance and an intact filter: no punctures, scratches or tears, and lenses still attached to the frame. One manufacturer still prints a 3-year warning, and Madrid's consumer institute says a label must carry an expiry date when the filter material is not durable. Follow the date on the pack, inspect stock before each handout, and bin damaged pairs.
Selling to the public
The AAS no longer vets resellers. It tells consumers to buy from a listed manufacturer or its publicly identified authorized dealers, and asks manufacturers to publish their reseller lists. As a retailer, ask your supplier to confirm in writing that you are an authorized dealer. In the EU, Article 11 of Regulation (EU) 2016/425 requires distributors to check the CE marking and the accompanying documents and instructions before selling.
Lead time and the eclipse calendar
Counted from 12 October 2026, the total eclipse of 2 August 2027 is 294 days away. Totality crosses Morocco, Spain, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia, and the eclipse is partial across Europe. The annular eclipse of 6 February 2027 is not visible from mainland Europe. In 2028, an annular eclipse on 26 January crosses Spain and Portugal, and a total one on 22 July crosses Australia and New Zealand (NASA, summarized on our calendar to 2030).
We cannot promise stock, delivery dates or prices. Each manufacturer quotes its own lead time, and custom printing adds to it. Two suppliers publish their terms: Voir aussi : When Is the Next Solar Eclipse?.
Published trade terms, for scale
| Supplier | Minimum order | Lead time stated | Price stated | Documents published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Eclipse (EU) | 500 pairs for custom printing; stock cartons of 50, 100 or 1,200 | About six weeks after payment and artwork approval, plus delivery (custom orders) | 100-unit carton €169; 1,200-unit carton €1,500 (limited offer); stock prices include VAT | Laboratory test report, EU type-examination certificate, declaration of conformity |
| Helioclipse | 1,000 units | About one week for smaller volumes to several weeks for the largest runs | No public price list; quoted by quantity, destination and timeline | Laboratory test report, CE certificate, declaration of conformity |
Read on 12 October 2026 from the suppliers' own pages. These are their terms, not Eclipse Guide offers, and they change.
Frequently asked questions
What's the minimum order quantity?
500 units. Below that, a retail multi-pack is usually the better fit. Tell us your volume in the form, from 500 units to tens of thousands, and we route your request to a manufacturer whose capacity fits it.
Do you manufacture or ship the glasses yourselves?
No. We review manufacturers' ISO 12312-2 documentation and connect buyers with them directly. Production, pricing, samples and shipping are handled between you and the manufacturer, not through us.
Which documents should a wholesale supplier give me?
A test report from an accredited laboratory naming the exact model, the EU type-examination certificate if you sell in the EU, and the declaration of conformity. The label should also read EN ISO 12312-2:2015 and carry the maker's or importer's name and address.
Is the ISO 12312-2 marking on the frame enough?
No. The American Astronomical Society says anyone can print the statement, and that certainty needs testing at an accredited laboratory, which is the manufacturer's job. Ask for the paperwork behind the marking.
Do eclipse glasses expire?
The AAS says modern ISO 12312-2 viewers last up to 10 years if stored and kept in good condition, and that the old three-year warning is outdated. Some makers still print it, and Madrid's consumer institute says a label must carry an expiry date if the filter material is not durable. Follow the date on the pack and discard any scratched, punctured or loose pair.
Can we get glasses printed with our school, event or company logo?
Some manufacturers print on the frame, others do not. Mention it in your request and we only route you to a manufacturer that offers it at your volume. Custom printing adds production time, so ask for the lead time in writing.
Is there a cost to submit a request through this page?
No. There is no fee to submit an inquiry or to be connected with a manufacturer.
Do manufacturers ship internationally?
Some do, some ship only domestically. Tell us your country in the form and we account for it before routing your request.
Can we get a sample before committing to a full order?
Most manufacturers can send a sample pair before a production run. Ask for one once we have made the introduction, and check it with the AAS indoor and outdoor tests, keeping in mind that passing them means probably safe, not certified.
Can you help with a rush order close to the date?
Sometimes, depending on the manufacturer's remaining capacity, but we cannot promise it. Starting early is the only reliable way to avoid the problem.
We're ordering for an eclipse that isn't in your calendar. Can you still help?
Yes. Tell us the date and location in your message. Our published calendar runs through 2030, but manufacturer sourcing is not limited to the dates covered on this site.
Request a wholesale quote
Company name, estimated volume, and your target date are the three details that matter most. Everything else helps us route you faster.
How it works
There's no cost to submit a request. A person reads every message, and if we have a manufacturer that fits what you need, we make a direct introduction by email.
Prefer email?
Write to [email protected] directly with the same details.