Italy, the world's largest exporter of spectacles and sunglasses, experienced good results for the first half of 2010.
The results, according to the Italian Association of Optical Goods Manufacturers (ANFAO), indicate an upswing in the global eyewear industry and an increase in worldwide demand for eyewear.
Vittorio Tabacchi, ANFAO's president, commented: 'The worst scenario would seem to have passed on both global and national levels.' He added that although a recovery in global demand for eyewear had been essential for the Italian optical industry, it also had been important for its companies to cooperate during the recession and focus on what he described as its 'historical hallmarks' of tradition, style, and innovation.
In a statement announcing Italian export figures for the first six months of 2010, ANFAO said that 'sunglasses seem to be the new driving force behind Italian eyewear'.
Overall exports of Italian lenses, spectacles, and sunglasses from January to June increased 13.7 per cent on the same period in 2009. Frame exports increased by 7.4 per cent, while exports of sunglasses increased by 16.6 per cent. However, the announcement was not entirely positive, revealing that Italian optical exports are still below pre-crisis figures at -7.6 per cent compared to the first half of 2008. Exports of sunglasses and prescription frames to Europe increased by 7.4 per cent during the period and comprised more than 54 per cent of total exports, with 22.3 per cent being exported to Central, North and South America and 25 per cent to Asia.
The statement also reported a 'notable renewed interest in fashion in recent months after the devastating crisis,' in countries such as Russia and cited 'positive signals' from the Moscow optical fair earlier in the year of 'a market that is experiencing recovery'.