Wenzhou eyewear insiders bag $300m in deals from Italy

A delegation of over 170 exhibitors from Wenzhou for the MIDO Eyewear Show in Milan, Italy has returned, securing deals worth over $300 million, local media outlets reported.

The delegation was the largest of its kind in terms of the number of participants.

The show, which was held from Feb 4 to 6, is the largest international show dedicated to the global eyewear sector, with more than 1,500 exhibitors from over 50 countries presenting their latest products in six pavilions and eight exhibition areas.

On the first day of the show, Wenzhou businesspeople nabbed intended orders worth at over $50 million. Eyewear companies such as Ouhai Glasses and Vicki Optica each received on-site orders of more than $500,000 on the first day.

Chen Yongmei, manager of Vicki Optical, said her company received nearly 300 customers during the three-day exhibition, including a single order of about 100,000 pairs of glasses worth around $600,000.

"Our company began to prepare for the design and proofing of new samples last September. We have prepared some 300 new types of nearly 2,000 pairs of samples for the show," Chen said.

"We also found that customers are showing more interest in tailored products," Chen added.

Wenzhou, a hub of China's eyewear industry, is the main supply area of the world's top 10 eyewear brands. About 90 percent of Wenzhou's eyewear products were exported to more than 100 countries and regions around the world. (ZhongXin)