Categories of Membership

Associate Members: Foreign companies engaged in the manufacture and/or wholesale distribution of sunglasses, frames, lenses, coatings, other related components, and reading glasses into all primary channels of sunglass distribution.

Affiliate Members: Companies which manufacture or distribute sunglass or reading glass cases, displays, packaging materials or similar products.

Benefits of Membership

Market research and statistics presented at the Annual Meeting with quarterly updates throughout the year

Fashion and technology trends

Regulatory and standards information and know-how which will enable compliance to all current regulations and standards (FDA, Customs, ANSI, ISO)

Regular updates on the latest regulatory and legal issues impacting our industries

Opportunities to participate in the formulation of responses to FDA about future regulations

Reduced fee for U.S. Designated Agent service for members

Networking opportunities, particularly at the annual meeting, with other industry members, including suppliers, customers, and fellow industry members

PR opportunities as a result of media inquiries and PR partnering opportunities with other organizations

Renowned social activities and fellowship which remain part of our culture. In addition to our annual meeting held each year, we co-sponsor (with the European Sunglass Association) a dinner for the sunglass community during the MIDO Trade Show (Milan, Itlay) in May

Company and Product Listing in the Annual Directory of Membership

Access to Legal Counsel expertise to provide assistance through the maze of regulatory details

Periodic communications with updates on the activities of the Association and other information

Membership Manual with important industry information and references

Listing on the SAA website for media contacts and PR opportunities

Accomplishments

The Sunglass Association of America is nationally and internationally recoqnized as

a leader in sunglass technology and in defending against overly restrictive state and federal regulatory activity. This reputation has been earned by the active and dedicated participation of its members to the sunglass industry.

Continually provides information to SAA members on FDA regulations, registration, listing, good manufacturing practices, medical device reporting, recall and correction, and labeling.

Publishes, in conjunction with Jobson Optical Research International, one of the most comprehensive annual U.S. sunglass and reader market size estimates available.

Developed monthly statistics for tracking sunglass imports by country of origin.

Organized, promoted, and now co-sponsors the annual MIDO sunglass industry dinner, a renowned social event enjoyed by a large cross section of the industry.

Developed a strategic plan, clarifying our mission and long-term imperatives.

Successfully lobbied for exclusion of a thickness requirement from the FDA impact resistant regulation, making it a performance rather than a design standard.

Successfully lobbied for batch sample testing of sunglass lenses for impact resistance, a first in medical device regulatory practice.

Successfully litigated for the removal of state lens thickness requirements in impact resistant laws.

Successfully fought proposed burdensome state labeling requirements.

Developed and had accepted by the FDA standard language for certifying compliance with FDA impact resistance requirements for shipments through Customs.

Instrumental in developing the first comprehensive sunglass standard (ANSI Z80.3 1977) covering transmittance requirements, traffic signal recognition requirements and special requirements such as polarizing, photochromic, gradient density, solid tints and cosmetic lenses, and ongoing participation in subsequent revisions (1986, 1996, 2001). The SAA Technical Director is currently the Chair of the ANSI Z80.3 Sunglass Committee.

Developed an innovative flammability test which was incorporated into national and international sunglass standards.

Worked for and achieved Class I classification for sunglasses and reading glasses.

Developed information for meeting medical devices reporting requirements and guidelines for GMP’s.

Worked with Customs and the FDA to develop methods to ease sunglass shipments through ports of entry.

Developed an effective PR program to give sunglasses a positive image and promote the use of sunglasses in general by the consumer.

Sponsored technical exchanges between overseas supplier associations and our association in order to keep them informed of FDA requirements, customs laws, and the needs of the industry in general to insure products imported into this country are good, effective and meet this market’s requirements.

Developed and promulgated a UV labeling program.

Developed a position with the FDA to achieve unrestricted exemption from 510(k) requirement.