Where Are Revo Sunglasses Made

Revo sunglasses are made in a handful of countries, including Italy, Japan, Mauritius, the Philippines, Taiwan and China, with the brand assigning different frame lines to different factories based on materials and construction.

Revo did not start as a fashion label. It began in 1985 when Dr. Mitch Ruda, a NASA astrophysicist and optical engineer, adapted protective coatings originally designed to shield satellite portholes from space radiation and turned them into a mirrored polarized lens for sunglasses.

That origin matters because it explains a distinction shoppers often miss. Revo is the brand that designs and markets the glasses, but the actual manufacturing happens at contracted factories spread across several countries, a common arrangement in the eyewear industry.

If you have ever wondered whether a pair of mirrored polarized sunglasses with a NASA backstory is made the way the marketing suggests, or where the frame on your face actually came from, you are asking a fair question.

This article walks through where Revo sunglasses are produced today, who owns the company now, how that ownership has changed over four decades, and whether the quality holds up to the price tag.

Where Are Revo Sunglasses Made?

According to Revo’s own customer support page, the company states plainly that its sunglasses are crafted in Italy, Japan, Mauritius, the Philippines, Taiwan and China.

Revo says every factory, regardless of location, is required to meet the same internal quality standards before a frame ships.

This multi country model is standard for mid size performance eyewear brands. Few companies of Revo’s scale own a single factory that produces every model, so they instead partner with specialized manufacturers for different materials and processes.

Premium and limited runs get special treatment. Revo’s fortieth anniversary collection, released in 2025, was handmade in a company workshop in Japan, a detail the brand highlighted as a mark of craftsmanship for that specific release.

So the honest answer is that there is no single country of manufacture. Where a particular pair was made depends on which line it belongs to and what materials and lens technology that model uses.

Who Owns Revo?

Revo is currently owned by B. Robinson Optical, a family run eyewear company founded in 1926 by Benjamin Robinson.

B. Robinson acquired Revo in 2018 with backing from outside investors, and Cliff Robinson, a descendant of the founder, serves as CEO of both B. Robinson and Revo.

In interviews about the deal, Robinson has said that under its previous corporate ownership Revo did not receive the same level of investment or support it has had since becoming an independently run brand again.

B. Robinson’s corporate office is listed at 1140 Broadway in New York City, with a warehouse facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Since the acquisition, Revo has opened retail locations in Barcelona and a flagship store in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, part of a broader push into physical retail alongside its wholesale and online business.

What Is Revo’s Country of Origin?

Revo the company is American. It was founded in the United States in 1985 and is currently headquartered under B. Robinson Optical in New York.

The products themselves, however, are not manufactured in a single country. As noted above, production is spread across Italy, Japan, Mauritius, the Philippines, Taiwan and China.

This separation between corporate origin and manufacturing origin is worth remembering when you see the phrase American heritage brand attached to Revo in press coverage.

The design, engineering standards and brand identity are American. The physical assembly of any individual pair depends on the factory assigned to that model.

Are Revo Sunglasses Made in China or Italy?

Both, depending on the model. Revo’s official statement lists China as one of six production countries, alongside Italy, which handles some of the brand’s frame construction.

Italy has a long tradition in eyewear manufacturing, and many premium sunglasses brands source acetate frames and hinges from Italian factories known for that craftsmanship.

China, Taiwan and the Philippines tend to handle other components and frame types, a common split across the eyewear industry where different regions specialize in different processes.

Revo does not publish which specific models come from which country on its main product pages, so shoppers who want that detail for a particular pair should contact customer service directly before buying.

When Was Revo Founded?

Revo was founded in 1985 by Dr. Mitch Ruda, an astrophysicist who had worked on optical systems for NASA.

Ruda’s idea was to take the same type of protective mirror coating NASA used to protect satellite portholes from solar radiation and apply it to sunglass lenses.

The result was a mirrored lens that could reflect and filter more light than typical sunglasses of the era, paired with polarization that cut glare from water, snow and pavement.

That technology gave Revo an early foothold with anglers, skiers and outdoor athletes who needed genuine glare reduction rather than a fashion accessory.

The brand changed hands more than once in the decades that followed, including a period under Ray-Ban and later Essilor Luxottica, before B. Robinson Optical bought it back as an independent brand in 2018.

Revo marked its fortieth anniversary in 2025 with a small numbered collection of frames handmade in Japan, a nod to its long history in performance eyewear.

What Makes Revo Sunglasses Different?

The core differentiator is still the mirror coating technology that traces back to Ruda’s NASA work.

Revo lenses use a multilayer coating process that the company says blocks more light and filters a wider range of wavelengths than standard tinted lenses.

Every current Revo lens is also polarized, which cuts horizontal glare bouncing off flat surfaces like water, snow and roads rather than just darkening the overall view.

Some models add proprietary lens technologies aimed at specific activities, such as enhanced contrast lenses marketed toward golf and water sports.

Compared with mass market sunglasses, Revo positions itself closer to specialized outdoor and performance brands, competing on optical clarity and durability rather than logo recognition alone.

Are Revo Sunglasses Good Quality? Are They Worth It?

The picture here is mixed, and it is worth being direct about that rather than glossing over it.

Revo’s Trustpilot page shows a rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars based on 16 reviews, with the majority of reviewers giving one star.

Common complaints in those reviews center on frames breaking during normal use, photochromic lenses that stopped changing tint, and difficulty getting a response from customer service on warranty claims.

A smaller number of reviewers gave five stars and specifically praised the optical quality and how issues were resolved once they reached a support representative.

Trustpilot itself notes that Revo has no established history of soliciting reviews from customers, which can skew a small review sample toward people who had a negative experience and went looking for a place to vent.

Separately, gear focused outlets that test outdoor sunglasses, including sites covering skiing and golf equipment, have generally rated Revo’s optical performance and lens clarity well in hands on reviews.

The honest takeaway is that the lens technology has a strong reputation among reviewers who focus on optics, while the small sample of general consumer reviews raises real questions about frame durability and post purchase support that are worth considering before you buy.

Revo Customer Service & Where to Buy

Revo sells directly through its own website, revo.com, and through a network of optical retailers, sporting goods stores and select department stores.

The brand also operates physical flagship locations, including one in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood and one in Barcelona.

For customer support in the United States, Revo lists a phone line at 888 940 7386, available from 9am to 5pm Eastern time.

General questions can be sent to [email protected], and prescription lens questions go to a separate address, [email protected], according to the company’s own FAQ page.

If you are considering a purchase, it is worth reading current return and warranty terms directly on Revo’s site before ordering, since those policies have been a recurring theme in negative customer feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions About Revo Sunglasses

Are Revo sunglasses made in the USA?

No. Revo is an American company headquartered in New York, but its sunglasses are manufactured abroad, primarily in Italy, Japan, Mauritius, the Philippines, Taiwan and China.

Is Revo owned by Luxottica?

Not anymore. Revo was previously associated with Ray-Ban and Essilor Luxottica at different points in its history, but it has been independently owned by B. Robinson Optical since 2018.

Is Revo a good sunglasses brand?

The lens and coating technology has a strong reputation among outdoor and optics focused reviewers, though a small sample of general consumer reviews on Trustpilot shows frustration over frame durability and customer service response times.

What is special about Revo lenses?

Revo lenses use a mirrored coating technology that traces back to NASA satellite protection research, combined with polarization, to cut glare and filter light more aggressively than standard tinted lenses.

How Revo Compares to Other Performance Brands

Revo is not alone in splitting design from manufacturing. Most performance and fashion eyewear brands work the same way, and the same is true outside sunglasses.

For a look at how another well known eyewear name handles this question, see our breakdown of where Ray-Ban sunglasses are made.

The pattern also shows up in performance apparel. Our guide to where Under Armour is made covers a similar multi country manufacturing setup for a sport focused brand.

You can read Revo’s own account of its history and manufacturing standards on its official history page.

For a broader look at customer sentiment, Revo’s current rating and review breakdown is available on its Trustpilot profile.

Additional reporting on the B. Robinson acquisition and Revo’s retail expansion can be found in this Modern Retail feature.