Custom swim goggle design · OEM/ODM
Custom swimming goggle design and development
Private label, OEM and ODM
One development process for every route
How many stages your project goes through depends on how much of the product is new. Confidentiality, responsibilities and review points are agreed before work starts, and each stage closes with your sign-off before the next begins.
Private label
Start from a catalog model and specify colors, lens finish, logo and packaging. Uses existing tooling, so stages 1 to 3 are short or skipped.
OEM
You supply the design; we engineer tooling and production around your drawings, materials and quality requirements.
ODM
We develop a new swim goggle with you from a brief, through all five stages to production on its own tooling.
The process supports competition, training, fitness, corrective-lens and junior briefs. Browse the catalog first to see whether an existing model is a good starting point.
The process
Five stages from brief to production
Stage 01Concept and design
We start by agreeing who the swim goggle is for and where it will be used: pool training, racing, open water, fitness or learn-to-swim. Price position, destination markets and launch date are set alongside it.
Our industrial designers then develop form and styling studies. Lens shape, gasket contact, headband layout and frame proportions are decided together with the look, so the concept already works as a swim goggle.
What you provide
- Product brief: target swimmer, use and price tier
- Estimated volumes, markets and launch date
- Reference products, mood boards or brand guidelines
What you get
- Concept sketches and renderings
- Concept sign-off before CAD begins
Stage 02Digital design and engineering
The approved concept is modeled in CAD as one assembly: lens geometry, gasket structure, nose bridge, strap and buckle, and the interfaces between them.
A design-for-manufacturing review covers gating, draft angles, wall thickness, cooling and tolerance stack alongside fit and sealing. Resolving these in CAD reduces rework once mold steel is cut.
Compare lens, gasket and anti-fog optionsWhat you provide
- Feedback on 3D renderings
- Color direction and logo artwork
- Fit, testing or market requirements for your destinations
What you get
- 3D renderings and a digital mock-up
- Go / no-go approval before prototyping
Stage 03Prototyping and validation
Early 3D-printed prototypes check geometry and proportion. Representative samples are then used to assess material behavior, fit, seal and function, including swim testing.
We agree which samples and tests each round needs, and record the findings, changes and approval criteria before the design moves to tooling.
What you provide
- Wear-test and review feedback from your team
- Agreement on the tests required for your markets
What you get
- Prototype and sample sets
- A review record and the approval criteria for tooling
Stage 04Tooling and production preparation
Molds, jigs and assembly fixtures are made in our Suzhou tool room. Mold-trial samples are reviewed for dimensions, surface finish, fit and assembly, with every change recorded before approval.
Process trials then fix the settings for repeatable production, including injection pressure, temperature and cooling time.
What you provide
- Approval of trial samples
- Final colors, print artwork and packaging specification
What you get
- Mold-trial and production-representative samples
- An approved reference sample for production
Stage 05Production and inspection
Approved products move into production against the agreed specification and inspection plan: injection molding, anti-fog and mirror coating, assembly, inspection and packaging.
Changes after approval go through change control, so the product you receive matches the reference sample you signed off.
What you provide
- Purchase order with quantities per color
- Delivery schedule and inspection or release requirements
What you get
- Production matched to the approved reference sample
- Inspection to the agreed quality plan and packed goods ready to ship
Before you contact us
What to include in your brief
- Who the swim goggle is for: age group, ability level and use (pool training, racing, open water, fitness)
- Route: private label on a catalog model, OEM to your design, or ODM from a brief
- Reference models, from our catalog or products you already sell
- Features: lens type and tint, anti-fog, mirror finish, gasket material and headband system
- Colors, logo artwork and print positions
- Packaging: retail box, pouch, case or bulk
- Estimated quantities per color and target price
- Destination markets and the documents you need, such as test reports or CE documentation
- Launch date and any sample deadlines
Tooling and IP
Tooling ownership, design rights and confidentiality
Tooling ownership
Who owns the molds, who may use them, and the maintenance, exclusivity and transfer conditions are set out in the supply agreement. Molds are held and maintained at our Suzhou factory.
Design rights
Rights to the design you commission, and to any catalog platform it builds on, are defined in the same agreement, so both sides know what can be reused.
Confidentiality
We can sign an NDA before you share sensitive information. We don’t disclose the brands we work with; references are available under NDA.
The main arrangements are explained in the FAQ: who owns the tooling and molds.
FAQ
Custom design questions
How long does it take to develop a custom swim goggle from scratch?
Timing depends on the route. A private label program on a catalog model uses existing tooling, so it moves fastest. OEM and ODM projects add design, prototype and mold-trial stages, and new lens geometry or gasket materials can add further iterations. We agree dates for each stage (brief, CAD approval, prototypes, mold trials, production-representative samples, testing and production) and confirm the schedule in your quotation. Review times on both sides and material suppliers also affect the plan.
Who owns the tooling once a custom swim goggle project is complete?
Tooling ownership is set out in the supply agreement before tooling begins. Common arrangements are factory-owned catalog tooling, customer-funded tooling assigned to the customer, and tooling cost recovered through the unit price. The agreement also covers design rights, exclusivity, storage, maintenance, minimum volumes and transfer conditions. Molds are held and maintained at our Suzhou factory.
What's the minimum order quantity (MOQ) for a custom swim goggle design?
Minimum quantities depend on the route, the model and the colors. Private label orders on catalog models start at lower quantities than programs that need new tooling or custom color matching. The quantities and any small-run conditions that apply to your configuration are confirmed in your quotation; the main FAQ explains how the quantity schedule works.
Do you sign NDAs at the start of a design project?
Yes. We can sign an NDA before you share sensitive project information. Access to project files, sample retention and disposal, and IP responsibilities are then set out in writing, and carried into the supply agreement for the program.
Can clients visit the factory for prototype review?
Yes. Brands can review CAD and prototypes with our team in person at the Suzhou factory, or remotely through CAD walkthroughs over video and shipped sample sets. We agree the review points, participants and dates at the start, and record the decisions and approvals at each stage.
Related
More on how we work
Our swimming goggle factory in China
Lens, gasket and anti-fog options
Certificates and test reports
Manufacturing FAQ
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