If you have shopped for sunglasses in India, you know the routine. Endless lookalikes, a street-market pair that cracks in a month, and a nagging doubt about whether those dark lenses are actually protecting your eyes or just looking cool. A homegrown brand called Rawbare has spent three years betting that Indian buyers want better than that, and the numbers suggest the bet is paying off.

So what exactly is Rawbare?

Rawbare is a design-led Indian eyewear brand, founded in 2022 and selling online at rawbare.com, that makes premium sunglasses and frames. Its whole personality is built on three words: design, quality and trust. Instead of racing rivals to the cheapest price, it is trying to be the pair you actually want to own, not just the one that was on sale.

Three years in, that approach has a track record worth looking at, especially as the brand has just raised fresh funding and is preparing to go international.

Is the Indian eyewear market really that big?

Yes, and it is growing fast. The Indian eyewear market is worth roughly USD 11.09 billion in 2025 and is projected to hit about USD 20.86 billion by 2034, according to IMARC Group. Sunglasses are the fastest-growing slice of that pie, and premium eyewear is climbing even quicker as more Indians trade up from generic frames to brands they trust.

Here is the market Rawbare is playing in, by the numbers:

Metric	Figure	Source
India eyewear market (2025)	~USD 11.09 billion	IMARC Group
India eyewear market (2034, projected)	~USD 20.86 billion	IMARC Group
India sunglasses market (2030, projected)	~USD 2,035.9 million at ~8% CAGR	Grand View Research
India luxury eyewear (2024 to 2030)	~USD 891M to ~USD 1,721M, 11.72% CAGR	MarkNtel Advisors
Luxury demand held by sunglasses	~two-thirds of the segment	MarkNtel Advisors

The big shift underneath these figures is that Indian buyers are moving away from unbranded local shops toward organised, design-led brands, and increasingly asking for polarized lenses and thoughtfully made frames rather than whatever is cheapest. That is exactly the wave Rawbare has been riding.

How is Rawbare different from every other sunglasses brand?

The difference is simple: Rawbare refuses to compete on price. It wants to be chosen for how it looks and how it lasts, not for a discount. Founder Affan Ahmad put it plainly, saying the goal is to be “the eyewear brand people choose on purpose.”

And the brand backs that up with substance, not just slogans:

Over 800 frames in the catalogue, so there is genuine variety, not one hero product on repeat.
50,000-plus customers served so far.
A repeat-purchase rate above 40 percent, meaning people keep coming back, which is rare in a category full of one-time buys.
A 4.9 rating across 650-plus verified reviews.
A six-month warranty and 100 percent UV400 protection on every pair, so the eye protection is real, not marketing.

There is also a physical experience store in Andheri West, where you can walk in and try frames before you buy. For a brand built on design, letting people actually hold the product is a big part of the trust it has earned.

Why does a 40 percent repeat rate matter so much?

Because it is the hardest number to fake. Plenty of brands can pull in first-time buyers with a sale. Getting people to come back and buy again, at a rate above 40 percent, means the product itself is doing the work. In a market where most sunglasses purchases are one-and-done, that kind of loyalty is the clearest sign a brand is genuinely liked, not just cheap.

What is the new funding about?

Rawbare has raised fresh funding from Teamology Softech and Media Services, aimed at growing in India and stepping into international markets. Interestingly, the investor brings communications, technology and brand-building expertise, not just money, which fits a brand this focused on identity.

The plan for the cash is threefold: sharpen product design, expand the retail and experience footprint, and set up a careful, phased international launch. Ahmad said the round is about building “the right way,” adding that the brand is “not in a hurry to be everywhere.” Co-founder Ankit Mor said Rawbare was built “one customer and one conversation at a time,” and the goal is to grow into new cities and countries without losing what made people trust it.

Has anyone actually recognised the brand?

Plenty of juries have. Rawbare has picked up a steady run of industry awards, including being named a visionary eyewear brand of the year at the Mid-day Showbiz Icons, plus honours across the ET Now Business Conclave and multiple Adgully award properties, with founder Affan Ahmad separately recognised for his digital and influencer strategy. When that many independent panels keep noticing a brand, it usually means it is doing something right.

So what is the takeaway?

Rawbare’s three years are proof that an Indian brand can win without slashing prices. It grew a real, loyal customer base by betting on design, quality and trust, right as the whole eyewear market shifts toward exactly those things. Whether that magic travels abroad is the next test. But for a homegrown label that started from scratch, hitting 50,000 customers and a global e...

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