Our Favorite Eclipse Glasses from This Week's Solar Eclipse

Those of us in the path of the "totality" got a pretty spectacular view of the solar eclipse this week — that is, of course, as long as we viewed it through special "eclipse glasses," rather than staring directly into the sun. Eye doctors tend to frown on doing that.

Eclipse glasses sort of look like the 3-D glasses you'd get at the movie theaters or in a comic book. Except, rather than making lines "pop out" it keeps your retinas from being torched by the sun's fantastic power.

We reported previously how businesses and schools in primo eclipse-viewing locations used merchandise to create hype, but now we've had a look at all of the various ways people have used the branding power of paper glasses to mark an occasion (and how much people still want them, even though the eclipse is over).

The Masters

During the practice rounds at Augusta, players, caddies, and fans got to use special green eclipse glasses. We know the Masters is a merchandise cash cow, so this was smart on the organizers' part.

Credit: Getty Images by Maddie Meyer

And, like so much of the stuff on sale at the Masters, the exclusivity factor means substantial re-sale value. The glasses are popping up on sites like eBay already, where people are listing glasses for as high as $100, even though the glasses were given out for free.

Warby Parker

It's sort of a no-brainer for an actual glasses company to make eclipse glasses, right?

Warby Parker teamed up with skincare brand Herbivore Botanicals for their glasses, which were given out in schools, Delta Airlines lounges, the Top of the Rock observation deck in Manhattan, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Fun tip! Warby Parker is handing out free glasses for the solar eclipse this Monday! Remember friends don’t stare directly into the sun. pic.twitter.com/Ebftfji1OB

— ✨Spiff ✨ (@Space_Man_Spiff) April 6, 2024

The whole thing worked pretty well for brand engagement.

“Our call volume is right now the highest it’s ever been because people are calling in and asking where they can get the viewers," Warby Parker co-founder Neil Blumenthal told Glossy. "And traffic to our stores is elevated. That will make our conversion metrics go down, because not everybody that’s coming in looking for solar eclipse glasses is going to buy a regular pair of glasses. But, we’ll take that negative impact on a metric to engage with folks.”

State-Branded Glasses

The totality made for good tourism opportunities for places that weren't necessarily at the top of travelers' to-visit lists.

Much like we saw in Rochester with museums and schools, the state of Ohio gave out glasses with tourism brochures.

Yeah, you saw the eclipse.

But did you see the eclipse with Ohio-branded eclipse glasses? pic.twitter.com/hjpfmTk94x

— ConnorTheVGFan78 (@ConnorTheVGF78) April 9, 2024

NASA

There aren't many more appropriate companies to do eclipse glasses than NASA.

The glasses come with a full information kit for budding astronomers and space enthusiasts.

If you visit the Mall today, you’ll view the sun through solar telescopes and sunspot devices. You’ll also acquire a lot of swag: NASA-branded solar glasses, pinhole projectors, a set of postcards showing eclipses on other planets, stickers showing the phases of the eclipse … pic.twitter.com/vyVuTJ3QJH

— Fritz Hahn (@fritzhahn) April 8, 2024

Minor League Baseball

We've spent plenty of time reporting on Minor League Baseball branding and giveaways. It's one of our favorite pastimes, beyond actual baseball. The Vermont Lake Monsters gave out some really fun glasses, complete with an outline of the Green Mountain State right between the lenses.

slightly distraught there's no Mets branded eclipse glasses. @VTLakeMonsters understood the assignment though https://t.co/Fg6jF61t2l

— jack (@odetothejack) April 8, 2024

What Happens Now

So, now that the eclipse has passed, what do people do with these novelty glasses? Aside from holding onto them for what could be quite a long period of time, there are programs already in place for recycling them or donating them.

One particular organization is taking eclipse glasses for people in South America, which will get to view an eclipse in October of this year.

DONT THROW AWAY YOUR ECLIPSE GLASSES‼️

stick your glasses in an evelope & mail to the address below so that kids in Latin America can use them Oct 2, to watch the South American Eclipse

Eclipse Glasses USA, LLC
PO Box 50571
Provo, UT 84605 pic.twitter.com/pu1HmPsGPK

— Annie Wu⸆⸉ (all socials: @annie_wu_22) (@Annie_Wu_22) April 9, 2024

Promotional product giveaways really flourish when they're tied into rare events. Cosmic events of this scale are about as perfect as it gets as opportunities go.