What age can babies start wearing sunglasses?

From around 6 months, once they can comfortably hold their head up and tolerate something on their face. The Pepi range is built specifically for ages 0 to 2, with a smaller, lighter frame than the toddler and kids styles.

How do I know what size to get my child?

Measure across your child's face from temple to temple, or use an existing pair as a rough guide, and check it against the size chart. Ranges are built by age group: Pepi (0 to 2), Whetū (3 to 6), and Koru, Wai, Rangi, Hau, Tākaro and Māhanga (5 plus).

Are Te Rā sunglasses actually unbreakable?

Virtually unbreakable is the honest way to put it. The TR90 frames are flexible, not rigid, so they bend, twist and get sat on, then spring back into shape instead of snapping like a standard plastic frame would. It's the same material used in a lot of adult sports eyewear, sized for kids.

How is Te Rā different from other kids' sunglasses brands, like Babiators?

The short version: a certified NZ safety standard, TR90 flexible frames, and prices that don't carry the premium import markup. Babiators is a well-known US brand with a strong replacement guarantee; Te Rā is NZ-owned, ships from Auckland, and prices from $39.99 without the added cost of importing from overseas.

Why do Te Rā sunglasses have Māori names?

Te Rā means the sun in Māori, and every style in the range, including Pepi, Whetū, Koru, Rangi, Hau, Wai, Māhanga and Tākaro, carries a piece of te reo too. It's a way of honouring where the brand is from and the culture the kids wearing them are growing up in.

Where do you ship to, and where from?

Shipping is within New Zealand and Australia, from Auckland. For other countries, get in touch for a shipping quote.

How do I return or exchange a pair?

Email hello@terasunglasses.co.nz and the team will send through return instructions.

FAQ — Kids Sunglasses NZ: Safety Standard, Sizing & Care

Q: What's the difference between polarised lenses and just UV protection?

UV protection blocks harmful rays. Polarised lenses do that and also cut glare bouncing off water, sand, wet pavement and car windscreens. Every Te Rā lens is both: 100% UV400 protection and polarised.

Q: What are Te Rā sunglasses made from?

The frames are TR90, a flexible, lightweight nylon co-polymer, and the lenses are TAC, tri-acetate cellulose. Both are commonly used in quality sports and kids' eyewear because they're durable but light.

If you can't find the answer to your question, please contact us.

It's necessary. Kids spend far more time outdoors than adults, and a child's eyes let in more UV than an adult's — the lens inside a child's eye hasn't fully developed the natural filtering that builds up through the teenage years. New Zealand also has one of the highest UV indices in the world, up to 40% stronger than equivalent latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. Sun safety experts estimate we get around 80% of our lifetime UV exposure before age 18, so the habits (and the hardware) start young.

It's the current New Zealand and Australian safety standard for sunglasses — it tests things like UV filtering, lens strength and impact resistance. It matters because not every pair of kids' sunglasses sold in NZ is actually certified to it, even ones that look identical and claim "UV protection" on the tag. Every pair of Te Rā sunglasses is certified to AS/NZS 1067.1:2016, not just labelled with it.

From around 6 months, once they can comfortably hold their head up and tolerate something on their face. Our Pepi range is built specifically for ages 0–2, with a smaller, lighter frame than our toddler and kids styles. Full guide: Baby Sunglasses NZ: When to Start and What to Look For.

UV protection blocks harmful rays; polarised lenses do that AND cut glare bouncing off water, sand, wet pavement and car windscreens. For NZ kids who are at the beach, on the field or in the car a lot, polarised makes a real difference to comfort — less squinting, clearer vision. Every Te Rā lens is both: 100% UV400 protection and polarised.

"Virtually unbreakable" is the honest way to put it — nothing is truly indestructible, but our TR90 frames are flexible, not rigid. They bend, twist and get sat on, and they spring back into shape instead of snapping like a standard plastic frame would. It's the same material used in a lot of adult sports eyewear, just sized for kids.

The short version: certified NZ safety standard, TR90 flexible frames, and prices that don't carry the premium import markup. Babiators is a well-known US brand with a strong guarantee programme; we're NZ-owned, ship from Auckland, and price our sunglasses from $39.99 without the added cost (and wait time) of importing from overseas. Full comparison: see our blog post on Te Rā vs other kids' sunglasses brands.

Te Rā means "the sun" in Māori, and every style in the range — Pepi, Whetū, Koru, Rangi, Hau, Wai, Māhanga, Tākaro — carries a piece of te reo too. It's a way of honouring where we're from and the culture our kids are growing up in, not just a naming gimmick.

At the moment we ship within New Zealand and Australia. For delivery to other countries please contact us for a shipping quote. Read more about shipping here.

We ship from Auckland, New Zealand

If you want to return the product for exchange or refund, please email us to hello@terasunglasses.co.nz and we'll give your the instructions. Read more about return here.

The frames are TR90 (a flexible, lightweight nylon co-polymer) and the lenses are TAC (tri-acetate cellulose) — both commonly used in quality sports and kids' eyewear because they're durable but light. More detail: What Are Te Rā Sunglasses Made From?

Measure your child's head and refer to our size chart to choose the right size. Read more about how to choose sunglasses for your child.