Sky & Space solar eclipse glasses: Sodap-Sobomex returns for 12 August

Sodap-Sobomex is bringing back its Sky & Space brand. Based in Strasbourg, the manufacturer has already sold millions of pairs of its specialist solar eclipse glasses. The phenomenon due on 12 August is particularly significant: 27 years after 11 August 1999, the Moon will conceal almost the entire Sun across France.

For some people in France, it will be the most striking eclipse they have ever experienced. The near-total eclipse on 12 August will cast the country into darkness. In southern France, especially the south-west, the Sun will appear to be setting as the Moon covers 99% of its surface. Even in the least favoured areas of the north-east, coverage will reach 90%.

The 12 August solar eclipse across France

Although north-eastern France will see less of the eclipse, the region is home to a specialist in the phenomenon and a key provider of eye protection for people across the country. Strasbourg-based Sodap-Sobomex has resumed production and relaunched its Sky & Space brand to supply specialist solar eclipse glasses.

From Sodap-Sobomex to Sky & Space: solar eclipse glasses made for almost 30 years

Founded in 1998, Sodap-Sobomex is preparing for its second total eclipse in 30 years. Despite a vastly changed marketplace, in which online retail has taken precedence and Chinese goods compete more strongly with European companies, Sky & Space continues to succeed.

Between customers who planned ahead and last-minute orders, Sodap-Sobomex and its dedicated Sky & Space brand have manufactured millions of pairs of solar eclipse glasses. These purchases are not made directly by private individuals. “Things are getting frantic now. The buyers are 80% opticians and 20% pharmacists. It will continue until Tuesday lunchtime, but after that it will be too late,” its managing director, Jean I, told Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace.

Sky & Space orders for solar eclipse glasses

The eclipse’s path of totality - the area in which the Sun will be completely obscured - lies entirely in Europe. For Sodap-Sobomex and its specialist solar eclipse glasses, this means that orders are mainly placed locally. In the past, however, its managing director said that the company had also fulfilled orders from New Zealand, China, Egypt, Gabon and Japan.

People in France are keen both to protect themselves from retinal burns and to enjoy the astronomical spectacle to the fullest. When France last experienced an eclipse, in 2015, Sky & Space also received substantial numbers of orders. For the 12 August eclipse, orders are up by 8 to 10% this year.

The “Sun Project” filter and the mandatory ISO 12312-2 standard

To ensure proper protection and avoid any risk, it is essential to wear lenses certified to ISO 12312-2 and bearing the “CE” marking for European conformity. The glasses are not necessarily more expensive than models sold online and shipped from China. Sky & Space sells them for between €1.40 excluding VAT and €1.80 excluding VAT, depending on volume, from 100 pairs onwards; retailers then offer them at between €4 and €5.

In promoting its glasses, Sky & Space highlights its own solar eclipse lens formula. Called “Sun Project”, the filter was developed 15 years ago.

“Our eclipse glasses are fitted with a double-layer filter that we invented, designed and developed exclusively worldwide to our own specific criteria and requirements, in collaboration with a leading world-renowned research laboratory. This particular filter quality is manufactured in a sterile atmosphere, combining the highest standards of current technology with an extremely exacting level of quality.”

“Our filter is 130 mm wide, meaning that it covers the entire front of our eclipse glasses. As a result, our eclipse glasses cannot be torn or damaged, including around the nose bridge. This very high-quality, highly resistant and tear-proof filter produces a sharp, distinct image of the Sun in an orange shade - as people imagine it.”