Why European-Made ISO Certified Eclipse Glasses Are Your Safest Bet for 2026

For the 2026 solar eclipse, your safest choice is European-made eclipse glasses certified to both ISO 12312-2 and CE standards. This dual-certification system is the gold standard because it combines a rigorous global technical requirement with a legally enforced European framework of verification, effectively shielding you from dangerous counterfeit products.

Infrared Radiation

A common failure of counterfeit glasses is their inability to block invisible infrared (IR) radiation. While the lenses might appear dark, IR rays can pass through and effectively "cook" your retina without you feeling any pain at the time. The rigorous testing required for both ISO and CE certification guarantees the filter blocks this harmful, invisible radiation.

This can be easily achieved by appropriate coating of metallic surface... ours do that! # TODO

This guide provides a direct, no-fluff answer to ensure your eclipse viewing is safe. You will learn:

• How ISO and CE certifications work together to guarantee total eye protection.

• Why manufacturing within the EU is your best defense against dangerous fakes.

• The simple, 3-step check to personally verify your glasses are safe to use.

Where Counterfeits are most common?

Now that you understand why certification is crucial, it's equally important to know where the biggest risks lie. The unfortunate reality is that some sales channels are breeding grounds for dangerous, non-compliant products.

Risks of Trusting ‘Brand’ Online Stores

The least safe channel can often be direct sales from unmonitored, privately-owned websites. While many legitimate businesses operate this way, so do fraudulent ones. A trustworthy vendor must provide easily accessible documentation. Look for a "Certifications" or "Safety" page with their Declaration of Conformity and full lab test reports. As a rule, this information should be no more than three or four clicks away from the homepage and should not require you to make a purchase first.

Critically, as some sources have pointed out, simply having a document online does not guarantee it is authentic or compliant.

Honest take on eBay, Alibaba, Temu, and Social Media Marketplaces

Platforms like eBay, TikTok Shop, and wholesale sites like Alibaba and Temu perform very little, if any, proactive legal compliance monitoring for products like eclipse glasses. These channels are purely profit-driven, often shipping directly from regions with lax oversight. This allows sellers to easily fool customs inspections, which are designed to protect domestic citizens but are not infallible. The cheapest products found here are almost always the most dangerous.

Amazon Safer, But Not Perfect

Of the major marketplaces, Amazon is the most trustworthy due to its more robust compliance checks. However, it is not a guaranteed safe haven. In the last solar eclipse of 2023 14 October and later in the solar eclipse of 2024 8th April, it was estimated on our end that at least 30 percentage of sellers were still offering counterfeit products. These sellers often use tactics like creating multiple "sister brands" to hide their trail or using stolen, legitimate-looking certificates to bypass Amazon's automated checks.

Crucially, many of these fraudulent sellers exploit a deliberate timing strategy. They know that demand for eclipse glasses can increase by more than 5000x in the last seven days before an eclipse. Their tactic is to launch their unsafe products during this final rush, knowing that the sudden, massive volume of sales doesn't give Amazon's safety teams enough time to react, investigate, and protect you. By the time the dangerous listings are flagged, the products have already been shipped to thousands of unsuspecting buyers.

At Absolute Eclipse, we are constantly reporting these fraudulent listings and are acutely aware of these last-minute tactics. We work with platforms to educate them on better enforcement, but the single best way to protect yourself is to buy your glasses well in advance from a verified source.

How ISO and CE Certification Guarantee Your Eye Safety

To be truly safe, eclipse glasses must meet two distinct criteria: a technical standard for the filter and a legal standard for the product itself.

Let’s at first address the biggest danger from counterfeits...

Infrared Radiation

A common failure of counterfeit glasses is their inability to block invisible infrared (IR) radiation. While the lenses might appear dark, IR rays can pass through and effectively "cook" your retina without you feeling any pain at the time. The rigorous testing required for both ISO and CE certification guarantees the filter blocks this harmful, invisible radiation.

This can be easily achieved by appropriate coating of metallic surface... ours do that!

This guide provides a direct, no-fluff answer to ensure your eclipse viewing is safe. You will learn:

• How ISO and CE certifications work together to guarantee total eye protection.

•  Why manufacturing within the EU is your best defense against dangerous fakes.

• The simple, 3-step check to personally verify your glasses are safe to use.

You can be sold counterfeits, but Europe has done a lot of work to prevent that you don’t. Read below what standards EU has implemented to protect everyones eyesight...

What is the ISO 12312-2 Standard for Eclipse Glasses?

The ISO 12312-2 certification is the non-negotiable global requirement for any safe solar filter. These are not sunglasses; they are advanced optical tools designed to block 99.999% of intense visible light and 100% of harmful ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) radiation.

Without this level of protection, looking directly at the sun can cause severe retinal burns and permanent eye damage. The ISO standard ensures the lens material itself is technically capable of keeping you safe, a topic we explore in our guide on Why Product Authenticity and Safety Certifications Matter for Solar Eclipse Glasses.

Why the CE Mark is Your Proof of Legitimacy in Europe

The CE mark is your assurance that the product complies with the EU's strict legal requirements. In Europe, eclipse glasses are classified as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and they must undergo a formal type-examination by an independent "notified body" to earn the CE mark.

This third-party verification provides a critical layer of trust and accountability that goes beyond a manufacturer's claims. It confirms the product is not only technically sound but also legally compliant, a process detailed in our article, (EU) 2016/425 vs ISO 12312-2: The Real Standard for Eclipse Glasses in Europe.

The European Guarantee: The CE Mark of Approval

In Europe, eclipse glasses are classified as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and are legally required to comply with Regulation (EU) 2016/425. This means they must bear a CE mark, which serves as a manufacturer's declaration that the product meets the EU's stringent health, safety, and environmental protection requirements. Unlike in some other regions where self-certification can be common, obtaining a CE mark for PPE like eclipse glasses requires undergoing an EU type-examination by an independent "notified body."This third-party verification provides a crucial layer of trust and accountability.

How European Manufacturing Protects You From Counterfeits

The market for eclipse glasses is frequently overrun with fakes that illegally display the ISO logo without offering any real protection. Fakes that illegally display the ISO logo without offering any real protection. European manufacturing, with its mandatory CE verification, provides the most robust defense against this danger. The biggest threat to your safety is the flood of counterfeit glasses that illegally use the ISO logo. A European manufacturing base with mandatory CE verification is the most effective defense against this risk.

Avoiding Fakes with a Transparent Supply Chain

Manufacturing within the European Union means the entire production process is subject to strict oversight and traceability regulations. This transparency makes it extremely difficult for dangerous counterfeit products to enter the supply chain.

When you buy from a reputable European source, you are investing in a product with a verifiable safety trail. For more on this critical issue, read our guides on How to Spot Fake Solar Eclipse Glasses and Why NASA & AAS Warn About Counterfeit Eclipse Glasses.

A Transparent Supply Chain You Can Trust

Manufacturing products within the European Union ensures they are subject to strict oversight and traceability regulations from raw materials to the final product. This local production and accountability make it significantly more difficult for unverified and dangerous counterfeit products to enter the supply chain. When you buy from a reputable European source, you are investing in a product with a transparent and verifiable safety trail. Organizations like the American Astronomical Society (AAS) also maintain lists of reputable vendors whose products have been verified by accredited labs.

The prevalence of dangerous fakes is a serious issue, a topic covered extensively in How to Spot Fake Solar Eclipse Glasses and explained in the context of official warnings in Why NASA & AAS Warn About Counterfeit Eclipse Glasses — And How We Solved It.

The Hidden Danger Fakes Can't Block: Infrared Radiation

One of the most insidious features of counterfeit glasses is that while they may appear dark, they often fail to block invisible infrared (IR) radiation. This is dangerous because the retina has no pain receptors, so these harmful rays can effectively "cook" the back of your eye without you feeling any discomfort at the moment the damage is occurring. The rigorous testing required for both ISO 12312-2 and CE certification ensures that the filters block invisible UV and IR radiation in addition to reducing visible light to a safe level.

Part 3: Your Final 3-Step Verification Checklist

Even when you buy from a trusted source, you should always perform a final safety check yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3-1g7_23-5c

Step 1: Examine the Glasses for Certification and Damage

Before using them, physically inspect the glasses. Confirm that both the ISO 12312-2 (or EN ISO 12312-2:2015) standard and the CE mark are clearly printed on the product. Afterward, hold the lenses up to a bright light and check them for any scratches, pinholes, or tears. If you find any damage, discard the glasses immediately, as even a tiny flaw can render them unsafe.

Step 2: Perform the Indoor Light Test

Put the glasses on while indoors. You should not be able to see anything around you. The only thing you might faintly perceive is the filament of a very bright light bulb. If you can see furniture or other objects in the room, the glasses are not dark enough for solar viewing and are unsafe.

Step 3: Conduct a Quick Outdoor Sun Check

When you look at the sun through safe solar viewers, it should appear as a comfortably bright, sharp-edged disk, often orange or white. If the sun appears blurry, hazy, or uncomfortably bright, this is a sign that the filters are low-quality and unsafe. Do not use them. Always put the glasses on before looking at the sun, and turn away from the sun before removing them.

Your Path to a Safe and Unforgettable Eclipse

We have shown you what to look for (ISO/CE certification), where the most dangerous fakes are sold (unvetted online stores and marketplaces), and how to check your glasses yourself. Following these steps drastically reduces your risk.

The unfortunate truth is that a spike in eye-related doctor visits often follows a major solar eclipse. This shows that many viewers are equipped with glasses sold with profit, not safety, in mind.

If you have any doubts, trust our products and our transparency. For any doubts, you can trust our products and our transparency; we offer all necessary documentation and more upon a request. We are here to make everyone safe. When you buy from Absolute Eclipse, your safety is our absolute guarantee.