Best display stands for sunglasses and spectacles

Rack ‘em up: display your collection in style

f you wear glasses, you know that storing them neatly can be a headache.

While many opticians and eyewear brands offer cases with new purchases, they’re often bulky and only good for holding one pair. This is fine if you only need a pair occasionally, but if you wear them all the time you likely have a couple of frames you like to wear on rotation.

Equally, if you’re blessed with perfect sight but have a thing for sunglasses, we’re betting you have more than a few pairs cluttering up a drawer, shelf or your dressing table. Aside from looking messy and taking up unnecessary room, they’re more likely to scratch, dent or in the worst case, break when they’re loose.

The answer? Investing in a nice stand or storage to keep your eyewear in order.

The good news is that there are plenty of options around, from store-worthy acrylic stands that will make it feel like you’re in a shop (where you already own all the choices on offer) as well as portable glasses rolls for travel and compartmentalised boxes that can be kept neatly in a box.

We’ve rounded up the best options available to either display your collection or tidy them away out of sight. As well as helping to organise your accessories, they also make thoughtful gifts for the designer sunglasses obsessive or forgetful specs wearer in your life.

Shop our top picks below

Best for: shady jet-setters

We’ve all heard many sad tales of sunglasses being bashed about, scratched or lost while travelling. Keep your eyewear safe in this portable waterproof organiser, which has compartments wide enough to store up to three pairs of your favourite holiday shades.

The faux suede lining stops scratches, while the zip closure means nothing will tumble out and languish at the bottom of your hand luggage - say goodbye to ominous crunching. There are extra dividers to make smaller compartments if you want it to double up as a jewellery case, and there's a small pocket on the underside of the lid to keep things like watches and bracelets secure.

Best for: chic packing

Made for frequent travellers that need a selection of protective eyewear while laying on a sun lounger, this chic organiser rolls up into a pentagon shape to store compactly in your bag. Once you’ve arrived at your destination, simply flip the button poppers and use the built-in hook to hang it from a door or hook. It holds five pairs of specs and sunnies in individual triangular compartments neatly.

Best for: lack of storage

For those who don't want to dedicate shelf space to their glasses collection, why not make them a feature on the wall instead? This design allows you to organise your specs by hanging them over the top of the frame while below is a row of small hooks to keep light items like house and car keys, office lanyards, necklaces and belts. The wood and metal design comes complete with rawl plugs (including extra) for straightforward installation.

Best for: innovative design

This wall-mounted design uses thick fabric loops to create a place to hook sunglasses and glasses. Simply slide an arm in vertically and create a display out of your collection. This handmade piece can be made in four colours - white, grey, light wood and a lake blue - with nine ‘seats’ (hooks measuring 2.16inches across) in a contrast colour so they’re easily visible.

Best for: a personalised gift

If you know someone who's forever losing their specs, a dedicated place to put them will help form good habits. This stand is ideal for gifting as it can be personalised with a few words: either their name or a short phrase engraved onto the front.

The piece has space for two glasses (but can be made to accommodate up to five pairs) and has been crafted from solid oak.

Dimensions for a single stand: 12 (L) x 8 (D) x 7.5(H).

Best for: fun homeware

Smile every time you reach for your glasses thanks to this whimsical stand from small business India Big Shop available at Amazon. Sporting the sort of ‘tache that East End hipsters can only dream of, the face-themed stand comes to life when holding your specs on the ‘nose’ hinge. A playful design with a practical function, it doubles as an interesting piece of homeware to keep in the hallway or your night stand.

Best for: clean lines

If you’re looking for a simple design, this light wooden board can help. Championing the principles of minimal style, there are simple slots to push the arms of your sunglasses through, ordering them neatly in a line. You can choose from a range of wood colours: think oak, walnut and cherry, and pick pre-selected designs or create a custom one from the seller.

Best for: storing large collections

Got a pair of shades for every occasion? Transport them with you safely and securely with Trintion's display case, which has dedicated pockets for up to 18 pairs. It's also an excellent way to store off-season sunglasses and specs you only wear for special occasions, keeping them dust free until it's their moment to shine once again. The engineered wood and polyurethane display can be kept propped up on your dresser at an angle, or laid flat for easy storage in wardrobes and drawers.

Best for: unobstructed views

Turn your home into a miniature shop - when it comes to your glasses, at least. This type of display unit is often used in opticians and eyewear stores, but there's no reason why you can't put it on a shelf or in your wardrobe so you can see all your favourite pairs at a glance. The long-lasting clear acrylic gives the illusion that the frames are floating, while the raised barriers mean each compartment can also be used to display other things: think small leather goods, makeup, or collectible figures. It measures 23 x 21 x 10cm.

Best for: renters

It's not always possible to drill into the walls to create storage, especially if you’re a renter. Create a dedicated wall of sunnies and specs from the dead area on the back of your door. This hanging storage display hooks onto the top of a frame and gives you dedicated compartments for four pairs of sunglasses or spectacles. It even comes with suction hooks if a door isn't available, allowing you to hang it drill-free from the wall. Take it on your travels or keep it in storage simply by rolling closed. Measures 1.1D x 9.8W x 3.2H centimetres

Verdict

For portability and neat compact storage, Cokritsm offers the nicest-looking and most considered designs at excellent price points. If you wear a lot of accessories, the three-slot flat case is a winner, while those who want more options will do better with the pentagram-shaped design.