PNN
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 4: Indian direct-to-consumer eyewear brand Rawbare has won Excellence in Consumer Choice Eyewear Brand at the ET Now Business Conclave & Awards 2026, West Edition, held in Mumbai. The recognition adds to a run of industry honours the brand has received over the past two years.
The award carries a distinct weight because of what it measures. Industry juries assess creativity, innovation and business performance. A consumer-choice recognition points to something else entirely: whether the people actually wearing the product keep choosing it.
For eyewear, that distinction matters. A frame is not bought on specification alone. It is bought on how it sits, how it looks, how it holds up over months of daily use, and whether the brand behind it can be trusted after the sale.
Consumer Trust as the Growth Engine
Rawbare was founded in 2022 with a design-led, direct-to-consumer proposition. The brand reports a repeat-purchase rate of more than 40 per cent and holds a 4.9 customer rating, both of which suggest a relationship that continues past the first order.
That behaviour is what a consumer-choice award reflects. When more than four in ten customers return, growth stops depending on reach and starts depending on credibility.
The product proposition is built on a small set of standards applied across the range. Every Rawbare lens carries 100 per cent UV400 protection. Frames sit in the 30 g to 35 g range for all-day wear. Every pair is backed by a six-month warranty.
“An award decided by consumers is the only one where you cannot influence the outcome with a submission,” said Affan Ahmad, Founder, Rawbare. “Our customers made this decision through what they bought, what they came back for, and what they told other people. That is the recognition we care most about.”
From Emerging Brand to Consumer-Recognised Name
The latest honour builds on a growing awards portfolio. Rawbare was named Emerging Eyewear Brand of the Year at the ET Now Business Conclave & Awards 2025, Emerging Brand of the Year at Adgully ScreenXX 2025, and Best D2C Brand of the Year at the Adgully MAA Awards 2025.
Earlier in 2026, the brand received a Gold Award at Adgully DIGIXX 2026 and was named The Luxurious and Visionary Eyewear Brand of the Year at Mid-day Showbiz Icons 2026.
Taken together, the sequence tracks a shift from emerging D2C player to an established lifestyle name, with the consumer-choice honour marking the point where external recognition and customer behaviour line up.
Building for the Long Term
India's D2C eyewear category has become crowded. Rawbare's approach has been to hold a consistent position around design, quality and trust rather than chase short-term acquisition.
The strategy extends beyond digital commerce. The brand runs an experience store in Andheri West, where customers can handle frames before buying, and sells through Amazon, Myntra, Ajio and KnotNow alongside its own store. Rawbare has also outlined plans to enter the UAE, UK, Singapore and US markets.
For a brand built on repeat customers, a consumer-choice award is less a headline than a confirmation. The people who decide whether Rawbare succeeds have already been voting, one purchase at a time.
About Rawbare
Rawbare is an Indian direct-to-consumer eyewear brand founded in 2022, offering sunglasses, blue-light eyewear, a kids range under Rawbare Junior, and a dedicated sports collection. Every Rawbare lens carries 100 per cent UV400 protection, frames sit in the 30 g to 35 g range, and every pair is covered by a six-month warranty. The brand sells through rawbare.com, its experience store in Andheri West, Mumbai, and leading marketplaces including Amazon, Myntra, Ajio and KnotNow.
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