Hardware show picks safety eyewear
The National Hardware Show was described as having “reinvented itself” this year, and Innovative Eyewear’s Lucyd Armor smart safety eyewear won the NHPA Retailer’s Choice Award at the event ( ). The NHPA Retailer’s Choice award marks its 60th year in 2026, signaling retailer attention to practical, tech‑enabled protective gear (visionmonday.com).
Retailers at this year’s National Hardware Show picked Lucyd Armor smart safety glasses for a 2026 Retailers’ Choice Award in Las Vegas. (visionmonday.com) Innovative Eyewear said the award was presented at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas last week. Vision Monday reported the announcement on April 13, 2026. (visionmonday.com) Lucyd Armor is safety-rated eyewear with built-in smart features. The product meets American National Standards Institute Z87.1 impact standards and pairs with Apple iPhone and Google Android devices for audio and voice commands. (visionmonday.com) The award comes as the National Hardware Show changed its format for 2026. Hardlines reported the event relaunched as “NHS Concept to Commerce,” a “strategic redesign” running March 30 to April 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. (hardlines.ca) The North American Hardware and Paint Association said 2026 is the 60th year of the Retailers’ Choice Awards, which began at the National Hardware Show in 1966. The group said only about 30 products are selected each year. (yournhpa.org) The judging model is built around store operators, not consultants or editors. The North American Hardware and Paint Association said a panel of independent retailers walks the show floor and picks products they believe would sell in their own operations. (yournhpa.org) That process expanded in 2026 beyond the show itself. Hardware Retailing said the awards now also cover spring wholesaler and distributor markets, and this year added two new categories for inventors and sourcing. (hardwareretailing.com) Innovative Eyewear says Lucyd Armor has been its fastest-growing collection since the line launched about a year and a half ago. Chief Executive Officer Harrison Gross said the glasses combine eye protection with hands-free features, including artificial intelligence access and a patented walkie-talkie function. (visionmonday.com) The company tied that pitch to two growing markets. It said the United States safety eyewear market was worth about $370 million to $400 million in 2024 and could top $650 million by 2033, while the global smart eyewear market could grow from about $1 billion in 2024 to more than $4 billion by 2030. (visionmonday.com) For the hardware show, the win fits the new format’s sales pitch: products that move from idea to shelf faster. For Lucyd Armor, it puts a pair of connected safety glasses in front of the independent retailers the award is designed to influence. (hardlines.ca; yournhpa.org)
