When TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie announced that his shoe company was now a “one for one” company, it was no surprise. The surprise came when he opened the “mystery box” to unveil their next product: TOMS Eyewear (beginning with a line of sunglasses). While Mycoskie says “vision” was the next obvious route for the five-year-old company that has given away 1 million shoes, the reaction from fans is mixed because of the price tag: $135-$145.

One Facebook post shows the range:

• Nora Hantula: “I LOVE TOMS. But the glasses are soo expensive.”
• Lucy Enciso: “Viewed your video, am in tears; you are brilliant.”
• Penelope Lee: “Eye like it!”
• Alden L. Jackson: “It’s plastic at the end of the day. I feel kinda ripped off…. Maybe 75 dollars.”

Coincidentally, the one-for-one eyewear company Warby Parker is also launching a sun collection this month, and the company seems to have some advantages:

• All of their glasses are priced economically at $95 and they offer prescription lenses.
• Warby’s eyewear include top-of-the-line polycarbonate lenses comparable to $300+ prescription glasses in retail stores.
• Free shipping and returns policy
• Carbon neutrality. Warby Parker purchases carbon offsets to offset all greenhouse gas emissions during the manufacturing, shipping, and warehousing of their glasses.

Both TOMS and Warby Parker’s websites feature virtual try-on. TOMS’s glasses feature hand-painted details (more on that here) and are available now in stores around the country. Warby’s line launches June 27 and is only available online and in a handful of boutiques.

TOMS is a bigger company than Warby, so sales are guaranteed, but it’ll be difficult for them to match the success of their shoe line, according to some – at least at the current prices.

And where Warby lacks in retail exposure, they gain in strategic partnerships with niche, socially conscious companies, including:

• Invisible Children: black plastic sunglasses with “Invisible Children” and “Do more than just watch” printed on the frames ($95, launched Thursday, June 9) . $30 will be donated to Invisible Children and a pair of optical glasses will be donated to someone in need.
• SUNO: three limited edition frames available this summer to complement SUNO’s Fall 2011 textiles line (launches late July). Price $175 (a pair of optical glasses will be donated to someone in need; the higher price reflects the additional cost of using proprietary technology to create acetate with SUNO’s intricate patterns.)   
• Susan G. Komen for the Cure: pink frames for Breast Cancer Awareness Month (no longer available). $50 from each purchase was donated to the group, plus a pair of glasses to someone in need.

Mycoskie is aware he’s treading on familiar ground with one-for-one eyewear, but says there’s room. “I can’t solve [this problem],” he told Fast Company in reference to meeting vision needs around the globe. “They (Warby Parker) can’t solve it. It has to be a collective effort.”

Warby Parker co-founder Neil Blumenthal agreed. He told Halogen, “We’re thrilled that TOMS joined us to deliver eyecare to people in need.” Their biggest challenge? Keeping up with demand, he said. Read more from his interview with us.

To date, TOMS has delivered more than 1 million shoes to kids in need, and Warby Parker has distributed more than 50,000 eyeglasses in their year of business. No matter which style of sunglasses you like best, these business models ensure everyone wins.

“It’s not Warby Parker vs. TOMS, it’s Warby Parker and TOMS trying to encourage other companies to give back,” Blumenthal said.

Click the infographic above to see a comparison of the sunglasses being offered, and these links for a closer look at the products themselves:
 

TOMS ‘Classic 101′ Sunglasses

TOMS ‘Classic 201′ Sunglasses, $135
 

TOMS ‘Classic 301′ Sunglasses, $145
 

Warby Parker’s Everett , $95
 

Warby Parker’s Mabel $95
 

Warby Parker’s Tenley , $95
 

Which style do you prefer?

More TOMS and Warby Parker on HalogenTV.com:

1. TOMS vs. Warby Parker Eyewear: A Comparison
2. The Warby Parker Story: A Vision for Change
3. Warby Parker + Invisible Children = Sunglasses
4. TOMS Eyewear? Warby Parker Responds
5. TOMS Opens Mystery Box, Launches New Product