9 February, 2022

Fun Facts About Promotional Umbrellas

We take them for granted, but promotional umbrellas have been around for a long time, and we thought you might like to read some fun facts about umbrellas.

Did you know umbrellas originated in China – yes, it was China, not England – and the first use of umbrellas was to protect noblemen from the sun.
The name umbrella originates from the Latin word “umbros” which means shade. It would be interesting to know what they would have been called if they were originally invented to protect us from rain instead of the sun.
The first waterproof umbrellas were created in China over 3000 years ago.
Who has the highest number of umbrellas per capita in the world? China, USA, England – the answer would be no. According to a study done by Global Umbrella Study, the country with the highest amount is Japan, with the average being 3.3 umbrellas per capita.
The largest umbrellas in the world weigh 5,700kg, covers 418 square meters and is situated in China. Wow – that must be one very strong person to lift that umbrella!
Until the late 1960s, there were no folding umbrellas. In 1969 they were introduced by Bradford Philips.
Common use of umbrellas in Europe wasn’t until the mid-18th century. Until then, they were viewed as a fashion accessory for women.
There’s no guessing that China produces the most umbrellas in the world, with a city called Shangyu having over 1,000 umbrella factories.
French President Nicolas Sarlozy was the first to start using Kevlar coated umbrellas as part of this security.
Umbrellas have been used in assassinations, with the most famous being the killing of Bulgarian journalist Georgi Markov in 1978 when an assassin injected a ricin pellet using an umbrella.

The humble umbrella has come a long way from its beginnings as a way to be protected from the sun. Now they are waterproof and designed to withstand big storms. In addition, you now have auto opening and closing options, built-in torches and even speakers in the handles, and a huge range of colours. They are also now a fashion accessory for many people, and an umbrella can say a lot about a person. Printed promotional umbrellas also make terrific merchandise giveaways due to their high level of exposure and large branding area that can be repeated on the panels so everyone can see it from any angle.

Please take a look at our huge range of quality printed umbrellas ranging from golf, compact, executive, folding and stormproof umbrellas. If you need further information or just a helping hand in choosing the right umbrella for your business, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sources:
https://www.jollybrolly.co.uk/umbrella-news/16-fun-facts-humble-umbrella
https://www.breobox.com/blogs/news/facts-about-umbrellas

The Umbrellas Only Team