The sincerity of quantifying "coolness." The difference between heat blocking rate and heat blocking effectiveness rate

As the sun's rays begin to sting, the term "heat protection" becomes more prevalent. Just as people compare the specs of gadgets, many people want to gauge the performance of a parasol numerically.

On the page for our product, " Heat Block ," you'll see two indicators: "heat blocking rate" and "heat blocking effectiveness rate." At first glance, they may seem redundant, but there's a reason for this. This is because we want to convey, more honestly and with greater resolution, the "true coolness" that cannot be measured with a single yardstick.

"Heat-blocking rate" measures the potential of fabric

First of all, the "heat blocking rate" is a number that measures the "performance of the fabric itself," based mainly on the official standard JIS L 1951.

In the test, the fabric is placed in an enclosed space and a heat source is applied to measure how much the fabric can suppress the temperature rise. This is similar to measuring the horsepower of an engine in a bench test, and is a very fair indicator for comparing the performance of individual materials.

However, imagine an actual usage scenario. We don't hold an umbrella inside a sealed box. There is wind blowing through, glare from the ground, and space between the umbrella and our body. Another metric is needed to compensate for the "physical sensation" aspect that cannot be explained by fabric specifications alone.

"Heat-blocking efficiency rate" proves its effectiveness as an umbrella

What we place more importance on is the "heat shielding effect rate" derived by the QTEC method (umbrella heat shielding evaluation test). This is done by putting the "umbrella" itself as a product, rather than the fabric, through the testing machine.

What makes this test unique is that it closely simulates real-world usage conditions.

• Realistic space design: Tests are conducted in an open environment, so heat dissipation is also taken into consideration.

• Artificial solar lighting: Uses special lights that mimic the wavelength of real sunlight.

• Concept of distance: The distance between a long umbrella and a folding umbrella changes when held up. This "sense of distance" is reproduced to determine the measurement position.

In other words, the heat-blocking effectiveness rate is a percentage that shows how much heat is blocked when using an umbrella compared to when not using it. It's a practical score that's closer to our everyday lives.

Honest specifications create trust

Why go to the trouble of conducting two tests? The reason is that an umbrella is a tool that requires both "numerical data" and "physical experience."

The "heat-blocking rate" proves the high potential of the fabric, and the "heat-blocking effectiveness rate" shows the performance of the finished product. Only when these two perspectives are met can we confidently say, "This umbrella is cool."

Knowing the background behind the spec sheet will help you choose a parasol with greater depth and satisfaction. The figures published by Amvel are not just marketing slogans. They are our promise to protect you in the heat of the summer.