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Let's reduce umbrella waste

Every year, approximately 80 to 100 million umbrellas are imported into Japan.

It is said that about half of these imported umbrellas are cheap or plastic umbrellas intended for single-use.

At Amvel, we hope to reduce umbrella waste, even if just by a little.

 

Why do single-use plastic and cheap umbrellas sell so well?

When considering why single-use plastic and cheap umbrellas sell so well, Amvel believes the reasons are that "people don't have an umbrella when it suddenly rains" and "they are a burden to carry."

Naturally, no one wants to get wet when it rains, so people end up buying cheap or single-use plastic umbrellas as a stopgap measure. As long as it rains, umbrellas are a necessary item that cannot be eliminated at this time.

 

An umbrella that doesn't feel like "baggage"

That is why Amvel asked ourselves: can we create an umbrella that doesn't feel like a "burden" to carry?

The answer lies in lightweight umbrellas, slim space-saving umbrellas, and high-performance umbrellas that are comfortable to use.

Furthermore, to ensure they do not become waste, we plan our products by carefully selecting durable structures and materials.

We also accept repairs whenever possible, as repairing an umbrella can further extend its lifespan.

 

Consideration for hazardous substances

We outsource the production of our umbrella fabrics to a leading manufacturer in Taiwan.

The fabric manufacturer operates a factory compliant with OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, which is one of the world's highest safety standards, covering over 350 types of harmful substances. We do not use azo dyes that may release specific aromatic amines.

Regarding water-repellent treatments, we began switching to PFOA-free agents for all production starting in the fall of 2020.

In umbrella frames, plating is considered toxic. We minimize the use of plating as much as possible and use alternative black electro-deposition coating instead.

 

Let's carry folding umbrellas

In the rest of the world, the concept of a "single-use umbrella" does not exist, and it is said that the usage rate of folding umbrellas is over 60%, making it the standard to carry one.

*There is no statistical data to support this. This is an anecdotal value based on interviews with several factories that manufacture umbrellas for Western markets.

While carrying a long umbrella is the standard in Japan, Amvel recommends carrying a lightweight folding umbrella. Amvel's lightest umbrella weighs just 67 grams—lighter than a smartphone—and we are proud to have significantly reduced the burden of carrying an umbrella.

If you always keep an umbrella in your bag, you can handle sudden rain.

Let's make a habit of always carrying a folding umbrella and enjoy sustainable rainy days!