How to recognize a Bali Parasol - original
10 differences between cheap balinese umbrellas and our Bali Parasol
Handmade bamboo garden parasols or beach umbrellas are a true piece of art bringing together many artisan skills in one piece.
So much can go wrong and so much quality difference is met in this industry. Hardly anybody realises this and calls every umbrella from the east a Bali Parasol nowadays.. This is NOT the case.
1. Cheap parasols are made out of cotton, satin, ikat, or nagatta drill. resulting in in a non-waterproof, very fast fading
umbrella that is very vulnerable to moist (black spots) and dirt. Those fabrics are unable to clean.
Bali Parasols are made out of American Drill Fabric (with a strong bias (diagonal) in the weave, being a mix of cotton and
polyester. 100% Waterproof and good performing in hot climates for 95% of the umbrellas. Easy to clean with soft soap
and brush.
The fabric has a beautiful luxury shine. Whenever you get a dark spot because you had the umbrella stored wet: With HG
moist and mold
remover your umbrella will be as new. We always advise to store the umbrella dry.
Our parasols are waterproof and when wet always let them DRY OPEN.
2. Cheap parasols are produced of 1 (round) fabric part sometimes with a correction grain in the canopy. This results in shape
problems
Bali Parasols are made out of 2 part fabric (using 30% more fabric = more expensive)
3. Cheap parasols are made with cheap, young = (wet) bamboo This results in: weakness, 'leaking moist' and stains.
Bali Parasols are made with older/aged bamboo(=more expensive) that has undergone a unique drying and enforcing
treatment,fumification and lacquer process. Each part of the umbrella is treated before assembled.
4. Cheap parasols are decorated with stencil work in gold or silver. Or done by painters 'who paint like children' according
our proud Master Painter.
Bali Parasols are ALL painted by Master Painters who learned the motiv and skill from their fathers and grand fathers. The design of our Gold Serenity is a unique design of the grand father. (And he gets VERY angry when he sees back his copied
design.. He asked me to write this down for him)
5. Cheap umbrellas can have less than 20 bamboo strokes... Resulting in weakness
Bali Parasols Always have 20 bamboo strokes of the highest quality
6. Cheap umbrellas use different decoration material (the most cheap are the wrinkled nickel hearts)
Bali Parasols have handpicked seashell decorations manufactured in different shapes and sorted in different colors.
7. Cheap umbrellas can have very bad quality of innerweavings sometimes even less than 4 compartiments (see picture)
8. Cheap umbrellas are produced in 1-part pole = difficult storage or with 2-part pole but not a STEEL connector
Bali Parasol always has a 2-part pole AND steel connector and comes including a storage bag.
9. Cheap umbrellas don't always have a iron wire in the canopy resulting in weakness and shape problems
Bali Parasols always have a steel wire in the canopy
10. Cheap umbrellas have poor quality of carving and pole finishings are a completely different story (see pictures)
Bali Parasol does all carving inhouse and in highest quality. Pole finishings are with an extra protective layer of lacquer.
**Bali Parasol is accredited to export to the USA and Canada. 2 Countries with most strict regulations on import from Asia.