The intricate thread-work inside our round bamboo parasols happens at the very start of parasol making, after the spokes have been set into the central hub. The artisans weave the threads around the spokes in a process which can take a whole day to complete. The fringing is known locally as ‘rambu’ and is tied by hand in long sections, and then hand sewn around the parasol after it is painted. Once the fringing is attached then the tassels are sewn on.

The round bamboo parasol poles are carved with chisels, and the artisans carve the pattern twice. They start by making all the cuts in one direction down the pole, and then they turn the pole around and make the cuts in the other direction to form the pattern.

Once the pattern is carved they paint the notches with metallic paint.

The gorgeous canopy is made from natural cotton canvas lined with cotton sheeting. Patterned canopies are created using screen print, and each panel of the parasol is printed separately. The pattern is gradually built, each colour in the design is printed separately and dried before the next colour screen is introduced. The patterned valances are a separate printing project with their own templates.

We use pigment inks mixed by hand, and colour match by eye. It’s an art form to create an ink which dries to the perfect shade. Our tassels are hand made in Rajasthan and dyed to match our inks. 

Our Octagonal Parasol frames are made from durable blonde wood with our own designs of nautical inspired brass fittings and double pulley system to make the opening easy. These are very special handcrafted garden parasols, each part specifically made for East London Parasol Co. Every Octagonal Parasol is lovingly assembled to order here in the UK.

Our sandstone bases are hand- carved in Rajasthan, India. The family who make them have been stone cutters for seven generations, they come from an area called Shekawati which is famous for artisans and craft.