Crowds of people and no trees are no fun in the baking heat and once upon a time at a music festival, God popped an idea into our heads.

Parasoul began when Pamela (Binky) Collier and her daughters Loulou and Clare decided it was time to bring the traditional parasol back into fashion as a way of sun protection that was both fun and functional.

After carefully sourcing their product, the girls at Parasoul Ltd began styling for the New Zealand market a fun range of plain, spotted and striped designs. Initially the idea was that parasols be used at the beach, outdoor events and music festivals as a summer umbrella. However, the popularity of the parasol as a wedding accessory has been an added bonus for the company.

The parasols are beautifully hand-made in Asia by happy and well-paid ladies (no child labour here) and the factory has recently won a Unesco craft award. 10% of the company’s profits are donated back to help a local aid organisation called “Shoulder-to-Shoulder”.

It’s time to bring the parasol back into vogue!!