Best Umbrella Brands in the UK: What Each Is Best For
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Calm Eden Journal · Updated October 16, 2026
There is no single best umbrella brand in the UK, because each is built for a different job. Fulton suits everyday British weather. Brigg, James Smith and Fox suit a traditional handmade umbrella. Davek and Blunt suit people who care most about frame design. Haven suits you if you want a compact automatic umbrella with UV cover.
Umbrella brands at a glance
These are eight umbrella makers that UK shoppers ask about, plus Haven, our own umbrella. Origin is where the brand started or is based; for Haven it is where the umbrella is made. "Best for" is our summary of what each brand puts first. It is not a ranking.
| Brand | Origin | Known for | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton | London, from 1956 | Everyday folding and walking umbrellas, the domed Birdcage, a UV range | Everyday British weather, with many designs to choose from |
| Swaine Adeney Brigg (Brigg umbrellas) | London; Brigg umbrellas date from 1836 | Classic umbrellas handcrafted in England, solid wood shafts, engraving and repairs | A traditional stick umbrella to keep and have repaired |
| James Smith & Sons | London, from 1830 | Handmade stick umbrellas and walking sticks from one Victorian shop, plus a repair service | A classic stick umbrella from a shop you can visit |
| Fox Umbrellas | City of London in 1868; factory near Croydon | Hand made in England, made to order, family run | A bespoke umbrella with details you choose |
| London Undercover | London, from 2008 | Handcrafted umbrellas, collaborations with large brands, engraving and a repair service | A design-led umbrella or a personalised gift |
| Davek | New York, from 2005 | A frame system designed for wind resistance and an unconditional lifetime guarantee | Anyone buying one umbrella to keep for many years |
| Blunt | New Zealand | Patented Blunt tips, modular and repairable design, a UV range | A distinctive shape and parts that can be repaired |
| totes | Ohio, USA, from 1924; UK arm in Essex | Umbrellas sold through UK high street shops | An easy-to-find everyday or spare umbrella |
| Haven (Calm Eden) | Made in Japan | One-press automatic opening and closing, a swivel carabiner loop handle, folds to 40 cm, SPF 50+ canopy | Commuting, travel and sunny days with a compact automatic umbrella |
Every fact about another brand comes from that brand's own website, read on 16 October 2026. Ranges and terms change, so check the current page before you buy.
British umbrella brands
Five of these brands are rooted in London, from a West End workshop that opened in 1830 to a brand that began in 2008.
Fulton. Arnold Fulton founded the company in 1956 in a small workshop in Whitechapel, London. Its website says every prototype goes through wind tunnel testing, and it has been granted Royal Warrants by Queen Elizabeth II and, earlier, the Queen Mother. It is known for the domed Birdcage, ultra-compact flat umbrellas such as the Tiny and a carbon fibre model called the Aerolite. It also has a UV protection range, and it sells folding and walking umbrellas in automatic and manual versions. Suits: everyday British weather, with a wide choice of designs.
Swaine Adeney Brigg (Brigg umbrellas). The firm now sells online as Swaine London, and Brigg is its umbrella brand, established in 1836 by Thomas Brigg. Its classic umbrellas are handcrafted in England, with an eight-panel canopy that is cut, stitched and aligned by hand. The hickory shaft is made from a single piece of solid wood. It offers engraving and repairs, and you can book a tour of the workshop on New Bond Street. Suits: someone who wants a traditional stick umbrella to keep and have repaired.
James Smith & Sons. The firm was founded in 1830 at Foubert's Place, just off Regent Street in London's West End, and the umbrellas were made in a small workshop behind the shop. Its shop at 53 New Oxford Street has a largely unaltered Victorian shop front, and black cab drivers and locals call it 'The Umbrella Shop'. It sells handmade stick umbrellas for men and women, sun umbrellas, folding umbrellas and walking sticks, and it offers a repair service on the products it has made. Suits: a classic stick umbrella from a shop you can visit.
Fox Umbrellas. The business goes back to 1868, when Thomas Fox opened a shop on Fore Street in the City of London. Today it is a family-run company with a factory and showroom in Shirley, near Croydon. Its website says every umbrella is hand made in England and made to order, so you choose the style (tube, stick, solid or telescopic) and customise the details. Suits: a made-to-order umbrella with the details you pick.
London Undercover. It began in 2008 and has shops in Bloomsbury and Spitalfields. Its website describes handcrafted umbrellas made with age-old techniques, collaborations with many large brands, a bespoke engraving service and a repair service for broken frame parts, torn canopies and snapped sticks. Suits: a design-led umbrella, or a personalised gift.
International brands sold in the UK
Davek. Davek is based in New York City and started with umbrellas in 2005. Its website says every umbrella has a frame system designed for wind resistance, is covered by an Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee and carries a serial number for loss protection. The range includes the Davek Mini, which it calls its most compact, and a sun parasol. Davek has a UK site that ships from a warehouse in Belfast. Suits: anyone who wants one umbrella to keep for many years.
Blunt. Blunt describes itself as a human-centred product design company, shaped by its New Zealand roots. Its founder got the idea on the rainy streets of London. Each patented Blunt tip is designed to spread tension from the frame to the canopy edge, and its products are modular and repairable. It also has a UV range. Suits: someone who likes a distinctive shape and wants parts that can be repaired.
totes. According to its US site, totes was born in a small Ohio town in 1924. In the UK it trades as totes ISOTONER, a subsidiary of the US company, with a head office and warehouse in Billericay, Essex. Its UK site says it has been in high street shops for more than 30 years and supplies stores such as Next, John Lewis and T K Maxx. Suits: an everyday or spare umbrella from a brand you can find on the high street.
Where Haven fits: the compact automatic UV option
Haven is Calm Eden's own umbrella. It is a compact automatic umbrella: one press opens it and one press closes it, so it works with a bag or a coffee in your other hand. The swivel carabiner loop handle clips to a bag, a strap or a hook.
- Size. It folds to 40 cm / 15.75 in and weighs about 390 g. Open, the canopy is about 105 cm / 41.3 in across, with shade for up to 3 people, and the umbrella is about 70 cm tall.
- Frame. Carbon fibre and storm-proof.
- Canopy. A patented water-repellent canopy with SPF 50+ that blocks 99.99% of UV, and up to 8°C / 15°F cooler under the canopy. It is OEKO-TEX certified, with reflective strips on the underside.
- Made in Japan, in seven colours.
- Included. A free absorbent carry sleeve with every umbrella, free shipping on every order, a 1-year warranty and a 30-day risk-free trial.
The full details are in the Haven Umbrella buying guide.
Which brand is best for umbrellas? Choose by the job
No brand is best for every job. Start with what you will use the umbrella for, then look at the brands that put that first.
- A traditional umbrella you keep and repair. Brigg, James Smith & Sons and Fox make traditional stick umbrellas, and Brigg, James Smith & Sons and London Undercover offer repairs. Our durable umbrella guide covers what to check on any frame.
- An everyday umbrella. Fulton and totes both sell umbrellas for everyday use.
- A frame built for wind. Davek designs its frame system for wind resistance, Fulton tests every prototype in a wind tunnel, and Haven has a storm-proof carbon fibre frame.
- UV cover. Fulton and Blunt have UV ranges, Davek sells a sun parasol, and Haven has an SPF 50+ canopy.
- Small enough for a handbag. Measure your bag first, then read our guide to the best compact umbrella for a handbag or tote. Haven clips to the strap when the bag is full.
- A gift. London Undercover and Brigg offer engraving, and Haven comes in seven colours. See our umbrella gift ideas.
Calm Eden sells one umbrella. For one-press opening and UV cover in a compact umbrella, start with Haven, a compact automatic UV umbrella.
How we checked the facts
Every fact about another brand on this page comes from that brand's own website, read on 16 October 2026. We have not tested the other brands' umbrellas, and the table is not a ranking. Brands change their ranges, guarantees and repair terms, so read the current page before you buy.
Calm Eden sells Haven, so it is the one umbrella here we have a stake in. We describe it with the same facts we publish on its product page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best umbrella company in the UK?
There is no single best umbrella company, because the brands are built for different jobs. Fulton makes everyday folding and walking umbrellas, Brigg, James Smith & Sons and Fox make traditional handmade umbrellas, and Davek and Blunt build around frame design. Choose by what you need most: wind, UV cover, folded size or a gift.
What is the best British umbrella brand?
Several British makers are long established. James Smith & Sons dates from 1830, Brigg umbrellas from 1836, Fox Umbrellas from 1868 and Fulton from 1956, and London Undercover began in 2008. Fulton suits an everyday folding umbrella, and the others suit a traditional, made-to-order or design-led umbrella.
Which brand of umbrella offers the best UV protection?
That depends on the canopy rather than the brand name, so check what the product page says about the canopy. Fulton and Blunt both have UV ranges and Davek sells a sun parasol. Haven, Calm Eden's own umbrella, has an SPF 50+ canopy that blocks 99.99% of UV.
What is the best windproof umbrella in the UK?
Look at how the frame is built and what the brand says about it. Fulton says every prototype is tested in a wind tunnel, Davek designs its frame system for wind resistance, and Haven has a storm-proof carbon fibre frame. Check the guarantee before you buy.
Which is the best compact umbrella?
The best compact umbrella is the one that fits your bag and that you will actually carry, so check the folded length and weight first. Fulton and Davek both make very small umbrellas. Haven folds to 40 cm / 15.75 in, weighs about 390 g and opens with one press.
Can you get a good umbrella repaired?
Some makers repair their own umbrellas. Brigg, James Smith & Sons and London Undercover all offer repair services, and Blunt designs its umbrellas to be modular and repairable. Ask what the repair covers before you buy.
Where is the Haven Umbrella made?
Haven is made in Japan and sold by Calm Eden, with free shipping on every order, a 1-year warranty and a 30-day risk-free trial. It is not a British brand. It is included here because many UK shoppers search for a compact automatic umbrella with UV cover.
Keep reading
- Best compact umbrella for a handbag or tote
- What makes a durable umbrella
- Haven Umbrella: the complete buying guide
- Umbrella gift ideas: eight people who will use one
- See the Haven Umbrella
Calm Eden sells the Haven Umbrella mentioned here. Product details come from our own listing; we have not lab-tested other umbrellas. UPF describes fabric, not a health outcome: an umbrella shades direct sun but not light reflected from the ground, so treat this guide as general information, not medical advice.