East London Parasol Company: Beautiful Garden Parasols That Deliver Joy
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3 hours ago
East London Parasol Company is a Great British Brands 2025 Award Winner
Best Emerging Brand: East London Parasol Company supports artisan craft in India and Indonesia with its lovely garden parasols.
Great British Brands 2025: East London Parasol Company
‘When I founded East London Parasol Company in 2015, the company was embryonic and optimistic. Our intention was to build a sustainable business that would bring happiness and colour to our customers, and support craftsmanship and artisans in India and Indonesia.
The past decade has been filled with moments of immense joy, such as seeing the difference our products make, not only to our craftspeople, but also to our customers who send us photos of their creatively styled parasols.
However, there have also been challenges, largely centred around logistics and shipping. Navigating Brexit was complex – we had to expand aspects of the business to Dublin so we could more easily send orders to our European customers.
Finding the right logistics partner has also taken much time and emotional energy. The moment our customers encounter our products is when they arrive, so delivery has to be perfect. We are now on our fifth warehouse. One of the warehouses I used went into rent arrears, with all the items in its care being confiscated. Having to buy my own stock back at auction was a low point. I also had to dispose of an entire consignment that was damaged by a leak in another warehouse. This represented eight months of work for two villages in Bali.
The crisis the world is in – Ukraine and the Middle East – have also had an impact, affecting the transportation of goods and also the public mood: some people struggle to reconcile making exuberant purchases against the backdrop of war.
The recent past notwithstanding, our growth has been like a dream. When I think back to 2015, with my tiny flat filled with beautiful parasols I’d brought back from India, it’s remarkable to think that our products are now in hundreds of gardens in many countries. It also gives me tremendous satisfaction that I am still working with the same artisans. We are family.
My hope for the future is to protect my company, and in so doing, protect those who have been instrumental in its success. There is considerable threat from copycat producers trying to replicate the look of our parasols, with cheap materials and, of course, without the painstaking handcraftsmanship. My response is to be even better, to create ever-more intricate designs, and ever-more sustainable and long-lasting parasols. We don’t want to match our competitors. We want to continue to surpass them.’
Lucy Ferguson, founder and CEO
The Greatest Opportunities Ahead
We are a small company and our customers are our priority. Choosing a parasol can require consideration, and we are growing our customer service team so we can advise clients and ensure they have the best experience.
This year we celebrate our tenth birthday. To mark this, we will refresh our collections and release new designs in limited editions, which I hope will increase our sales in the luxury sector and bring in new US clients.
We want to expand our range and grow – but creatively. I’d like to collaborate with other female-led brands to produce even more beautiful and decorative parasol designs that will give people a boost each time they look at them.
