Ordering a custom umbrella isn’t something most people do every day, so it’s normal to have a few nerves about it. Will the colours be right? How long will it take? What if something’s wrong when it arrives?

The truth is, once you’ve seen the process laid out, it’s not complicated at all. At HF Umbrella, we’ve been through it hundreds (probably thousands) of times, so we’ve shaped it into something straightforward. No mystery, no guesswork — just a clear path from your first idea to boxes landing at your door.

Table of Contents

Step 1: Your Initial Enquiry

This is the “hello” moment. You might have a design already, or just a vague idea that you need umbrellas for an event, your shop, or maybe to hand out to clients. Either way works.

We’ll usually ask a few quick things up front:

How many do you think you’ll need?
What style — golf, folding, compact, city?
Any colours or branding we should match?
When do you need them by?

Some buyers arrive with Pantone codes and exact handle specs. Others just say, “We want them to look high quality” and leave the rest to us. If you’re in the second camp, no problem — we’ll guide you.

Step 2: The Design Draft or Mockup

Once we’ve got the basics, our design team pulls together a mockup. This is a free step, and it’s worth its weight in gold because you can actually see your logo on the umbrella before anything is made.

It’s at this point that clients often have those “Ah, okay, let’s tweak that” moments:

The logo looks a bit small? We can enlarge it.
Not loving the grey handle? Let’s try black.
Thinking two panels instead of one? Easy fix.

Step 3: The Sample

For bigger orders or anything unusual (full-canopy prints, unique parts), we’ll send a sample. And honestly, this is where a lot of money gets saved.

A sample lets you check:

Is the colour exactly right in natural light?
Does the logo sit neatly, or is it creeping too close to a seam?
How does the umbrella actually feel when you hold it?

Catching small issues here means you’re not discovering them after 2,000 units are made. We’ve seen everything from logos that needed shifting a few millimetres to colours that looked fine on screen but didn’t match in person. Sorting it early makes life easier for everyone.

Step 4: Production

With the mockup (and sample, if needed) signed off, we roll into production. This is where fabric is cut, panels are printed, frames are assembled, and handles are fitted.

Lead time really depends on a few things:

The size of the order
The print method (screen, digital, sublimation)
Whether parts are standard or custom-made

We’ll give you a realistic time frame right at the start.

Step 5: Quality Control

Before anything’s packed, we check it. Every. Single. Unit.

We look for:

Logo alignment
Consistent colours
Neat stitching
Smooth opening and closing
Sturdy frame construction

If something isn’t right, it’s fixed before it leaves the factory. Simple as that.

Step 6: Shipment and Delivery

Once QC is done, your umbrellas are packed — could be simple bags for bulk orders or custom boxes for premium gifting — and we take care of everything from that point.

That means export paperwork, customs clearance, and getting them to your door. How they travel is up to you:

Sea freight: cheapest for big orders, slower
Air freight: faster, more expensive
Courier: great for smaller, urgent batches

We’ll talk through the options and help you choose the one that makes sense for your budget and timing.

How Revisions Are Handled

The golden rule is: change things early. Once production starts, alterations are trickier, costlier, and can push the timeline. That’s why we put so much effort into the mockup and sample stages — it’s the safest place to make adjustments.

Common Buyer Concerns We Address Along the Way

“What if I don’t like the sample?”
That’s exactly why we produce it — so we can make changes before it’s too late.

“How do I know the colours will match our branding?”
We use Pantone matching and test prints to get as close as physically possible to your exact brand colours.

“What happens if there’s a delay in shipping?”
We build in buffers where we can and keep you informed at every stage. If an issue arises, we’ll work with you on the best solution.

Why This Process Works

We’ve used this process for everyone from start-ups ordering 200 umbrellas to global brands doing multi-thousand unit runs. It works because it’s flexible — we can speed it up for tight deadlines or stretch it out when there’s more room to breathe.

Want to see what your umbrella could look like? We can start with a mockup — no strings attached.