James Ince Umbrellas 1805

12/04/2026

We love making these flower umbrellas.
Each one has to be cut out individually by hand from digitally printed fabric, and then made into these wonderful creations. The vision of the designer never ceases to amaze us.

These are not available to mere mortals like you & me. It helps it you're organising a global event - think opening/closing Olympics ceremony or the US Super Bowl. Or maybe a major 'boy' band looking for a spectacular creation to add to their performance. Have I said too much?!! 🤫😘

Anyway - it keeps us busy and brightens up our day. 🌻

28/02/2026

Did you know there's a Small Business section ?
We didn't until they came knocking! The article was published online yesterday Friday - and you'll find us on the front page of the business section. Apologies for the pay wall.

Great putting the spotlight on us small businesses - the back bone of the British economy. Did you know that over 98% of all businesses in this county are small? Or SME's as we're known - around 5.7 million of us! All working hard and in our case making quality umbrellas for brands, retailers, hotels as well as the film and the theatre industry.

However as a small business it's hard to keep up, and keep evolving to stay efficient. The world is constantly changing around us, so it's great when help is offered backed up with knowledge and expertise. We know lots about making umbrellas and traditional craft skills - we know much less about the latest tech and whizzy ways of digitalising our job sheets and getting our umbrellas flying around the workroom - without Mary Poppins magically clicking her fingers and reaching into her carpet bag. Fortunately London and have offered their assistance. So fingers crossed and lets help get some growth into our local economy.

30/01/2026

We love the business of month end - getting your orders out the door.

Here are the production team 'tipping' & 'tying-in' the covers to the frame. Followed by attaching the strap to colourful golf umbrellas destined for Uppingham School - one of our oldest clients. .
☔️

24/12/2025

04/12/2025

Love showcasing our locally made quality umbrellas ☂️🌂
We were also very pleased to find a decent local photography studio - literally just round the corner! another member of family on Fish Island/Hackney Wick, East London.

We've been asked to make more of our premium solid stick umbrellas. These are top end quality umbrellas made out of a singe piece of solid sustainable wood, with the crook handle steamed and heated into its familiar curved shape. A wonderful traditional craft skill. This has challenged us to extend our range to include dark maple and chestnut solid stick umbrellas. The dark maple is proving to be particularly popular - offering a sophisticated look.

17/11/2025

Couldn't resist showing you the latest batch of umbrellas being made in the workshop today. Feeling the Christmas vibe?! with the red & green 🎄🎄

Here they are being 'tied-in' as we call it. In other words the umbrella covers are being attached to the umbrella frame by tieing them in using an adapted button sewing. Which is designed to attach a set of stitches either side of the metal umbrella rib - very clever!
❤️💚

09/11/2025

Something which survived the move was our lovely old antique hand sewing cabinet.

This cabinet has had many incarnations during its long life - starting out as Richard Ince's grandfather's oak bureau, about 100 years old. However, its still going strong (minus its legs) and today we find it makes an excellent place to store all those useful pins, needles and threads together with snips, labels, rosettes and whatnots which we just couldn't be without in the umbrella making world.

Here's the boss showing how its done with our biggest umbrella - made especially for the oncourse Bookmakers at the races - the bookies umbrella or 'mush' as its known.
, , , inceumbrellas, jamesinceumbrellas, makeithere, madeinlondon,

27/09/2025

Love the layering! 💚

We were very happy to help support .uk and The Good Fashion Show which happened last night in collaboration with

Amazingly all of the models walking were refugees - such a reminder of how powerful fashion can be when its about joy, confidence and community!

05/07/2025

Want something to protect you from the sun and the occasional shower? Our umbrellas do just that! Made from top quality dense polyester fabric the canopy is rated UPF 50+ which blocks over 98% of harmful UV rays. Perfect for this time of year. Check out our shop in our linktr.ee for further details.
☀️

04/07/2025

A cutting table is essential for any fashion making business.
Our move to Wyke Road, Fish Island gave us the excellent opportunity to upgrade to a bigger & better table. With more room we designed a table to fit - complete with fabric storage underneath.

Fortunately we didn't need to go far to get one made. Here in East London we are surrounded by fellow creatives including a lovely furniture maker based in our old road, Vyner street. So Mitch from Shape Furniture took up the challenge and started making this cutting table in his workshop, before finishing it in situ at our factory workshop in Wyke Road. It's a wopping 4.5 metres long and 1.5 metres wide! One of the reasons why us manufacturers need more space per person.

When Richard dismantled the old one he was fascinated to see all the old layers of vintage lino which had been used to refurbish it - each one with hand carved initials of previous cutters on it - graffiti old school! He was also a little shocked to see the extent of the blitz bomb damage underneath from WW11. So he knows the old table was at least 85 years old! Lets hope that new one last as long. 🤞🏼
Pic 1 - New cutting table in situ
Pic 2 - The start of our cutting table's journey in Shape Furniture's workshop
Pic 3 - Finishing touches in Wyke Road
Pic 4 - Plenty of storage underneath
Pic 5 - In situ in main production room
Pic 6 - Old blitz soot damage underneath

30/05/2025

We have moved!
We have finally left Vyner Street in Bethnal Green, East London where we've been resident for over 20 years. So it's all been a bit of an upheaval, with lots of kit & kaboodle to relocate. Which is why we haven't posted much recently as we've been sooo busy setting up the new factory workshop. Apologies.

We've moved just a little further East to Hackney Wick/Fish Island and joined The Trampery Village made up of like minded makers, designers and fashion companies. So it makes a refreshing change to walk past our neighbours and see sewing machines and fabric in the windows. Its also close to the fabulous Olympic Park, West Ham Stadium, Here East and the Abba Voyage. So plenty to see and do in the surrounding area.

Here's a little glimpse of inside the factory at 34 Wyke Road London E3 2XB more to follow..........