• Removable finial which means that you can take off & machine wash the canopy at 40°C.
• Double stitch pockets & edging to stop the parasol from fraying around the edge & help ensure the rib does not poke through the canopy over time.
• 180 Gram poly spun water resistant canopy with a level 5 fade resistance.
• 6 Oversized 17mm x 22mm FSC Eucalyptus Wood parasol ribs which add far more strength than standard size ribs. This also increases the life expectancy of the parasol & should ensure the ribs don't break if the wind picks up.
• Resin Hub & Runner. If parasols are made using wooden hubs & runners these parts can expand & contract in varying weather conditions & cease up around the centre pole of the parasol. By using resin hubs & runners colour matched to look identical to the wooden parts then you'll never have this problem.
• Stainless Steel fixtures & fittings throughout the parasol. This
  
  Includes:: the pulley system & the screw cap located in the centre of the pole.
• 1cm Thick anti-fray high quality pulley cord instead of the standard thin cord which normally frays within a matter of weeks.
• 38mm 2 Piece Centre Pole allowing for easy storage when not in use.
• 100% FSC Eucalyptus Wood construction throughout the parasol.
• Extended screw connector to ensure the parasol doesn't wobble in the middle. This also adds extra strength to the entire frame work & is actually a really key feature of the STURDI parasols.

FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council, a worldwide recognised non-profit organisation to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. Many parasols available are made from unethical wood sources, unmanaged wood supply chains & illegal deforestation, however STURDI are concerned about the number of forests remaining in the world & want to ensure their longevity. To help with this they have decided that all parasols carrying the STURDI logo are manufactured from FSC managed forests, this may increase the cost of the parasol slightly as the extra workload that goes into ensuring certified woods are purchased for the construction isn't cheap however STURDI feel that maintaining the world’s forests is a top priority & should not be a second thought to price.

There are lots of different woods used for the construction of parasols, but the best is FSC Eucalyptus. After years of trialing different woods the STURDI range has settled on FSC Eucalyptus because of its ideal characteristics for making parasols, the wood doesn't warp or bend like some cheaper parasols, in the trade this is called the banana effect where the parasol centre poles bow after the weather affects their ability to perform. Another feature of Eucalyptus is the beautiful true grain finish the wood has, all you need to do with Eucalyptus is varnish the wood, some cheaper parasols use a Chinese Hardwood, Nyatoh, Juniper or even a mixture of woods. Once varnished the true colour of the Eucalyptus wood comes to life, it produces a light golden brown colour similar to Teak which suits the majority of wooden dining sets. Cheaper woods not only look cheap & nasty but require painting during manufacture to hide all the blemishes & imperfections in the woods.

Fade resistance levels are largely overlooked by most people when buying a parasol but it’s a very important part of the buying decision as it will define how long your parasol looks new. The fade resistance is determined by a test that is carried out on the fabric before it’s cut & machined into a canopy. The test is normally undertaken in China because this is where most parasols are manufactured, it ascertains roughly how many hours of sunlight the material can withstand before fading.

Very few parasols available online or in garden centres are waterproof, in fact we are not aware of any that aren't considered commercial quality & then they become very expensive. However the STURDI parasol canopy are made from spun polyester which is a man-made fabric & therefore inherently rot, shrink, crumple, stain & water resistant. By this we mean you can leave you parasol up in slightly rainy conditions & the water will bead off the edges, however we cannot guarantee that you will be able to use this parasol as a shelter from heavy rain, if this is what you are looking for then we would rather recommend a gazebo or wall mounted awning.

With all parasols you are going to need a parasol base, the difference in base weights comes when you are considering whether to use the parasol in conjunction with a table or as a free standing parasol. If you intend placing the STURDI 3m x 2m rectangular parasol through the centre hole of a table you will not need a parasol base heavier than 20kg, however if think you might like to place the parasol away from the table & create a shade elsewhere in your garden then we strongly recommend at least 25kg depending upon the weather conditions in your area, for extremely windy conditions the heavier the parasol base the better, remember, you can never have too much weight in your parasol base.

All parasols tend to get dirty from bird dropping, tree sap, pollution etc. over time, to combat this & extend the life of your