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  In foreign countries, umbrellas are considered to be a fashion accessory. People in these countries often match their umbrellas with the clothes they wear.

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  Zhuang Zhanpeng: Malaysia is a tropical country, so umbrellas with UV protection properties are the most popular in the market.

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  These two umbrellas were designed for an Isetan promotional campaign. They were both inspired by Korean designs.

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  Umbrella designs vary depending on a country's climate and the needs of its' people. In some countries, umbrellas made from special PVC fabrics provide shelter when it is snowing. The umbrellas shown here carry fancy and comic prints which appeal to women.

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  Zhuang Zhangpeng bought this umbrella from a clothing store in Hong Kong for RM200. It is as small as a spectacle case.

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  These days, the packaging is almost as important as product quality, and this holds true for umbrellas too. Umbrella covers come in a variety of styles and designs. Some have zippers, others have buttons and a few resemble tote bags.

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  The umbrella-manufacturing industry has mostly become automated. However, about 70% of the umbrella-manufacturers in China still use manual labour in their production process.

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  Manufacturers feel that the umbrella-making industry is in its twilight years.

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  Umbrella manufacturers will give these mini umbrellas to clients for the purpose of gathering feedback. Some are printed with cartoon characters, while others are made of special materials or have decorative borders.

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  An anti-pervert umbrella with built-in flashlight and alarm.

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MALAYSIA: Are you one of those people who bring an umbrella with them whenever they step out of the house?

If your answer is "no", that's hardly surprising. Few Malaysians carry an umbrella, as most consider it too much of a bother.

But things are a little different overseas. In other Asian countries like Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Hong Kong, umbrellas are regarded as important fashion accessories.

And like any other fashion accessory, umbrella designs change frequently to suit current trends. Quite a bit of money goes into research on umbrella designs and improved portability.

You might be amazed to learn that Hong Kong women (even those who live alone) tend to keep four or five umbrellas in their homes, but people living in Hong Kong would find the practice perfectly normal.

Hong Kong women consider their umbrellas to be part of their wardrobe; they simply want to make sure they always have an umbrella that match the clothes they wear.

Meanwhile, people living in Western countries believe that an umbrella should be both durable and nice to look at.

J. Calli Industries Sdn Bhd Managing Director Zhuang Zhanpeng said Malaysia's umbrella-manufacturing industry was established 80 years ago.

Parasols are also manufactured in Malaysia, but the demand is low because the people here prefer umbrellas which can shelter them from both sun and rain.

Zhuang said most umbrellas made in Malaysia were manufactured using fabric with UV protection properties.

These umbrellas not only keep people dry on rainy days, but can also be used as a shield from the sun's harmful Ultraviolet (UV) rays. As a result, these umbrellas have always been very popular.

Zhuang added more than half of J. Calli's business came from orders placed by private companies.

Few individuals have asked for custom-built umbrellas as there were not many Malaysians who are willing to spend that kind of money.

When asked about the expected lifespan of an umbrella, Zhuang said it depended on the owner.

If the umbrella's owner knew how to properly fold and care for it, the umbrella could last up to seven or eight years.

Zhuang explained that due to limited domestic demand for umbrellas, most of the company's umbrellas were exported and sold overseas. This year, their market has expanded to include Korea and Japan.

"Whenever the Japanese go overseas travelling, they will always bring along an umbrella no matter how heavy their baggage already is," Zhuang said.

This is certainly different from Malaysians' more casual attitude towards umbrellas.

However, in light of the alarming increase in criminal activity, more Malaysians might decide to start carrying umbrellas with them.

Two years ago, a Taiwanese company introduced a line of umbrellas which included a built-in flash light and a button-operated alarm.

It runs on AA batteries and costs RM49.40.