DESIGN /
PRODUCT
June 19, 2026
Introducing SAKASANANO: The Umbrella with Advanced Water-Repellent Technology
Waterfront
Umbrella brand Waterfront will launch "SAKASANANO," an umbrella featuring Toray's cutting-edge water-repellent technology, on its official online store starting June 17 (Wednesday). It will also be available at Daikanyama T-SITE from June 17 to June 30 (Tuesday).
Text by YANAKA Tomomi
An inverted design that prevents drips when getting in and out of cars
Concerns about the impact of certain PFAS (such as PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS), widely used in water-repellent finishes, on the human body have led to increasing global regulations.
As maintaining high water repellency becomes more challenging, Toray's "NANODESIGN®" technology has been applied to umbrellas, resulting in "SAKASANANO"—an umbrella that relies not only on water-repellent agents but also allows for fabric replacement, making it a "growable umbrella."
Toray's patented "NANODESIGN®" technology allows for precise control of fiber thickness and cross-sectional shape at the nanoscale. In "SAKASANANO," by combining different surface textures and thicknesses of the yarn, microscopic irregularities are created on the yarn surface. This unique structure enables water droplets to roll off easily, achieving superior water repellency.
The design itself is also noteworthy. Even with highly water-repellent fabric, its performance gradually declines with use due to accumulated dirt and oils from hands. This often leads to umbrellas being replaced. To address this, an inverted structure was adopted, minimizing contact with the water-repellent surface.
When closed, the wet side faces inward, preventing your hands and clothes from getting wet, making it ideal for getting in and out of cars. Its self-standing structure also eliminates the need for an umbrella stand.
This design was created by Yota Kakuda, who also worked as a product designer for MUJI. While maintaining functional rationality and eliminating waste, the design has been meticulously refined down to the umbrella's closed appearance and every detail, resulting in an aesthetic that blends beautifully with both men and women.
Even if the water repellency decreases over years of use, "SAKASANANO" allows for the fabric to be replaced independently. In Japan, approximately 80 million umbrellas are discarded annually, with many disposed of without being recycled.
By replacing the fabric, "SAKASANANO" contributes to reducing this environmental impact and allows users to cultivate a cherished, personal umbrella.
This innovative "SAKASANANO" will be available at Daikanyama T-SITE until June 30 (Tuesday). Additionally, it will be exhibited at "T-SITE KADEN+" on the first floor of Futako Tamagawa T-SITE until June 22 (Monday).
"SAKASANANO" can be used comfortably during the gloomy rainy season or on harsh rainy days. It's an umbrella that will become a reliable companion for a long time.
SAKASANANO
Price | ¥14,300 (tax included)
Sales Site |https://www.water-front.co.jp/sakasanano/
Learn more about "SAKASANANO"
Q. What standards does "SAKASANANO" meet for water repellency?
It has achieved the highest rating of 5 in water repellency tests (JIS L 1092), using fabric with a contact angle of 150 degrees or more and a sliding angle of 10 degrees or less. Furthermore, confirmation of no water penetration was achieved in a water repellency test after 150 folding cycles in the umbrella's product state, validating its claim as the "strongest water-repellent umbrella" through rigorous verification.
Q. Who is Yota Kakuda, the designer of "SAKASANANO"?
A product designer and creative director born in Sendai. After moving to the UK in 2003 and completing the Design Products program at the Royal College of Art (RCA), he worked as a product designer for MUJI before establishing his own studio in 2011. He has received accolades such as the Good Design Award and iF Design Award, and was selected as a finalist for the HUBLOT DESIGN PRIZE (the first Japanese national to do so), demonstrating his extensive work both domestically and internationally.
Q. What is the background of the umbrella brand "Waterfront"?
Founded in 1986, it is an umbrella specialty brand with cumulative sales exceeding 200 million units. Its slim "Pokeflat" is known as a long-selling product with over 24 million units sold. In 2025, the company name was changed to Waterfront Co., Ltd., and it became a group company of TSI Holdings. "SAKASANANO" marks a new challenge for the brand, announced during its 40th anniversary.