America's latest beach fight isn't over booze or boom boxes—it's about a $255 strip of polyester. The Wall Street Journal reports on the Shibumi, a 4-pound shade that catches the wind like a sideways flag and, in some coastal towns, has practically taken over the shoreline. In North Carolina's Wrightsville Beach, homeowners say the sea of blue-and-turquoise canopies is a welcome sign that summer has arrived. But in places like Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, officials have banned Shibumis and similar canopies, citing clogged sand, tripping hazards, blocked access for emergency crews, and even noise from all that flapping fabric.
The shade's inventors are UNC alums who've sold about half a million units, drawn in private equity, cracked down on imitators with patents and lawsuits, and tried to fix complaints with quieter fabric, a wind-assist kit, and new color options. Still, the relatively high price, local bans, and copycats pose hurdles as the company eyes backyards and parks as its next frontier. And in terms of the beach umbrellas, the firm also is looking to break out far beyond the Carolinas. Slate had a lengthy piece about the product—originally called the Shade Wave—back in 2024, noting that it already had been spotted on more than 800 beaches around the world. "An international takeover could be on the horizon," the story predicted, provided the battle is first won on American beaches.
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