Shibumi Shades were born in Emerald Isle, N.C.

Bright blue and teal Shibumi Shades are everywhere you look this summer along the waters of Carteret County, N.C., that sparkle like crystal. 

This distinctive, flap-in-the-wind product was invented in Emerald Isle in 2016 by three guys from Forsyth County, N.C., whose families are regular summer vacationers here.

 

With its sinfully simple design, the Shibumi has absolutely revolutionized the entire “beachgoing experience.” (It’s easy to say: “shih-BOOM-ee,” and it’s a snap to put one up.) 

Weighing just four pounds, Shibumi has “lifted the weight off our shoulders,” eliminating the need to haul out bulky beach umbrellas and hefty anchoring devices.

 

The new-fangled Shibumi wind-powered canopies are also replacing those clunky tailgate tents with their metal frames – you know, the kind that resemble a “canvas-covered carport” and require a pit crew to put up. 

The Shibumi creators are brothers Dane and Scott Barnes and their friend Alex Slater. All three graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While students, they lived off-campus in the Shibumi apartment complex. 

“Shibumi” is also a Japanese design concept that means “elegance of simplicity.”

Alex, Scott and Dane. (Photo by Our State magazine)

 

“We took a little inspiration from looking at a sheet on a clothesline just sort of flowing in the breeze,” Alex told Taylor Wanbaugh of Business North Carolina magazine. 

“And understanding that working with the wind, rather than trying to fight against the wind, seemed to be the best way to solve that problem on the beach, since wind is usually the biggest problem out there,” Alex added. 

Renee Wright, a freelance technical writer in Charlotte, N.C., said: “The design of the Shibumi Shade is unique, an arched pole that holds a panel made of ripstop parachute material that floats on the wind.” 

On assignment to test out a Shibumi, journalist Mary King of CNET, who hails from Kure Beach, N.C., told her readers that the brilliant patches of blue hues stood out “sharply against Kure’s golden sands.” 

“Look closer and the patches become identical swaths of fabric billowing in the breeze, each one sheltering small pods of beachgoers. What really sets the Shibumi apart is how it harnesses the wind,” King wrote.

 

“For most beach umbrellas and tents, the ever-present coastal breeze is a nuisance. On particularly blustery days, it can become an adversary, transforming beach gear into dangerous projectiles.” 

“But to the Shibumi’s floating fabric, the wind is a friend. It only takes about a 3 mph breeze to keep the free end of the fabric afloat and provide the shade beachgoers want.” 

“Illuminated by the afternoon sun, my Shibumi flowed triumphantly in the breeze, cloaking me in a roomy rectangle of shade,” King said. 

Four adults and plenty of kids can fit comfortably under a standard Shibumbi, which provides about 150 square feet of shade. New this year is the Mini Shibumi Shade; it offers about 75 square feet of shade and is perfect for couples and empty nesters. 

The Shibumi Shade business is based in Raleigh. The company contracts with cut-and-sew operators in three manufacturing plants in North Carolina and Virginia. Products are warehoused in Raleigh and distributed from there to retailers. Customers can also purchase products directly from Shibumi Shade through the company web site. 

“From the beginning,” the founders said, “all Shibumi Shades have come only in our signature blue and teal colors. When you see our blue and teal colors on a beach shade, you’ll know it’s a genuine Shibumi Shade. We love the way these colors complement the colors of the ocean.”