Keep Your Customers Cool in Style This Summer With a Personalized Folding Fan
Whether cooling down at a hot outdoor wedding or stuffy indoor meeting, a custom plastic hand fan is a handy promotional item to keep around. Add your silkscreened logo to this folding fan for increased brand visibility.
Fans have long been a popular accessory in Japan. They are used by geisha and maiko for their fan dances, by actors and singers for performances, and by children as toys.
Size
There are different sizes available for plastic folding fans. Some are small enough to fit in your hand, while others can be carried in a purse or backpack for easy access to a cooling breeze whenever needed. You can even customize your hand fan with a message or logo for an added promotional element to your event.
Printed hand fans make a stylish giveaway at mid-summer outdoor weddings, stuffy indoor meetings, and hot concert performances. Choose a bold color and add your organizational or company name for a branded promotion that helps customers, supporters, and attendees cool off.
Traditional Japanese hand fans are made of slats of cypress or plastic folding fan cedar wood called sensu. Originally used as a means of keeping records, court members began to bind these slats together at one end and string them on the other, creating an early version of the sensu. Holes were opened in the layered paper in correspondence with the number of ribs required and ribs were then inserted into these openings using a technique known as jihuki. This is a time-consuming process that requires the skills of an experienced craftsman. The result is a beautiful and functional hand fan. The slats are also often painted with a variety of designs and patterns.
Color
The color of a plastic folding fan is an important factor to consider when selecting the right one. The colors of traditional Japanese fans have specific meanings and are often associated with certain festivals or events. For example, red fans are used during the annual Nagoya samurai festival to represent courage and victory. Green fans are used to show appreciation and respect, while blue fans are used to encourage happiness and good luck.
There are many different types of folding fans, each with its own unique style and design. The uwae (dyed or printed figures) on Japanese fans are painted carefully with attention to where the fan will be folded so that the final picture does not look distorted. A fan may also be decorated with gold foil or dust to add to its beauty.
While handheld fans have been used by all cultures throughout history, they are especially popular in Asia. This is particularly true in Japan, where the fan has long been a decorative object and a symbol of status. This 8.6″ x 16.5″ folding fan at the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures is colorfully printed with a seascape and image of Mount Fuji.
Historically, large hand fans were often used to punctuate speech or as part of performances. The popular drag dance webshow UNHhhh, for example, uses folding fans to emphasize movements in the dance numbers. These large fans are often decorated with phrases plastic folding fan taken from the lexicon of drag and LGBTQ+ culture, or they may be embellished with sequins or tassels.
Material
Plastic folding hand fans are a great giveaway item for summer promotional events, parties and fundraisers. Add a silkscreened imprint of your company name or logo for increased brand exposure on this eye-catching giveaway. They can also be used as decorations for your home or office. Made of plastic & polyester fabric, these fans fold easily and fit in your handbag when closed.
The earliest Japanese fans were made by tying thin strips of hinoki (or Japanese cypress) together. They were used in the traditional tea ceremony and kabuki theater, as well as for personal decoration. They were known as harisen, which means “fluttering fan.” These fans are typically painted and feature long tassels.
A key component of a fan is the leaf, which can be made from paper, cloth or lace. It may be single or double sided and can be either a plain or decorative design. The leaf is attached to the ribs of both folding and brise’ fans using glue, thread or other methods.
The ribs of a fan are layered with a core paper and front and back sheets of washi paper. Holes are opened in the layered paper in correspondence with the number of ribs required, and then ribs that are pre-coated with glue are inserted into these holes. The ribs are then heated to make them bend inward, which is called oyatame. The oyatame helps the fan close more easily and creates its characteristic snapping sound when open.
Printing
Keep your customers cool in style this summer by giving them a personalized folding fan that’s silkscreened with your company logo. Printed in vibrant full color, this hand fan is ideal for outdoor events or stuffy indoor meetings. You can also add your own custom message or picture for maximum exposure. This product is made of plastic ad polyester fabric and comes with a secure handle that’s comfortable to hold.
Historically, fans were a symbol of status and femininity in many cultures. Folding fans were often adorned with elaborate designs on their leaves, while rigid hand fans had decorative slats carved in ivory, bone, mother of pearl or tortoise shell. These slats were slotted onto the sticks rather than being glued as on later folding fans. This early method of construction led to fans being referred to as “brise” fans.
In the 17th century, the rigid fans seen in portraits began to fall out of fashion and folding fans became popular. These newer fans had well painted leaves and often a religious or classical subject. The slats were usually arranged in a lace like pattern on the stick and a variety of exotic woods were used for the sticks. This led to the development of a very vibrant artist market for fans.
