Umbrella came into being as a devise to protect individuals against from the elements and the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun. These umbrellas also known as parasol were made from a thick fabric, which was mounted on ribs and a rod made from oiled paper, bamboo or wood. This devise was mainly carried by the royalty of China, India, Egypt and Greece.

As time went by and with further development of umbrellas, manufacturers began experimenting with the way in which they could put this devise into better use. Towards the middle of the 19th century the patio umbrellas began to be manufactured. People realized that if the smaller devise could protect an individual from tanning and sunburn, then one kept out in the patio could do the same for people seated there.

The different was the size. The parasol that began as an individual protective devise, has now become something to be used by households and outdoor commercial premises. The patio umbrellas were large enough to protect at least four to five people at a time. Basically, larger canopies were fixed to longer rods and ribs. Initially the central rod use to be fixed to the ground and people would place their chairs accordingly beneath it.

However, as time went by patio umbrellas were constructed to be mobile. This meant that instead of having fixed ones on a patio, one could select from those with a collapsible stand. As time went by a table with a hole in the center was created so that the rod of the patio umbrellas could be slid through it and people could enjoy the comforts of its shade while enjoying a meal or snack together.