The parent company, Shenzhen Jianzhi Technology, was established in 2012, with Beneunder launching as its first major consumer brand the following year.2

2013: The “little black umbrella”

Beneunder was founded in 2013 by Ma Long and Lin Ze, who entered the market with a compact, double-layer black umbrella. Rather than marketing the product solely as rain gear, the founders emphasised UV protection, portability, materials technology, and aesthetics. The brand’s inaugural innovation was the L.R.C. coating, developed specifically for sun protection. This approach distinguished Beneunder as a purveyor of urban lifestyle products rather than traditional outdoor equipment. The company cites this initial product as the foundation for over a decade of experimentation in outdoor protection.3

2014–2016: Technology and retail expansion

During this period, Beneunder established an R&D laboratory and broadened its technological scope beyond UV protection. Its early product development framework encompassed:

• Anti-UV: Protection from ultraviolet radiation
• Anti-Hot: Heat protection and cooling
• Anti-Water: Rain and water resistance
• Anti-Cold: Thermal protection
• Anti-Strain/Burden: Reducing discomfort associated with carrying or wearing products

Concurrently, the company began transitioning from a purely online model to physical retail, opening its first major offline flagship store in Shanghai in 2016.4

A pivotal phase in Beneunder’s development was its expansion from umbrellas into apparel. The product range gradually grew to include sun-protection jackets, sleeves, hats, face coverings, shawls, tights, outdoor trousers, cooling garments, thermal clothing, shoes, and various accessories. This diversification transformed the company from a specialised sun-protection accessories maker into a broader functional fashion business.

According to IPO materials, apparel revenue grew significantly; while clothing represented a minor portion of sales in the late 2010s, it had become a major category by 2021–2022. In the first half of 2022, clothing accounted for approximately 35.8% of total revenue. Consequently, Beneunder is no longer primarily defined as an umbrella manufacturer.

In 2022, Beneunder formally introduced the concept of “lightweight outdoor” (轻量化户外). This strategic shift redefined outdoor life not as an activity requiring expensive technical gear or extreme travel, but as something integrable into daily routines. The brand conceptualises outdoor activities along a continuum:

Home → Neighbourhood → City → Suburbs → Mountains/Outdoors

Under this philosophy, scenarios such as commuting, visiting parks, playing sports, golfing, or simply spending time outside are all considered valid outdoor experiences.5 The company’s slogan, “天地间，肩并肩” (Side by side beneath the sky), reflects its aim to make outdoor living feel easy, social, comfortable, and everyday rather than extreme or intimidating.6

Beneunder’s brand identity is built upon three core pillars.

Protection

The brand’s original DNA is protection from environmental conditions. Instead of competing with traditional technical outdoor companies on mountaineering or extreme sports equipment, Beneunder addresses everyday outdoor challenges including strong sunlight, heat, sweat, rain, wind, cold, physical burden, and insects. These solutions are organised under the AntiTec technological platform.

Lightweight

“Lightweight” refers not only to product weight but also to lowering the psychological and practical barriers to outdoor activities. While traditional outdoor culture often implies a need for technical equipment, preparation, and expertise, Beneunder promotes comfortable clothing, convenient protection, and everyday mobility. This positioning makes the brand particularly relevant to urban consumers.

Lifestyle

The brand’s positioning has evolved from sun protection to outdoor protection, then to urban outdoor, and finally to a lightweight outdoor lifestyle. This progression is central to its strategy of selling a holistic lifestyle rather than just functional products.7

Beneunder’s current portfolio extends well beyond its original umbrella business.

Sun protection

This remains a core strength, featuring UV-protection jackets, sun sleeves, sun hats, capes, UV umbrellas, and face coverings. Products utilise specialised fibres, coatings, and material structures designed for UV defence.8

Functional apparel

The apparel line includes outdoor jackets, cooling clothing, long-sleeve tops, trousers, leggings, thermal underwear, sportswear, and travel clothing. International marketing currently highlights travel, golf, tennis, cooling apparel, and everyday outdoor sets.

Accessories and footwear

The brand offers umbrellas, hats, sunglasses, sleeves, bags, and other outdoor accessories. As the definition of outdoor life expanded, so did the range to include footwear and personal products.9

Technology serves as a primary differentiator for Beneunder.

L.R.C. technology

Originally developed for sun-protection umbrellas, the L.R.C. coating has been adapted for both umbrellas and apparel. Newer iterations use controlled particles and titanium-based materials to block UV, visible light, and infrared radiation while providing heat insulation.

Specialised fibres

Beneunder develops proprietary textile structures, such as “cloud” yarn technology. This uses a specially shaped fibre cross-section to reflect UV radiation from multiple angles, maintaining sun-protection performance even after repeated washing.10

AntiTec

Rather than treating technologies as isolated inventions, Beneunder organises its R&D under the AntiTec umbrella. This system covers protection against sun, heat, sweat, humidity, rain, wind, fatigue, insects, and cold, forming a comprehensive outdoor protection ecosystem.

Beneunder exemplifies China’s new consumer-brand, direct-to-consumer (DTC) model.

E-commerce

The brand built its initial customer base through Chinese online platforms, particularly Tmall. By the end of 2021, Beneunder reported over 7.5 million paying customers on Tmall, with a repurchase rate of approximately 46.5%.11

Content marketing

Growth has been driven heavily by social media, influencers, livestream commerce, KOL/KOC marketing, and lifestyle photography. This visual approach proved effective for demonstrating the functional advantages of sun-protection clothing.

Offline retail

The company subsequently invested in physical retail, with its store count exceeding 300 in 2023. This created an omnichannel ecosystem linking social media, e-commerce, and physical stores, rather than relying solely on traditional department store distribution.

Beneunder emerged as a prominent new consumer brand in the late 2010s and early 2020s. According to Hong Kong IPO materials, 2021 revenue reached approximately RMB 2.41 billion, with adjusted profit of roughly RMB 136 million.

Revenue breakdown by category in 2021 included:

This growth illustrates the successful transformation of a niche sun-protection umbrella business into a comprehensive lifestyle enterprise.

Beneunder attracted significant attention during its attempt to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company submitted its application in April 2022, seeking capital for product innovation, R&D, brand development, omnichannel retail, and overseas expansion. At the time, it was viewed as a potential bellwether for China’s new consumer-brand sector.

However, the proposed listing faced scrutiny regarding high marketing expenditure and profitability relative to revenue growth. The IPO process ultimately did not result in a completed listing, and Beneunder is not currently a publicly listed company in Hong Kong.

Ma Long (马龙)

Ma Long is co-founder and CEO of Beneunder. He studied polymer materials and engineering at East China University of Science and Technology, bringing expertise in product development and brand creation. His background in materials science aligns with the company’s emphasis on fabrics and functional engineering. The company describes him as an outdoor enthusiast who approaches product development from a user-centric perspective.12

Lin Ze (林泽)

Lin Ze is co-founder and president. He holds a master’s degree in information and communications engineering from Zhejiang University and previously worked at Nokia Siemens Networks. His role focuses on business strategy, marketing, channels, and the DTC model.13 Together, the founders combine expertise in product technology with consumer strategy.

Beneunder has invested significantly in celebrity marketing to broaden its appeal. Notably, Jay Chou (周杰伦) was appointed as a brand ambassador in March 2023, with his broad public recognition aligning with the brand’s mass-market outdoor positioning.

This marked a shift from earlier marketing, which strongly associated the brand with women, sun protection, and summer. The newer positioning targets men, women, families, travellers, athletes, and urban outdoor enthusiasts.

Originally, Beneunder’s customer base skewed heavily towards young urban women interested in sun protection, beauty, fashion, and commuting. The company has since expanded its target demographic to include men, children, families, travellers, casual outdoor enthusiasts, golf and tennis players, and urban commuters. Current corporate profiles explicitly state that the product range covers women, children, and men.14

Beneunder occupies a distinct middle ground between traditional fashion brands and hardcore outdoor equipment manufacturers. It prioritises functionality and protection over pure fashion, yet avoids the extreme focus of technical alpine brands.

Its niche can be described as “technical functionality for ordinary outdoor life,” positioning it within the growing urban outdoor trend.

Beneunder presents itself as an international brand through its English-language website, which markets products around concepts such as travel, golf, tennis, summer activities, cooling, and commuting.15 Internationally, the messaging translates the Chinese “lightweight outdoor” proposition into a universally understandable functional lifestyle and sun-protection narrative, placing less emphasis on the specific cultural nuances of the domestic market.

The Chinese name 蕉下 literally translates to “under the banana leaf,” symbolising shade, shelter, and comfort.16 This imagery connects directly to the product strategy: banana leaf → shade → protection → comfort → outdoor enjoyment. The English name Beneunder serves as a stylised international identity rather than a literal translation.

Several factors contributed to Beneunder’s rise:

1. Underserved category: The brand transformed sun protection from a utilitarian category (umbrellas/sunscreen) into a fusion of fashion, technology, and lifestyle.
2. Fashionable functionality: By emphasising appearance and portability alongside specs, products became easier to integrate into daily outfits.
3. E-commerce mastery: Growth coincided with the explosion of Tmall, social commerce, Xiaohongshu, and livestreaming, allowing faster scaling than traditional offline brands.
4. Horizontal expansion: Expertise in sun protection facilitated entry into hats, sleeves, clothing, footwear, and broader lifestyle categories.
5. Redefining “outdoor”: By validating everyday activities as outdoor life, Beneunder addressed a significantly larger market than traditional outdoor brands.

Despite its growth, Beneunder faces several challenges.

Marketing dependence

Analysts have noted substantial marketing expenditure relative to profitability, raising questions about sustainability as customer acquisition costs rise.

Category competition

The brand competes simultaneously with Chinese and international sportswear companies, traditional outdoor brands, fast-fashion retailers, and specialised sun-protection labels, necessitating distinctive positioning.

Brand stretching

Expansion into virtually every aspect of outdoor clothing risks diluting brand identity. In response, Beneunder has increasingly anchored its identity in “lightweight outdoor” rather than solely sun protection.

As of 2026, Beneunder positions itself as a lightweight outdoor lifestyle company while retaining sun protection as a core competency. Its international website emphasises travel, cooling, golf, tennis, and everyday outdoor clothing, while the Chinese site showcases the broader AntiTec technology system. The company’s philosophy centres on enabling people to go outdoors more easily without heavy or complicated equipment.

In summary, Beneunder (蕉下) is a Chinese consumer brand founded in 2013 that evolved from a sun-protection umbrella specialist into a technology-driven lightweight outdoor lifestyle company, combining functional textiles, UV protection, and fashion-oriented design for everyday urban and outdoor activities.

1. Our Story
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14. 轻量化户外，防晒必不可少 蕉下与品牌代言… 来自蕉下Beneunder – 微博
15. Beneunder: Embrace Your Wild Side 🔥 | Milled
16. sec.gov