Recently, a set of video clips (片段) featuring a man showcasing umbrellas with various creative designs has gone viral on the Internet, even spreading overseas and attracting foreign netizens with the unimaginable “Chinese creativity”, CCTV news reported.

In the clips, there are shining laser (激光) reflective umbrellas to dispel darkness, umbrellas with floor-length plastic curtains to prevent one’s clothes from getting wet, twin umbrellas specially designed for couples and many others. All of them are made by the man in the clips, Lei Penglin. 38-year-old Lei has operated an umbrella factory in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. Netizens affectionately call him “uncle” due to his performances in the clips.

In 2014, Lei established his own factory. At first, his factory received thousands of orders. However, as the competition intensified, Lei had to explore new opportunities. He found that creative and unique products always stood out. Therefore, Lei started to infuse creative ideas into the products and, in 2022, his umbrella with an attached flashlight gained popularity. “Consumers pursue personalized products. So the umbrellas have to function as decorations aside from just preventing sunshine and rain,” Lei said.

In the comment section of the product videos, Lei noticed an interesting request with many likes, suggesting to him to make a reflective umbrella for walking in the dark. Following the advice, Lei created the “laser reflective umbrella”, selling over 70,000 units once upon release. From then on, Lei started to attach great importance to comments to absorb new ideas.

Presently, Lei spends several hours reading comments every day. “Basically 300 to 500 comments a day, I will read and reply to them all by myself. Only by carefully observing can I know everyone’s need, and solve the after-selling problems on time,” he said. Several products developed based on the comments have been on shelf. “Almost all the umbrellas made so far can be sold; none have suffered loss,” Lei introduced.

In the future, Lei hopes to make some Chinese-style umbrellas that can be paired with Han-style clothing. “I want to try something new and also advocate for our Chinese culture,” Lei added.

Large wall posters for kids. Your kids will love these cool posters by artist Darla Daly — zebras boarding in the skateboard park, a group of jungle animals playing in the playground and two giraffes taking a drive in the city. Your kids will enjoy decorating their bedroom walls with these posters and their friends will think they are the coolest!

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Sometimes the best gift is the one you can use at home. These items will likely be appreciated all year for time spent relaxing, entertaining or getting things done.

Jawbone Jambox Wireless Speaker

$199 retail （ far cheaper online） . The bigger version goes for $299.

The cool-looking rechargeable wireless speaker is getting good reviews for its big, balanced sound and compact design. It lets you stream music from smartphones, laptops and other Bluetooth devices（设备）.

Chalkboard Wall Planter

$129. 95 retail at Williams-Sonoma

No need to make room indoors for more flower pots. Grow a herb garden indoors in a wall-fixed vertical planter, and you'll get the benefits of fragrance （芳香）. Fill the 10 planting cells with the herbs of your choice, and hang the planter in a sunny spot. Use the chalkboard borders to label each plant. Measures 16 by 5 by 24 inches and weighs 11 pounds.

Pocket Projector

$299 retail at Brookstone

Let everyone get a good look at the pictures on your smartphone, computer, video player, or digital camera. This rechargeable pocket projector can turn a flat surface into a 60-inch big screen with 1080p HD picture quality. Invite friends for a movie night or a presentation. An HDMI cable is included to connect it to your device.

Adjustable Tablet Stand

$159 at Sharper Image

This is the gift for the person who enjoys mobile. Use it to keep your hands free while doing homework, crafts or writing out bills. It can be rotated through 360 degrees. The stand slides easily under your furniture and can be used on either side of a bed or a sofa. It also folds for storage.