On March 24, Aeon Retail held a “Kids UV Protection Product Unveiling” at the Aeon Shin-Urayasu Shopping Center, where Junko Odajima, Executive Officer and General Manager of the Clothing Division, explained Topvalu’s new products.
This season, the development of parasols and sunglasses for children will be greatly enhanced as the most strengthened category of clothing. The scale of the sales floor for sun and rain umbrellas will be expanded to twice that of 2025, and a total of 48 types of long and folding umbrellas will be handled, mainly Topvalu items.
Mr. Odajima explained that the reason why parasols and sunglasses for children are necessary is that they are shorter, so they are more susceptible to the reflection from the ground than adults, and are more affected by ultraviolet rays and heat.
Until now, AEON’s parasols for children have been mainly developed as “rain goods that can also be used on sunny days. However, according to the results of the company’s survey, 70% of elementary school students said they would like to use parasols, as UV protection for adults has become more widespread.
In response, Top Value launched a new product, the “Marun~n Sunny Rain Umbrella. Two styles, bicolor and ruffle, are available in three colors each, priced at 2,178 yen each. The 55cm and 60cm umbrellas are available in two sizes (length of the parent bone), with the 55cm umbrella targeting a height of 120-140cm and the 60cm umbrella targeting a height of 140-160cm.
It can be opened and closed with a single touch, and features a rounded form that completely covers the body, including school bags and other items carried on the back. It is made of heat- and water-repellent fabric with a heat-shielding index of “S35” (35-44% heat shielding) and an inner PU black coating with a light-shielding rate of 99.99% or higher, as well as a UV cut (shielding) rate of 99.9% or higher, so it is expected to be effective in preventing sunburn and heat stroke.
Mr. Odajima stated, “What is being sought (by Aeon in terms of UV-protection goods for kids) are products that are affordable, cost-effective, can be used every day, and are reliable. We have an obligation as an infrastructure to provide UV-protection goods to children,” he emphasized.
In addition, Topvalu also offers the more reasonably priced “long umbrella for both sunny and rainy days” (1,738 yen each) in a variety of sizes. In mid-May, a full-patterned umbrella (50cm/55cm, 2,178 yen each) will also be available.
Similar to the school bag trend, lavender and pink are popular for girls and navy and black for boys, and many people replace their umbrellas every two years, with more girls choosing blue colors such as mint and saxophone as they move up through the grades.
It is also popular to arrange the name bands and handles with charms of favorite characters.
As a total UV protection measure for children, the company will strengthen its development of not only parasols to protect the skin, but also kids’ glasses to protect the eyes. In addition to sports glasses with a wide field of vision (1078 yen/1408 yen) and fashion glasses that look good in photos such as hearts and stars (858 yen/1408 yen), “flexible polarized glasses” (1738 yen) are newly launched.
Designed for everyday use, such as commuting to school, they are similar to adult sunglasses, and the frames (vines/temples) are made of a flexible material that can be bent inward and outward.
In 2026, Topvalu will also introduce for the first time sunglasses for adults. In addition to UV protection, the trend toward seeking “coolness” in the summer heat, which is getting hotter and hotter every year, has led to the popularization of sunglasses as a fashion item that can be adopted regardless of the season.
The entire sales floor offers a total of 70 products, including eight Top Value products, which is three times the size of the 2025 sales plan. Mr. Odajima hopes that the entire family will take smart measures against heat and sun by using parasols and sunglasses together.
© Source travel watch