There’s something big happening in the world of folding fans. Just weeks ago, outdoorsy fashion label meanswhile released a handheld fan made from what looks like paper but is in fact the world’s strongest fiber, Dyneema, which is so sturdy it’s regularly used in bulletproof vests.

And now we've discovered PORTER, luggage maker Yoshida & Co.’s flagship brand of military-infused bags, has quietly restocked its own elevated take on the folding fan it created in collaboration with Kyoto’s historic fan specialty shop Miyawaki Baisenan.

The PORTER iteration is crafted from traditional bamboo and Japanese paper, scented with musk, and stamped with both the brand logo and Yoshida & Co.’s kawaii little Porter-kun mascot; it’s accessorized with a sleek braided-cord wrist strap and comes enclosed in a carrying case crafted from uber-durable PORTER nylon twill. 

Japanese brands have been at the forefront of reinventing this simple object for a minute, which makes sense; the foldable fan, as we know it today, was invented in Japan around the 8th century. And really, what is a folding fan if not just a length of creased fabric attached to two sticks, aggressively waving back and forth to create airflow?

Of course, the base model would eventually make its way into the offerings of more performance-oriented fashion brands from Japan. Alongside meanswhile’s Dyneema fan, there’s also BYCRUISE’s utilitarian take, utilizing high-performance X-PAC fabric that’s lightweight and waterproof, and a range of more rugged versions by Japanese legacy label Nishikawa Shouroku Shouten, including an outdoor-friendly fan attached to a carabiner — also available in a Mobile Suit Gundam Wing version — and its Okayama Denim Fan, crafted from 8-ounce denim and featuring red selvage on the edges.   

As a historic heatwave cooked Europe this past June, far simpler versions of the folding fan were handed out at the Paris Fashion Week Men’s shows at Dior, Lemaire, Soshiotsuki, and Yoke (a simple gesture to help ward off an ill-timed heatstroke mid-runway show). 

It wasn’t the first time the humble fan had found its way into high fashion: Hand fans (and mini motorized versions) have been a regular fixture at Fashion Weeks over the past few years whenever temperatures soar. And there are, of course, the luxury versions that feel more aligned with the folding fan’s ancient historical ties to the wealthy — see: Dior’s sold-out $240 Pearwood and White Cotton fan in “Arabesque motif” and Gucci’s range of silk satin and wood Flora print fans, starting at $480 for the small. 

In fashion, there will always be an uber-expensive luxury version of even the simplest of objects, and the folding fan is no exception. But as blistering heatwaves become increasingly commonplace, it isn’t the luxury houses we’ll look to for a bit of handheld relief from heat death but rather the high-tech, durable fare from Japan’s most inventive brands. When the world is on fire, it pays to have a little, accessible helper on hand to beat the heat (or at least fan it a few degrees cooler).

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