Types of Hand Fans: Folding, Fixed and Woven Palm Leaf Fans
Hand fans come in two families: folding fans that close up, and fixed fans with a flat panel on a handle. Here is how to tell them apart, the woven palm leaf and ...
Hand fans come in two main families. Folding fans open and close from a pinned end, so they close up small. Fixed fans, also called handscreens, are one flat, rigid shape on a handle. Our woven palm leaf and bamboo leaf fans are handmade in Thailand and are fixed fans, a woven panel on a handle with nothing to fold.
Which family a fan belongs to matters more than its colour or pattern, because it decides whether the fan will close small enough for a bag and how much its listed size matters.
Folding fans
A folding fan opens and closes from its head, the end where the sticks are pinned together. When it is closed, the two stronger outer sticks, called guards, sit on either side of the inner sticks and protect them. That is the practical appeal of a folding fan. It takes up very little room until you open it.
Folding fans come in a few builds:
- Pleated leaf fans have a flexible, pleated leaf mounted on the sticks. The leaf can be paper, fabric or lace.
- Brisé fans have no separate leaf at all. They are made only of sticks, held by a ribbon or string near the top and a pin at the base, and the sticks usually widen towards the outer end.
- Cockade fans can be either of the above, but they open all the way round into a full circle, often with the guards extended to form a handle.
The Fan Circle International keeps a glossary of fan types that names more folding and fixed styles if you want the full list. For choosing a fan to use, the pleated versus brisé split is the one worth knowing, because it tells you whether the part that moves the air is a flexible leaf or the sticks themselves.
Fixed fans (handscreens)
A fixed fan is a flat, rigid surface attached to a single handle, with no folding mechanism. Fan glossaries also call it a handscreen or hand screen, and the Fan Circle lists the flag fan as one variation: a fixed fan with its handle on one side.
The woven fans in our range are built this way. Palm leaf, bamboo leaf or natural fibres are woven into a panel and fixed to a handle; LA LA VAN and LA LIN, for example, are listed with wrapped handles. There are no pleats and no pinned sticks.
A fixed fan is ready to use as soon as you pick it up. Because it is flat and keeps its shape, some of ours are listed for wall display as well as for use in the hand. What you give up is size. A fixed fan goes everywhere at its full width and height, so its listed measurements matter more than they would for a folding fan.
Our fans by material
Material is the other way to tell hand fans apart. The table lists the materials our listings name, with an example and size for each; every fan here is in our palm leaf hand fan collection.
| Type | How the listing describes it | Example | Listed size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm leaf | Handmade from natural palm leaf and bamboo | PATTA | Four sizes, from S 16 x 21 cm (6 x 8 in) to XL 32 x 34 cm (12 x 13 in) |
| Palm leaf | Woven from palm leaves | HA THAI | Small 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 in); Large 22 x 36 cm (9 x 14 in) |
| Bamboo leaf | Woven from bamboo leaves | LA NAN | 38 x 20 cm (15 x 8 in) |
| Bamboo | Bamboo, sold as a set of 2 | RIN RA NA | 27 x 38 cm (11 x 15 in) |
| Natural fibre | Handwoven from natural fibres, wrapped handle | LA LA VAN, LA LIN | Not given on the listing |
| Hand painted | Hand painted | PAK PLING | 40 x 22 cm (16 x 9 in) |
Sizes follow each listing, so some give the width first and others the length.
Palm leaf. HA THAI is woven from palm leaves and comes in two sizes. BEN YA is a round palm leaf fan with a red trim. PATTA combines natural palm leaf and bamboo and comes in four sizes, the most of any fan in this guide.
Bamboo leaf and bamboo. These two are easy to mix up. LA NAN is a bamboo leaf fan: the leaves themselves are woven into the fan. RIN RA NA is sold as a bamboo hand fan in a set of 2, and its listing does not describe a leaf weave. For the plant itself, see our guide to what bamboo is.
Natural fibre. LA LA VAN (multicoloured) and LA LIN (black and white) are handwoven from natural fibres. Their listings do not name the fibre, so we don't either.
Hand painted. PAK PLING's listing names the decoration rather than the material: it is a hand painted fan, suggested for wall decor or everyday use.
Which type to choose
For carrying in a bag
If the fan has to live in a handbag, a folding fan is the practical type, because it closes down to a narrow bundle. A fixed fan stays at its full size, so compare the listed dimensions with the bag you have in mind. Of the sizes in the table above, PATTA in size S, at 16 x 21 cm (6 x 8 in), is the smallest.
For a wedding
PATTA and RIN RA NA are both listed with weddings in mind. PATTA's listing names outdoor weddings and celebrations, and guest favours for weddings and special events; its four sizes leave room to choose how large a favour you want to hand out. RIN RA NA comes as a set of 2 bamboo fans and is listed for the wedding day and ceremonies.
If you are buying a batch, bear in mind that each PATTA is handmade from natural materials, and its listing says size, shape, colour and weave vary slightly from fan to fan. If every place setting needs to look identical, allow for that before you order.
Our wedding hand fans collection also includes a set of 20 palm leaf hand fans sold for weddings and event favours, and our post on palm leaf hand fans as wedding favours goes further into the favour side.
For a wall
LA LA VAN and LA LIN are sold as wall hanging and hand fan in one, and PAK PLING is suggested for wall decor or everyday use. Because they do both jobs, a fan on the wall can come down on a warm afternoon and go back up afterwards. For pieces made only for the wall, see our dried palm leaf wall hangings.
Caring for a woven fan
The PATTA listing gives a short care routine:
- Dust it gently with a soft, dry cloth.
- If it needs more than that, wipe it with a slightly damp cloth and let it air dry fully.
- Don't soak it.
- Store it somewhere dry.
Most of that comes down to keeping water off the weave. For other fans, check the listing for care notes first.
Hand fan types: common questions
What are the main types of hand fans?
Folding fans and fixed fans. Folding fans include pleated leaf, brisé and cockade fans. Fixed fans, or handscreens, are a rigid shape on a handle, and woven palm leaf fans like ours are fixed fans.
What is the difference between a folding fan and a fixed fan?
A folding fan opens and closes from a pinned end and shuts down narrow for carrying. A fixed fan has no folding mechanism, so it keeps one shape and one size whether you are using it or not.
What is a palm leaf fan?
A hand fan made from palm leaf. In our range, PATTA, HA THAI and BEN YA are palm leaf fans, each a woven panel on a handle with nothing to fold, which makes them fixed fans.
Can a hand fan be used as wall decor?
Some are made for both jobs. LA LA VAN and LA LIN are listed as a wall hanging and a hand fan in one, and PAK PLING is listed for wall decor or everyday use.
