Dear customer, these umbrellas are not made to withstand storm like winds, so we appreciate your warning to future customers. Though as you can see from our mostly positive reviews, we do sell a quality product, as well as stand behind our warranty. That said, the fading you reported is not the norm and could easily be addressed with a warranty claim via ezreplacement.com - The pole is made of aluminum, a higher quality material, but is also not as strong as steel, which is used on less expensive umbrellas. We review our quality issues in depth each year and make the improvements we feel are necessary to continue to offer one of the highest quality umbrellas on the market. Your comments will help in the process and will no doubt lead to an even better experience with our products for future customers. No one should be left with a negative view of our products, as we take great pride in providing the best quality and value, backed by first class customer service and support. Please reach out to our team at contact@ezreplacement.com.