Sudare are used in many Japanese homes to shield the verandah and other openings of the building from sunlight, rain, and insects. They are normally put up in spring and taken down again in autumn. Their light structure allows breezes to pass through, a benefit in the hot Japanese summers. Since the building materials are easy to find, sudare can be made cheaply. Modern sudare are mostly made in China. With the dawn of modernity, the production of sudare went into decline and became a traditional handicraft, but they still are sold and shipped abroad by various companies.