New Perspectives: A Fresh Start for Our Umbrellas and the Environment

The umbrella, a tool used for over 3,000 years, is essential for urban life. By using it on rainy days, we can prevent up to 5.7 tons of CO2 emissions, as it reduces car usage by making walking in adverse conditions easier. However, its environmental impact can be disastrous. It’s estimated that over 1.4 billion umbrellas are produced each year, and 1.1 billion are improperly discarded worldwide. Brazil alone accounts for more than 55% of all umbrella imports to South America, according to CEPII.

To reduce the number of umbrellas discarded annually, Rentbrella encourages the sharing of umbrellas worldwide, and our work doesn’t stop there. Our umbrellas are made from fiberglass, which makes them much more durable, and rPet fabric, made from recycled PET bottles, which not only provides a sustainable use for a material that takes over 400 years to decompose, but also saves water in the fabric production process.

But environmental responsibility isn’t just about the production and use of our umbrellas; it’s also about what happens to them when they can no longer be used. What do you do with your umbrella when it breaks? What happens to the 1.1 billion umbrellas discarded each year?

When we talk about proper waste disposal or repurposing materials into new products, we’re talking about the core principles of the circular economy. The framework that holds up an umbrella can be sent for recycling, and the fabric can be transformed into new products, continuing to play a part in people’s daily lives.

When we’re asked what we do with the umbrellas that get damaged during sharing, few things bring us more satisfaction than the "More-than-an-Umbrella" project. For the second year in a row, in partnership with Instituto Unimed, we’ve given new life to the fabrics of these umbrellas. In the first year, we produced eco-bags, pencil cases, and masks, all of which were donated to NGOs and families who were able to protect themselves while also caring for the environment.

In 2022, eco-bags, pencil cases, and toiletry bags were made by the Josefa Rodrigues Educational Centre (Creche Marina) and distributed on International Recycling Day (May 17) at the CENHA NGO. Over 300 people directly benefited from receiving these products, but the environmental and social impact—for both the recipients and the NGO that produced them—are immeasurable.

The products, still waterproof, will now be repurposed, brightening the days of hundreds of people supported by the NGO. And for those who share an umbrella, there’s the certainty that we’re not only protecting individuals with our umbrellas, but also safeguarding the environment and the future of our society.

The future is built on sharing. The future is built with responsibility. The future is built today.