‘When the sun shines, we’ll shine together’—and when it doesn’t, you can stand under our eco-friendly umbrellas (ella ella).
The Ancient Egyptians made history’s first umbrellas to shield against the sun with simple materials like paper or palm fronds. But today’s options are a little more complicated. Modern umbrellas often use nylon or polyester, synthetic fabrics that provide the perfect waterproofing.
The bad news? They’re derived from plastic, meaning all the wind-swept disposable umbrellas you’ve thrown away will take well over a century to break down.
The good news? We’re rounded up our fave alternatives that are made by brands who not only use more responsible materials but also local production and green business practices.
Speaking of breaking down… we’ll soon be breaking down which brands are best by employing our new Brand Rating System. This system scores brands based on 22 ethical, sustainability, and social impact criteria which you can read more about each of them here.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Eco Umbrellas For Rain Or Shine
Available in a range of vibrant colors and shades, Haasch creates plastic-free umbrellas from all-natural materials like cotton, hemp, bamboo, and wood.
MiaSombrilla ensures a rainy day doesn’t rain on our planet’s parade. Their handcrafted umbrellas are not only biodegradable but also have the most unique designs on this list.
Index: Sustainable Umbrellas
- Haasch Jump to brand
- MiaSombrilla Jump to brand
- Princezices Jump to brand
- Jollybrolly Jump to brand
- London Undercover Jump to brand
- Dri Umbrellas Jump to brand
- Secondhand Recycled Umbrellas Jump to brand
Haasch
About Haasch
Price Range: $98–$120
Based in Brisbane, Australia, Haasch designs with the environment in mind, opting for low-impact materials and fair trade practices. Their Supabrella is a meeting of form and function. Imagine a classic umbrella silhouette paired with practicality and natural materials.
Customization is what makes this umbrella brand unique. Depending on your preference, you can choose one of three sizes and a rainbow of colors—from classic black to sunny yellow.
Haasch’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The plastic-free umbrella range features cotton, hemp, bamboo, and wood.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Haasch works with suppliers that practice Fair Trade principles. The umbrellas are handmade, with each component carefully constructed by a different team of skilled artisans in Thailand, where their cotton fabric is also sourced.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Because everything is handcrafted in Thailand, HaashDesign has a small supply chain and limits its carbon footprint. As an Etsy seller, shipping is automatically carbon offset.
MiaSombrilla
About MiaSombrilla
Price Range: $30–$114
A MiaSombrilla umbrella is more than a simple accessory. It’s a handcrafted labor of love. These sustainable umbrellas will undoubtedly turn heads at any outdoor wedding party, festival, or vacation.
The Waterproof Cotton Canvas Parasols was founded to fight Arizona’s intense climate. They’re lightweight, easy to carry, and provide a shaded escape from surprise showers and sunshine.
MiaSombrilla’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Each MiaSombrilla parasol is made with biodegradable materials: cotton canvas, hemp, and bamboo.
Supply chain & labor practices:
After being crafted by artisans in Thailand, the parasols are hand-painted in Tubac, Arizona, in an array of charming colors and patterns.
Princezices
About Princezices
Price Range: $113
Princezices is a purveyor of one-of-a-kind Portuguese gifts—think: handbags, scarves, small ceramics, and cork umbrellas. Each product is carefully handmade by Taina, the shop’s owner.
The Cork Made Umbrella offers an alternative to plastic umbrellas, featuring a chic and timeless profile that will keep you feeling cool and dry come rain or shine.
Princezices’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Primarily made with cork fabric, Princezices’s umbrellas also feature a wooden handle and metal frame. In addition to being renewable and biodegradable, cork is water-resistant.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The materials are locally sourced in Viana do Castelo in northern Portugal, and umbrellas are also crafted in Portugal by local artisans.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Harvested cork trees consume three to five times more carbon dioxide than their unharvested counterparts. Cork forests are also some of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world, housing hundreds of plant and animal species, including endangered ones.
Jollybrolly
About Jollybrolly
Price Range: £16–£131
Living in one of the wettest areas in the world, UK residents have reason to be jolly about this brand.
With a reputation for high-quality umbrellas, Jollybrolly is a one-stop shop for fashion, function, and fair prices. Their signature ECO Umbrella is sleek and minimal, omitting logos and loud patterns so as not to steal attention from the main event: you.
Jollybrolly’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The pole, handle, and tips are made from bamboo, and the umbrella exterior is made from 100% recycled PET plastic. Complete with a fiberglass frame, Jollybrolly’s “windproof” recycled umbrellas are made to withstand all the elements nature might throw your way.
They’re also almost entirely recyclable.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Jollybrolly’s offices are based out of Bournemouth, but their warehouse is located just a few miles east in Christchurch. We’ve reached out to confirm where the products are manufactured and we’ll update you as soon as we know.
London Undercover
About London Undercover
Price Range: £32–£283
Another brand designed to keep gray England skies from putting a damper on your day, London Undercover handcrafts designer umbrellas, maintaining an eye for detail and exceptional materials.
London Undercover’s range of Foldable Telescopic Umbrellas features recycled PET fabric canopies. Plus, you can purchase umbrella bags, like the City Tote, made from bluesign® approved materials.
London Undercover’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
London Undercover utilizes a diverse range of materials, including 100% recycled PET, polyester, cotton, recycled plastic, steel, and hardwoods.
Supply chain & labor practices:
London Undercover handcrafts each umbrella in the United Kingdom. They don’t give much information about their supply chain or labor practices however.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
London Undercover has incorporated recycled umbrella material for over a decade, like biodegradable whangee handles and recycled plastic canopies.
Dri Umbrellas
About Dri Umbrellas
Price Range: $60
Need an eco-friendly beach umbrella? How about one made from 100% recycled ocean-bound plastic?
Dri Umbrellas has you and marine life covered. Their Eco-Friendly Dri Umbrella doesn’t just keep you dry; it prevents plastic waste from polluting our oceans.
Dri Umbrellas’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Dri crafts recycled plastic umbrellas from 100% OceanCycle-certified ocean and ocean-bound plastic. Each unit uses around eight plastic bottles, with a stainless steel shaft and aluminum top. The handles are crafted from solid, regenerative bamboo.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Dri collects its recycled materials from coastlines in Thailand, between Bangkok and Rayong. Each one is manufactured in China, where Dri ensures a fair wage and safe working environments.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Dri Umbrella ships in recyclable packaging made from recycled materials. They also recognize their supply chain needs improvement and are actively looking for solutions to reduce their carbon footprint.
Secondhand Recycled Umbrellas
Besides fixing your current one, buying a used umbrella when possible is always more sustainable than buying a new one.
Start by checking your local thrift store or charity shop first. Otherwise, online second hand stores are right as rain when it comes to finding brand names or designer brollies at a steal. Sources like these often stock rare umbrellas and vintage parasols. Who else do you know that’s sporting an authentic Fendi umbrella circa 1970s? Or an original Victorian-era parasol that’s still in excellent condition?
For one-of-a-kind finds, we recommend browsing eBay’s listings for vintage umbrellas and parasols.
