The True Cost of Crappy, Cheap Umbrellas

Up until 2020, I was always the gal hunting for the cutest, cheapest pair of sunglasses I could find. I'd buy them and lose them constantly, just as many people do with umbrellas. I'd shrug it off whenever I lost them, making a note to pick up another pair at a gas station next time I stopped. My brother, however, has owned the same pair of Ray Bans for the past 10 years. He left them behind on a family trip to Florida once, and he literally had us FedEx them back to him in Colorado. His high-quality sunglasses are one of the few items he is rarely without, on a list of items that includes his wallet, keys, phone, and kid. 

Now you may be asking yourself why I started this blog about rain umbrellas by talking about sunglasses. Well, that's because there are a lot of parallels between sunglass and umbrella consumption. You can get inexpensive sunglasses at Walmart OR you can get gorgeous pair of Oakleys at Sunglass Hut. You can get a cheap umbrella at CVS, or you can get a high-quality umbrella at Dri Umbrellas. And it's important to keep in mind there are actually two prices you pay when you buy. 

1.) There's The Cost to You

Like sunglasses, consumers tend to see umbrellas as a somewhat disposable product. We know when we buy a cheap umbrella it's only going to last a few gusts of wind (if that) but we do it anyway because it's raining, they're inexpensive, and we're wearing cute suede shoes. But the true cost of a poor quality umbrella isn't the $10.99 you pay for it initially. It's the number of times you have to pay $10.99. When added up, that “cheap” option? Not so cheap after all. 

2.) Then, There's The Cost To Our Planet 

The cost our planet pays for our cheap consumerism is shocking. Every year over 1.1 BILLION umbrellas end up in landfills. This creates:

• Carbon footprint: Constantly manufacturing and shipping cheap umbrellas burns more fossil fuels than producing one long-lasting product.
• Landfill overflow: Discarded umbrellas join the piles of other single-use items taking up space we can’t afford to waste.
• Plastic pollution: Umbrella fabric is often made from virgin polyester, contributing to plastic production and waste.

While umbrellas may be perceived as disposable, they aren't. They're made of plastic, so they'll never disappear from our planet. When you multiply that type of "disposable" consumerism by millions of people, things get REAL cringe for Mama Earth. 

A Smarter, More Sustainable Choice

The takeaway here? Choosing a well-made, eco-friendly umbrella reduces plastic pollution and saves you money in the long run. Sustainable umbrellas are:

• Built to last with wind-resistant frames and sturdy construction, such as reinforced stainless steel shafts.
• Repurposes existing plastic, rather than creating more. For the love of all that is holy, this planet doesn't need any new plastic.
• Designed with sustainability and longevity in mind - Brands like Dri offer lifetime guarantees to double down on our claim of durability and longevity. 

All in All

The real price of poor-quality products, umbrellas especially, isn't just paid by you - it's paid by our planet. It's time to invest our buying power into quality goods, because staying dry shouldn’t mean trashing the Earth. 🌎 ☔