Still used to protect from the sun, umbrellas are the only easy solution to traveling by not and staying dry on a rainy day. Climate changes, more wet weather as well as health risks due to overexposure to the elements, has shored up business for umbrella manufacturers around the world.
Brilliant colors, unusual shapes, myriad textures and intricate designer work have altered the drab umbrella image of the past. Stark black accents bobbing along crowded streets are no longer the norm. Today, rain umbrellas make chic statements about you and your personality. They double up as a great gift item for birthday parties, showers or anniversaries, especially when customized and emblazoned for the occasion.
Children fall in love with umbrellas that have polka dots, smiley faces, or frisky kittens, puppies or cartoon capers. Little girls cling to that lilac-hearted splendor with ruffles to frame the beauty. Rainbow-hued umbrella alternatives fixed by elastic around the forehead allow young boys unhindered romps in the puddles!
The variations of rain umbrellas are endless, and you can find one to suit your needs according to budget, size and temperament.
Some newer variations include dome bubble umbrellas that are transparent and cover the person up to the shoulders, enabling easy navigation on crowded streets. Another ingeniously modified umbrella is the dog umbrella, which enables a guilt-free walk in the park with your pet who stays comfortably dry too!
A recent addition is a hands-free device that Velcros your umbrella frame on to you and encourages unhindered movement. Perhaps the newest reinvention is the Lotus 23, invented by an Australian university design student who has taken the umbrella industry by storm. Its dynamics and flexibility prevent buffeting from the wind. It unfolds from and can retract completely into a slim handle. The inventive mechanism helps squeeze out all the extra rainwater and permits easy storage. Carrying an umbrella can become as simple as a pen in your pocket!
Rain umbrellas also make great souvenirs. Exquisite lacquered bamboo and paper umbrellas from the Orient are hugely popular and decorate many homes. Whether decorated with foreign city skylines, architectural wonders or quaint traditions, umbrellas evocatively bring back a bit of that heaven into your home.
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