Beach umbrellas are a colorful and fun way to stay out of the sun. They provide a fabric canopy and an extendable – usually tiltable – pole, they’re highly portable and ideal for planting in the soft beach sand. In short, they should be an essential part of your beach gear kit.
To add value, the best sustainable beach umbrellas are practical, attractive, and eco-friendly.
So, let’s chat about why cool beach umbrellas are an excellent accessory and why an eco-friendly beach umbrella is an even better choice – for you, the oceans, and the planet.
What to Look for in an Eco-Friendly Beach Umbrella
What makes a beach umbrella sustainable? Look for quality products made from recycled plastic, renewable wood, or bamboo. Choose a manufacturer with appropriate environmental, social, economic, and ethical certifications.
Remember, your umbrella is a long-term investment. So, it’s also best to look for a high-quality brand and finishes with non-toxic umbrella canopy protection against fading and UV (ideally, look for a 50+ UPF rating).
Then, like any beach umbrella, ensure it’s the right size – bigger if you’re a family, smaller if you travel solo. Finally, always ensure your umbrella is fully adjustable and robust enough to plant in the soft sand while standing up to beach breezes and strong wind.
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Best Beach Umbrella Brands for the Whole Family
Wondering where to find eco umbrellas? The good news is that thanks to a growing sea change in producer mindsets, more sustainable beach umbrellas are now readily available. They’re also more affordable, durable, and practical. Here are some of our favorites:
Business & Pleasure Beach Umbrellas
This extensive range of practical, sustainable, and gorgeous umbrellas from Business & Pleasure are available in a wide selection of colors and patterns to suit every style and preference.
Designs include classic navy striped beach umbrellas, vintage golds, retro pastel panels, cheerful yellow florals, and sophisticated antique neutrals with a beautiful scalloped edge.
Made from reclaimed timber laminate, marine-grade hand-polished aluminum, and lightweight powder-coated aluminum; these premium beach umbrellas offer six feet of UPF50+, and 98% sunblock. Plus, their setup time of fewer than 60 seconds and a convenient matching canvas carry bag adds to their charm.
No wonder Business & Pleasure considers these pieces from their luxury collection the World’s Best Beach Umbrella (P.S They also make super cute and sustainable beach chairs!).
Baskk Umbrella
You’d never guess this beautifully elegant umbrella is made from recycled plastic bottles! Available in white, it comes with a choice of aspen, tangerine, or denim trims.
The large umbrella offers a two-meter canopy, three-way tilt for all-day coverage, wicking and waterproofing, and the brand’s signature secure design to prevent flyaways.
In addition, this lovely lightweight yet sturdy umbrella is UPF50+ protected and includes a matching over-the-shoulder carry bag.
The FSC-certified beech timber pole and aluminium frame is conveniently quick and easy to put up.
Bassk also gives back by supporting Greening Australia – an environmental enterprise that’s tackling the challenges facing the country’s landscapes.
Sunday Supply Co. Beach Umbrella
These beautiful, subtly striped beach umbrellas with attractive 100% cotton tassels are beach essentials this summer.
The large 2m shade canopy in premium polyester – made from recycled plastic bottles – offers extensive UPF50+ protection and is moisture-wicking.
It also has convenient extendable FSC-approved wooden poles, custom-designed for durability, flexibility, and maximum coverage.
These lovely umbrellas from Sunday Supply Co. are lightweight, and come with a free sustainable sugarcane beach spade for a speedy setup, and a handy matching carry bag.
In addition, they ship products in non-toxic, eco-friendly, and biodegradable packaging.
Klaoos Beach Umbrellas
Rely on these 100% European-produced beach umbrellas from Klaoos for high-quality, responsibly manufactured, recycled sun protection.
Choose your sustainable shade from various eye-catching hues, including Sky Blue Duet, Duetto Creamy Yellow, Luluzi Blue green beach umbrellas, or floral beach umbrellas.
Besides, these premium-quality shade umbrellas offer UPF50+ protection and a two-year product guarantee.
Project Blank SPF50+ Recycled Beach Umbrella
Try this sustainable UPF50+ shade to protect the whole family at the beach, when camping, or enjoying any other outdoor activity.
Each large two-meter-wide canopy is produced from 37 recycled PET bottles, is waterproof, and offers UV protection of SPF50.
The FSC-certified Beech pole, fiberglass ribs, recycled plastic base, and classic white tassels create a trendy, lightweight, yet guilt-free product.
In addition, each umbrella is available with a matching carry bag, so it goes wherever you go on a sun-filled day.
Suntorini Essentials
Discover Suntorini’s range of charming sunshades. Beyond being beautiful and offering a large 200cm canopy diameter, these umbrellas are responsibly made from recycled plastic water bottles – PU coated, waterproof, and UPF50+ protected, decorated with lovely natural cotton tassels.
The pole and frame are from FSC-approved beech and fiberglass, with a complete three-way tilt mechanism for all-day sun protection.
Choose from the Black Salt’s simple spot, the Champagne’s subtle neutral, and the Zebrascape’s charming mint-green zebra stripe.
Ela & Earth Beach Umbrellas
Make your outdoor and beach visits perfect with these stylish and sustainable UPF40+-protected umbrellas.
They’re produced using 100% sustainable materials, including a recycled plastic waste canopy fabric in various organic, neutral colors, and breezy coastal prints, completed with 100% cotton tassels.
The powder-coated aluminum, beechwood-look finished pole can be adjusted three ways to catch every sun angle.
Choose from 1.7m diameter Sand, Sunrise, Sage, gently patterned Louie, Indigo Nights, Oasis, or Longbeach Stripes. Each beach umbrella is lightweight and has a matching carry bag.
Drift Trading Co. Retro Panel Beach Umbrella
Discover these modern, sustainable, premium umbrellas from Drfit Trading Co. with a charming retro panel design.
Each umbrella boasts lightweight recycled plastic and rust-resistant powder-coated aluminum hardware and a handy matching shoulder-strap carrier bag for convenient portability and quick setup.
Besides, the generous 1.8m canopy offers UPF 50+ recycled plastic fabric and striking and exclusive prints. The frame also features a click-in pole feature and a screw-in handle for increased sand penetration and security.
Other desirable features include 100% vegan leather labels, a handy hidden canopy pocket, and lovely wooden beaded canopy and bag ties.
Taatahi Merchants Beach Umbrella
This pagoda-style beach umbrella from New Zealand brand, Taatahi Merchants, comes in four attractive colors – rust, khaki, vintage white, and electric blue. It’s stylish, effective, and kind to the earth.
The premium fabric is made from recycled plastic consumer bottles and offers UPF50+ protection.
The hardware is also made from recycled plastic and the rust-resistant pole is made from recyclable powder-coated aluminum.
It offers a three-way tilt to keep you in the shade, all day long.
The 1.8 to 2m canopy boasts tassels made from natural materials, faux leather labels, a click-in pole with a sand-screw, threadable handle and fastening lever, and an elasticated canopy tie. Finally, matching carry bags with drawstrings sustainably upcycled from production offcuts complete the package.
Target Recycled Outdoor Shade
This over-eight-foot round outdoor patio umbrella can also be used at the beach. It offers a light wood pole, water, and fade-resistant recycled polyester canopy in a delightful spring floral design, with a scalloped edge.
The umbrella also provides reduced UV-related wear with a crankable, tilting, recyclable aluminum frame and pole.
While the optional base is sold separately, the assembly is quick and easy, requiring no tools – and it comes with a one-year limited warranty.
Why Buy a Beach Umbrella?
Despite the benefits of sunshine, like a healthy Vitamin D boost, mood balancing, stress reduction, better sleep, etc., we are all aware of the hazards of sun overexposure to our skin and eyes. The best-known prevention is staying out of the sun between 10 am and 4pm, and using sun protection products daily is essential. Beach umbrellas, especially UV-rated variants, help you enjoy sunny days at the beach by providing a shady hideaway from the sun’s rays.
Beyond providing a cool space for resting between swims, and ensuring a more enjoyable way to spend long days out at the seaside, beach umbrellas provide shelter. Besides, with many bright and unique designs, colorful beach umbrellas can also help identify your family’s beach spot on popular, busy beaches. At the same time, you have a shady space to apply and reapply your sunscreen.
Why Choose an Eco-Friendly Umbrella?
Traditional beach umbrellas often use single-use plastic runners, handles, end caps, and other non-biodegradable materials. Flimsy umbrellas with cheap parts are also usually too difficult to take apart and are seldom recycled. Sadly, unrecyclable umbrellas only add long-lasting waste to landfills and toxic and ocean plastic pollution.
Meanwhile, sustainable and recycled umbrellas from reused plastic or more sustainable bamboo or wood help limit this pollution.
Eco-friendly beach products, including umbrellas, are ethically produced, with care for human safety, worker well-being, and fair practices. In general, they have a lower environmental impact.
Sustainable production includes using local eco-friendly materials, minimizing energy consumption, and sustainable transport, packaging, and distribution methods. And they’re often made by small businesses – so buying direct, helps to support the local economy.
Check out our other articles on sustainable beach essentials below:
– Sustainable Sun Hats
– Eco-friendly Beach Toys
– Sustainable Beach Bags
– Eco-friendly Swimwear
– Sustainable Sunglasses
– Eco-friendly Beach Towels
Sustainable Sun Protection
Why not enjoy your outdoor or beach days while protecting your family’s tender skin and our beautiful planet? What’s more, choosing sustainable and ethically produced beach umbrellas needs no compromise regarding style and functionality, so now there’s no excuse not to be safe, stylish and green.