The Principles

- upcycled technical nutrient - this is a "material or product that is designed to go back into the technical cycle" and still "retain their high quality in a closed-loop industrial cycle."
- zero waste, zero emissions, zero footprint
- long life - a longer life means fewer produced and less resources needed.

The structure.
- 100% upcyclable - the structure of the umbrella will be construction from cool metal; cool metal is produce with a minimum of 25% recycle metal and becomes 100% upcyclable once produced. it is easily cast, lightweight, and designed for resistance against rain ad wind.
- long lasting life - a poll was taken to find out how umbrellas usually break. the results show that the majority of umbrellas are broken at the joints of the structure. this is normally caused by broken hinges or pins due to impact. if the joints of the structure were not hinges but instead in the form of a ball and socket, the structure of the umbrella would have a longer life. this joint would function like a human arm joint. the joint would contain two pieces joined like a ball and socket and surrounded by "cartilege" and "lingaments" made from an upcyclable rubber. this allows the pieces to dislocate and pop back into place instead of breaking, much like dislocating a shoulder.

The skin.

- 100% upcyclable - the skin of the umbrella will be made from polymer paper. also, the shape of the skin must be a repeatable, interlocking, polygon such as a hexagon so the highest amount of the polymer sheet can be used. this means less of the recycling process saving time and energy.
- zero waste - polymer paper is waterproof and very durable, so the skin can also be used as the shipping container. the umbrella is shipped with the skin detatched from the structure. the structure is callasped and rolled up in the polymer paper skin. then the skin can be easily attached to the structure with cool metal snaps. this eliminates all shipping materials.
- long lasting life - also, because the skin of the umbrella can be detatched, the umbrella becomes ageless with fashion. instead of people continuously buying umbrellas to follow fashion trends, the structure is universal to all skins. so, when the consumer is ready for a different style or color, they simply detatch the skin, keeping the structure and either buy more skins or trade in their old skin. not only does this save resources because everyone buys just one structure, but it also insures that the producers get the skins back to be upcycled.

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