Eco-friendly products: rPET explained
What does the word “recycled” really mean? Why is durability such a key lever for reducing your impact? And how can you tell a genuine environmental commitment from a simple marketing claim?
“Eco-friendly” has become a term you hear everywhere. Yet behind it lie concrete, measurable realities. This guide gives you the keys to understanding recycled materials, separating fact from spin, and choosing an umbrella or a garment that is genuinely virtuous.
What is rPET?
rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) is a material made from used plastic bottles. The bottles are collected, cleaned, ground into flakes, then spun into yarn to weave a canvas. The result: a technical, hard-wearing fabric produced without extracting a drop of oil.
Why it matters
Every rPET canvas means that many bottles reused rather than dumped in the ocean, and that much virgin oil saved. On the scale of a brand, that adds up to thousands of bottles reused rather than incinerated (in the best-case scenario). Recycled material isn't a detail: it's a production choice that makes all the difference.
A product that lasts is an eco-friendly product
A product's environmental impact doesn't depend on its material alone, but also on its lifespan. An umbrella replaced every six months uses up far more resources than a model designed to see you through years of downpours. Durability and ecology go hand in hand.
Spotting a genuinely eco-friendly product
- The material is specified: rPET, recycled polyester, ideally with a high percentage.
- Traceability is stated: where it's designed, where it's produced, a detailed composition.
- The durability is real: a sturdy frame, a dense canvas, repairable or replaceable parts.
- The commitment goes beyond the product: what happens to unsold stock?
The Beau Nuage commitment
Our umbrella canvases and our clothing are made from recycled plastic bottles. And because we refuse to waste, our unsold items are given to those who need them, notably during solidarity outreach rounds. A concrete approach, detailed on our Commitments page.
Frequently asked questions
What is an rPET umbrella?
An umbrella whose canvas is made from recycled plastic bottles (recycled polyester). A single canvas reuses six bottles on average, without extracting any virgin oil.
Is recycled canvas just as hard-wearing?
Yes. rPET offers technical properties comparable to standard polyester: density, water resistance and strength. Well woven, it lasts just as long.
Is a recycled umbrella really eco-friendly?
It's more so than an umbrella made from virgin material, especially if it's built to last. The combination of recycled material plus durability is the most virtuous, because it avoids frequent replacement.
How can you tell if a brand is genuinely committed?
Check the precise composition (share of recycled content), the traceability (where it's designed and produced) and what happens to unsold stock. A credible commitment shows up as concrete information, not just an “eco” logo.
Umbrellas and clothing cut from recycled bottles
Recycled materials, real durability, unsold stock given away. Discover our approach.
See the umbrellas