Sustainable & Water-Resistant Items — Traveler Essentials That Brave Rain and Snow
Pitch by Letter, our newsletter published twice a month, ran a shopping-cart column for a sustainable consumer lifestyle (the column has since been renamed and restructured as ‘Receipt Review’). From the items we have featured so far, we picked those that stand up to water and can handle any rain or snow, from spring through winter.
Words Parc Jinmyoung
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To. You, in Search of a Rain Boot to Love
It was the summer of 2024. After postponing a campsite stay I had booked in advance several times because of the monsoon, I reached the point where I could delay no longer and went ahead despite the weekend rain forecast. Contrary to my worries, the sky over Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do, stayed clear the whole time. Even with such good weather, I was secretly disappointed, because I couldn’t show off my newly bought packable rain boots. Hearing that this monsoon season would be unusually long, I had finally bought the boots I’d been eyeing, and they were packable, so easy to carry!
Pokeboo is a handmade rain boot brand launched by ATOM, a natural rubber manufacturer founded in 1942. Drawing on the manufacturing know-how it has built up over the years, it makes ultralight outdoor products that weigh less than 500 grams and are easy to carry. Pokeboo’s rain boots are made of handcrafted natural rubber with excellent durability and water resistance, and their design is said to be modeled on traditional Japanese rice-planting boots. The biggest feature is the nylon head and string at the top of the boot! They block wind and rain completely while letting you style the boots however you like. The body and head also come in a variety of color combinations. Now that the lifestyle select shop Grey Mansion has launched Pokeboo in Korea, these great boots are much easier to get.
Pokeboo Rain Boots: 98,000 won
To. You, Who Wonder About the Future of Your Lost Umbrellas
Looking back, I don’t think I have ever thrown away an umbrella. I always lost them somewhere before I could use one until it frayed and wore out. So where, and how, did all those 5,000 won disposable plastic umbrellas we bought without a second thought end up? I searched for ‘how to dispose of an umbrella.’ Plastic, scrap metal, fabric and vinyl all have to be separated. You turn the canopy inside out, remove the thread connecting it to the ribs, and detach the handle, top cap and tips, which are mostly plastic. The fabric goes into a standard waste bag, while vinyl, scrap metal, plastic and other materials must be sorted and discarded properly before the umbrella can be thrown away. If that process sounds like a hassle, the only option is to buy a proper umbrella and use it for a long, long time.
Cueclyp’s 75D Recycle 3-Fold Umbrella is made from fabric that is 100 percent recycled from PET bottles. The ribs are assembled by hand, and it is a manual model that pulls out and collapses easily in three sections. Cueclyp is a brand that makes sustainable products from recycled materials and eco-friendly fabrics under the slogan ‘Revival instead of incineration, a second use.’ Its lineup, from wallets and pencil cases to bags, hats and T-shirts, suits an age in which eco-friendliness is a must. What’s more, if you donate a broken umbrella to Cueclyp, it will turn it into a handsome upcycled product. If disposing of an umbrella is a bother, leaving it with Cueclyp may be a good idea.
Cueclyp 75D Recycle 3-Fold Umbrella: 59,000 won
To. You, Looking for a Swimsuit That Won’t Harm the Blue Sea
Ufulu means ‘freedom’ in Chichewa, a language spoken in Malawi, Africa. Ufulu’s founder, Seo Hyeonju, felt most free and alive when she was wearing a bikini in the blue sea, with waves rolling in under a warm sun. Drawing on that experience, she says, she expressed the freedom of plunging into the sea through swimwear. The messages Ufulu hopes to convey through its swimsuits are ‘body positivity’ and ‘eco-friendliness.’ For Ufulu, the standard of beauty lies within each person, and the body is like a ‘home’ that cares for your soul. Just as every person’s home takes a different form, so does every body. The idea is to love your own home and live your daily life at ease. Rather than sleek, slim bodies, the brand features models of diverse body types to show its standard of beauty. The products come in five sizes, from XS to XL.
Being eco-friendly is an essential value for Ufulu. Its products are made of 100 percent regenerated nylon and polyester produced from waste such as fabric, fishing nets and plastic discarded in landfills and the sea, and they are made by skilled tailors in Bali, Indonesia. The manufacturer guarantees fair wages and good working conditions through ethical procedures. The packaging is eco-friendly too. Orders are shipped in 100 percent biodegradable cassava bags wrapped in 100 percent recyclable kraft paper. Paper cushioning is used instead of plastic packing material, and adhesive tape in place of standard tape. From the moment a product is made until it reaches the customer, Ufulu takes ethical and environmental responsibility. Most of its products are bikinis, but it also offers men’s board shorts. If you are looking for a sustainable swimsuit this summer, why not choose Ufulu?
Ufulu Bikini Top, Bottom and Board Shorts: 60,000 won, 60,000 won and 69,000 won, respectively