The summer of 2016 was marked by a long flat spell on the Long Island shore. We had no waves for several days. During this flat period, we started taking regular trips to Coney Island to swim and run away from the city heat.
New York City was melting under the long and humid days.
It was one sunny afternoon when the Southwest wind was blowing sand and debris everywhere, that I noticed the broken beach umbrellas in the trash. I couldn’t help thinking of them as the very symbol of the fun summer days. Their so short-lived existence bought and trashed both in the same day,
… It gave us an idea.
We went to the beach as often as possible, at the end of the days.
To collect the colorful umbrellas from the trash, after they had been swiped by the relentless sea breeze. That summer hundreds of beach umbrellas were collected. We brought them back to the studio for laundry, and cutting, to create these fun looking pouches to accompany your trunk purchase.
A long story short, besides long, hot and very interesting, our Summer Gleaning was extremely productive. Also, we love to think that we left the beach, a little bit cleaner.
I am also glad, we saved the colorful material from becoming trash, so soon.
We continued our routine through the Summer 17 and hundreds more umbrellas were salvaged from the beach. I guess we have since established our ritual of gleaning and cleaning our local beaches. Adding to one more, in the vast list of New York City’s Summer rituals.
The pouches are now available for purchase in our web store, and 100% of the proceeds goes to the Surfrider Foundation.
They are great to tag along, and will for sure become a new micro-universe at the bottom of your everyday bag.
Enjoy the beach, …keep on surfing!