Where can one buy anti-UV umbrellas in Santiago, Chile? I'm looking for a brick-and-mortar shop and not an online shop (unless they can deliver within 24 hours). Preference if close to Santiago downtown. I searched quite a bit on Google but have been unsuccessful so far.
asked Dec 25, 2019 at 1:18
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1Can you ask the staff in a hotel, maybe?– Bernhard DöblerCommented Dec 25, 2019 at 13:48
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@BernhardDöbler thanks I will indeed when I reach the hotel tonight, but I'm afraid they won't have any idea as it is an uncommon request in South America.– Franck DernoncourtCommented Dec 25, 2019 at 13:49
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1 Answer
You can by an umbrella that blocks UV in virtually any store that sells umbrellas. This is because black umbrellas block roughly 90% of UV, and at that point you'll need to start worrying about reflected UV rather than direct exposure (Ref: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/2597893).
If you want to get from 90% to 95%+ with a black umbrella, hold the umbrella you're considering up and look at a light through it. The less you can see light through the fabric, the less UV will pass through.
Finally, choose a large umbrella. Not only will this reduce reflected UV from nearby walls hitting your face, some have two layers of fabric.
When travelling you will often find that the ways things are marketed at home are not applicable in other places. In this example, perhaps people in Santiago are not explicitly concerned about the UV blocking of their umbrellas or are somewhat aware opaque umbrellas block UV. By contrast, in cities in South Korea or parts of China you would find tons of umbrellas marketed as blocking UV, because that is a main use case.
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1Thanks for the great points, and the article you linked to seems extremely interesting (I read the abstract and glanced over it, I'll peruse it tomorrow). It is definitely preferable to buy UV-protective devices from the countries where people care the most about sun protection (I purchased my previous anti-UV umbrella in Taipei, Taiwan, but it broke today). I was hoping Santiago may have some anti-UV specialized shops. Or perhaps some umbrella shop with anti-UV option (South America people typically aren't into white skin but they do experience extreme UV index most of the year). Commented Dec 25, 2019 at 1:57
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3Taiwan is another country where people place a very high emphasis on blocking the sun. I don't think it matters which country your umbrella is from, the UV blocking properties are largely marketing once you know that you want an umbrella which is black, large, and not too thin. Though, the special UV blocking ones may come in lighter colors with opaque backing fabrics to combine fashion with UV blocking. Commented Dec 25, 2019 at 1:59