Lily-Lark Scroll UV hand-held sun parasol, rated UPF 50+

Product Information

Now we have 2 lines of parasols and 16 new prints. Our hand fans are made in every print. My hope is to expand in the future by adding collections for different audiences. I’d like to do a children’s line, and a bridal line, maybe even a mother-daughter line. In addition to slathering on SPF, using sun protective clothing and accessories can help shield skin from the sun's harmful rays. Lily-Lark's parasols feature UPF 50+ sun-protective fabric, and help protect those easy-to-overlook body parts, like the ears and scalp. The signature line of Lily-Lark parasols is ready to ship, and can be in your hands in time for your next summer adventure. After the print is finalised, it gets colour tested by the digital fabric printer. When the test fabric is approved and finally printed, the manufacturer takes it, cuts it into circles for the canopies, assembles the bamboo frames and then attaches the canopies to the top of the entire construction. A seamstress sews matching carrying cases for the parasols. Speaking on this new chapter for the company, Lily-Lark's founder, CEO and Creative Director Lisa Selwitz remarked: "With the launch of 18 new prints and a less expensive parasol, we aspire to make serious sun protection inviting to more people." Relieved owner Emily said: “PDSA made such a huge difference – the care was great and the staff were so lovely. I would’ve done whatever it took to get Luna the care she needed, but it would’ve been a struggle financially, so this took a huge weight off my mind.”

Thankfully, with intensive support to remove the toxins from her system, Luna remained stable and was able to go home a few days later. But not all cases have a happy ending like hers. Surprisingly, they’re older than umbrellas,” says Selwitz. “They evolved from plants and animal skins to cloth and other materials – so expensive they were only used by nobility and royalty. … Over the years, parasols became a fashion accessory of wealthy women, eventually making their way to European countries and America where they were considered essential to a woman’s outfit,” she explains. PDSA is advising people not to give lilies to anyone with cats, and for owners to be aware of the dangers. The signature Lily-Lark is a hybrid construction, utilizing the beauty of the Asian bamboo frame, but married with contemporary fine art imagery. With the addition of the new line, the two collections offer a range of color and pattern to suit any fashionista who cares about her skin. Photo credit: Angelika Buettner Charity vets issue warning for pet owners after little kitten Luna nearly died after ingesting lily pollen, which is highly toxic to cats.Lily-Lark hand-makes its bamboo frames and drapes them with modern artful prints, ranging from colorful mosaics of stripes and zigzags to non-meek florals."

Parasols (literally translated from its French and Italian roots as “defense against the sun”) are not a new thing, having been around for centuries in China, ancient Egypt and Assyria. Luna, a Ragamuffin kitten, was just four months old when her owner, Emily Pryce (29), received a bouquet of flowers for her birthday. The flowers included lilies and Emily had placed these on a table, thinking they would be out of harm’s way. ABOUT LILY-LARK: Lily-Lark is a woman-owned company devoted to creating "the most beautiful skin protection under the sun." Their artisan-made bamboo parasols provide UPF 50+ protection, and their curated print selection makes for an accessory that turns heads. We asked Selwitz about her passion and inspirations, as well as the challenges behind reviving an almost forgotten fashion accessory. But I didn’t quite have an understanding yet of how to make it more profitable and what to do to expand faster. So I started working with various mentors and realized that if I could make a less expensive parasol, I could have greater appeal and grow my audience. I found new fabric printers and a bigger manufacturer who was not only capable of scaling, but making a parasol that I could sell at roughly half the price. Along the way, she dashed out some hand fans that are appearing to be quite popular for us, especially as gifts.

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Larkis the culmination of an extensive design process to preserve the luxe Lily-Lark feel at an accessible price point. The result is a slightly pared-down, more minimalist parasol, which requires less labor to produce. Luna was examined by the vet team at PDSA and blood tests confirmed that she had eaten enough of the pollen to cause potential kidney failure, so needed urgent treatment.

We wanted to share our story, on Small Business Saturday. Our hope is to someday be too big to celebrate it. In the words of our founder, this is how it all began and where we're heading: The company began when Selwitz, anxious about getting older in an ageist industry, became passionate about skin protection. "I was still trying to protect my career as well as my skin, and to prevent my skin from premature aging, I had an idea for this fun parasol," she says. Utilizing her skills as a creative director, she founded a business where beauty of all ages is celebrated. Lily-Lark is deeply infused with Selwitz's love for art and design; she says, "when I see a piece of art that just hits me over the head as the perfect parasol to have over my head, I follow my instincts."Lisa Selwitz: Getting into parasols was an organic path for me. I had long been protective of my skin, because I was a woman in an ageist industry. I always liked the idea of walking with an umbrella in the sun, but really nobody was doing it. One day, I was at a sculpture garden with my aunt, who was carrying this gorgeous bamboo parasol around the premises in the hot sun. I fell in love with the traditional Asian construction and took note of it. When I finally started seeing women in urban areas begin to carry umbrellas in the summer, I was inspired to create something better. I thought of my aunt’s parasol and the designer in me just took off.

Although the CDC tells us that we may not need mask protection outdoors, it also reports that "Most cases of skin cancer are caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun." And we're headed for the strongest rays of the year with the summer solstice. It's been proven that the sun ages skin faster than any other cause. "Working in an ageist industry, I needed a way to keep myself looking as youthful as possible," says Ms. Selwitz. "I was determined to create a new kind of parasol with high UV protection." It started with events like my boss breezing into my office on Madison Avenue, flopping down on my sofa, and asking “So, what are you, like 32?”All said and done, not everyone is comfortable carrying a parasol – what would you tell those who are hesitant? Veterinary Care Assistant, Jemma Hughes, said: “Lilies have become quite popular in Easter bouquets, but all parts of the plant, including the flower and leaves are toxic to cats. The biggest danger is if a cat gets some of the pollen on their fur, then grooms themselves, as ingesting even a small amount can be fatal.” I’m not really in the market of trying to convince people to carry them. They’re either comfortable or not. But when people finally try them, they discover how much more comfortable it is under a parasol than under the hot sun, and appreciate not getting burned or having hat hair (plus they cover a lot more surface than a hat!). The parasols come with matching carrying cases, so they can be carried over the shoulder when not in use. Given that they can be carried in a bag and not held at all times, they’re less likely to be left places. In the end, the trend is slowly starting to take off. As more women start enjoying them, others will see them and be inspired to try them.