With the internet, life-saving potatoes, and sunglasses for dogs having already been invented, you can’t blame a pessimist for wondering if there’s even anything good left to bring into the world. What else could humankind possibly need that we don’t already have, aside from more clean water, an actionable plan to combat climate change, and politicians with higher IQs? The Shader, that’s what.
Described as a compact, portable shade device for personal sun protection, the Shader comes to us from the HGT Innovations team based out of Adelaide, South Australia. If anyone knows how harsh the sun can be, it’s the residents of the hottest, driest state in the hottest, driest continent on earth, which is why they created the Shader: to eliminate the more improvisational methods of shielding your skin from the sun, such as putting a T-shirt on your head or doing that thing where you fold your arms over your face and hope for the best.
But the Shader does so much more than just provide shade. Yes, it will protect your face from the sun, but the device’s additional features are what make it truly exceptional, not just a gimmicky umbrella you can put your head inside. Built-in drink holders! A phone-charging solar panel! Two USB ports! A removable pillow with a chill-pack built in! The Shader has it all, except for one thing: enough money to officially go into production.
In less than a week since launching the Kickstarter campaign, Mark Sellar, the entrepreneur behind the Shader, has already raised over £8,000 toward the £15,850 goal. The next 24 days will determine the future of the device, so now’s the time to pledge whatever you can. And if you don't? Well, you'll think twice about that decision the next time you wake up from a blissful seaside nap with a blistering sunburn.