wetiquette

joo youn paek showed the polite umbrella at the sigtronica seamless electronic fashion show last week: an umbrella that shrinks when you pull on its handle to make room for passersby. what makes an object polite is not just the fact that it can be considerate of other people, but that you can express empathy by using it in a considerate way (like holding a door open for someone). the polite umbrella is a perfect example of design for conviviality, by allowing a new way of caring – and showing that you care – for other people.