Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept/Oct 2016

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ZAGS:
Live in the Light
161
Looking Good
Life in the South iS meant
to be lived outdoors. From relaxing
summer days at the beach to the
fanfare of a good football game in the
fall, most of us in the Lowcountry
spend our days in the sun. While great
in theory, the sun is damaging to the
skin, and, for some, the heat can be oppressive. Luckily
there’s a new local product
on the
market
that will help your day
outdoors be made in the shade.
ZAGS sun wraps were
created by Mount Pleasant
artist Jennifer Horton and
have been in high demand
since they launched in
November of 2015.
“My family spends a lot of
time outside, and, as a mother
of three, it was an uphill
battle to get my children to
sit still and re-apply sunscreen
every hour or so,” she said. “I
spent seven years searching
for a simple product that was
stylish, versatile and that would
protect me and my family from
the sun. Ultimately, I had to
create it myself.”
ZAGS come in three
sizes – squares, shawls and
blankets – and are all colorful,
UPF30+ sun wraps made of a
high-performing polyester and
hand-sewn by local seamstresses.
“What many people don’t realize is that the fabric
is a wicking, cooling fabric, like your own portable air
conditioner,” Horton explained. “It has a silky, buttery
feel that is antimicrobial, stain repellent and odor
resistant.”
As an artist, one of Horton’s goals was to create a
By Anne Toole
| |
product that is both functional and fashionable. Using the
sublimation process to transfer her original artwork onto
the fabric, she has produced 24 vibrant designs that were
inspired by locales from the coast of South Carolina to the
Mediterranean and Venice.
“Each takes me back to a joyful experience in the sun,”
Horton said. “The ‘Live Oak’ pattern is the tree where
my husband and I used to meet in college when we were
falling in love, and ‘Umbrella
Fun’ is a piece about watching
my children play in the water
on the coast of Italy.”
Some other designs take on
Southern names such as “On
the Half Shell” and “Paddle
Boarding.”
“That’s part of the fun of
these collections. Not only
are you getting a healthy,
protective product that is
locally made, but shopping for
your ZAGS is like picking out
artwork,” she explained.
ZAGS are a natural fit
for everything under the sun,
from summer poolside and
boating excursions to outdoor
social events to steamy early-
fall tailgates.
In addition to using them
simply as a wrap, shawl or
blanket, ZAGS fans twist and
tie the sun wraps into sarongs,
and young mothers use them
for stroller and nursing covers.
Their versatility is endless.
“The tagline is ‘Live in the Light,’” beamed Horton of
her faith-inspired brand. “That’s really what ZAGS allow
us to do. It’s what we’re called to do.”
ZAGS are available for purchase online, in boutiques
around the Southeast and at private ZAGS trunk parties.
Visit for more information.
In addition to using them as a wrap, ZAGS fans twist and tie
them into sarongs, and young mothers use them for stroller
and nursing covers.
Photo courtesy of ZAGS.