The waterproofing process for wool coats involves dissolving the emulsion block, mixing solid lanolin in water, washing the wool in the mixture, taking it out, and giving it a good rub down. To waterproof wool diaper covers, layer a scarf underneath the coat and wear it loose to avoid bulkiness. Armor Lux has developed a range of pea coats that combine elegance and authenticity, such as their “Cap Sizun” and “Cap Sizun”.
To maintain the quality of your wool peacoat, dry clean only, store in a breathable garment bag, and avoid hanging on a hook to prevent stretching. Parkas are thigh-length or longer, well-insulated, hooded, and highly water-resistant. To meet the ever-growing demand, Armor Lux has developed a range of pea coats that combine elegance and authenticity.
To waterproof wool, spray the coat several times with a high-quality waterproofing treatment, repeating the spray treatments after each dry-cleaning. Nikwax Tech Wash is another waterproofing agent that can be added to a laundry cycle. Wool is naturally water-resistant, and it can repel up to a third of its own weight in moisture without feeling damp.
Waxing is the first method, which involves boiling water, submerging the coat, and adding back lanolin wax or using a nanoparticle waterproofing spray. When the natural lanolin in the wool fabric dissipates over time, applying an extra DWR coating can increase the waterproofing qualities of a wool coat. By following these steps, you can ensure your wool coats and hats remain water-resistant and comfortable during rainy weather.
📹 How To Waterproof Wool Using Stormproof
—————————————————————————————————————- Follow us: https://twitter.com/Stormsure For …
How to waterproof a peacoat?
In order to re-waterproof a raincoat, it is necessary to wash, rinse, and hang the garment while it is still wet. Subsequently, the item should be treated with a waterproofing spray, such as ReviveX Spray-On Water Repellent, and then left to dry. In the event that the jacket in question lacks sufficient waterproofing, it may be advisable to consider an alternative option. In the event that the jacket in question exhibits signs of wear, such as holes or snags, the application of a waterproofing spray will prove ineffective in safeguarding the item. Scotchgard Outdoor Water Shield Spray represents an optimal solution for the waterproofing of outdoor gear.
Can you spray a coat to make it waterproof?
Spray-on waterproofing is a convenient alternative to washing your jacket in a washing machine, especially for temporary proofing or coating. Products like Nikwax, Regatta, and Kampa are available from Winfields. As autumn approaches, unpredictable weather is expected, making it essential to keep your clothing watertight. All waterproof clothing is treated with durable water repellant (DWR), which wears off over time.
DWR is responsible for rain and water beading, but its performance improves when it repels water and allows internal moisture to escape. To ensure the longevity of your outdoor clothing or restore your favorite waterproof jacket, follow the reproofing process.
Is wool ruined if it gets wet?
Wool area rugs can be severely damaged due to prolonged exposure to water, as they are highly absorbent. This can lead to mold and mildew growth, discoloration, and structural damage to the rug fibers. To minimize the damage, act quickly and use clean towels or paper towels to blot up as much water as possible from the rug. Ventilate the area by opening windows and doors, using fans or dehumidifiers to expedite drying, and follow manufacturer instructions when using electrical appliances around affected areas.
For the best results and restoration of your wool area rug, contact GM Carpet Care. Their certified technicians have the expertise and equipment to handle water damage and prevent further harm. Serving Ocean and Monmouth County, NJ, they are here to help protect your investment and keep your wool area rug looking its best.
Repeated exposure to water can have detrimental effects on wool area rugs over time, as wool is naturally resistant to moisture to some extent. Excessive or repeated exposure to water can lead to several issues, including mold and mildew growth, discoloration, and structural damage.
How to waterproof a wool sweater?
Water-proofing wool can be achieved after spinning, weaving, or knitting, using natural chemicals like walnut oil. This can be done by adding a small amount of oil to the rinsing water after washing a wool pullover, re-establishing a level of grease. It is best to use a fine, unscented oil without much natural color to avoid staining the wool. Sweet almond oil can also be used as a base for aromatherapy oils. Wool, like alpaca and mohair, has the ability to absorb up to 30 degrees of water without being sodden and slightly raises the wool fibre temperature.
Scouring out lanolin doesn’t remove this temperature management capability, so designing a garment with dense fabric and structured yarn can achieve a sustainable, low-impact-chemical waterproof result. Boiled wool and felt can also be considered for this purpose.
Can you make a non-waterproof jacket waterproof?
A common query from customers is whether the application of a waterproofer to regular attire renders it waterproof. The answer is affirmative, as the application of a DWR coating to the fabric provides enhanced water resistance. Nevertheless, it is not possible to achieve complete waterproofing with non-waterproof fabric. The DWR coating serves to impede the penetration of water into the fabric. For further information, please refer to our Waterproofing FAQs.
How to protect a wool jacket?
After cleaning and repairing your coat, hang it on round, wide hangers to maintain its shoulder shape during the off season. Cover it in a calico suit bag with cedar wood balls to repel moths and silverfish. Wrap your wool coat in light cotton fabric to maintain its appearance. Avoid vacuum-packing coats in airtight bags as suction can compromise the coat’s shape. Store coats folded with acid-free tissue paper in plastic bins with clear lids and Huon pine blocks to repel moths. Store in a weatherproof environment free from mold, damp, and humidity. Store puffer jackets or down jackets clean, but taking them to the dry cleaner is generally ill-advised.
What is the best waterproof spray for wool?
Scotchgard’s Fabric Water Shield Water Repellent Spray is a versatile solution for creating a waterproof barrier on various products, including upholstery, curtains, pillows, table linens, luggage, apparel, and footwear. It is safe for dry-clean-only fabrics like silk or wool and can handle an average-size couch, two chairs, or five jackets. The spray doesn’t affect the fabric’s feel or color, and water doesn’t penetrate footwear. The 13. 5 ounce can is suitable for all types of fabric and can be applied using a roll-on method, eliminating the need for a well-ventilated area.
How to waterproof winter jackets?
To achieve optimal waterproofing of a jacket, it is essential to adhere to the instructions specified on the tag. The initial step involves laundering the jacket, which reactivates the DWR (durable water repellent) coating. Subsequently, a water test is conducted to ascertain the jacket’s resistance to moisture. Following this, a new coat of DWR is applied, and the jacket is once again subjected to a drying process.
Can you spray wool to make it waterproof?
HG Waterproof For Clothes and Fabrics (300ml) is a water-resistant textile product suitable for cotton, linen, wool, and mixed fabric types, due to the efficacy of its formula.
Can you make a normal jacket waterproof?
Waterproofing ski jackets, raincoats, and windbreakers is a simple process using a durable water repellent (DWR) formula. These formulas are easy to use at home and provide factory-level performance. To waterproof a jacket, follow these basic steps:
- Wash and waterproof the jacket. Over time, dirt and oils can attract water, breaking down the existing DWR treatment. Pre-wash and clean the jacket with a gentle detergent like Revivex Pro Cleaner. After cleaning, choose the most convenient waterproofing formula and application.
Revivex Pro Cleaner, Down Cleaner, Revivex Wash-In Water Repellent, or Durable Water Repellent are all available options for washing and drying.
Is wool Naturally waterproof?
Wool fiber’s outermost layer, the epicuticle, repels liquid water, unlike typical cotton which immediately absorbs all water. This behavior is different from cotton, which absorbs water. Wool’s complex structure attracts water vapor, with the scaly surface allowing water molecules to slip through spaces between scales. Once inside the fiber, water molecules adsorb form hydrogen bonds to amino acids, releasing small amounts of heat (the heat of sorption).
Water vapor can also condense inside the fiber, releasing a lot of heat when it condenses into liquid. This is particularly important in humid cold conditions, making wool popular on America’s Gulf Coast.
A kilogram of dry wool placed in an atmosphere of air saturated with moisture releases about the same amount of heat as that given off by an electric blanket running for eight hours. This behavior explains why wool is popular on America’s Gulf Coast, where it doesn’t get very cold but the humidity is crazy. The coldest not-truly-cold weather I’ve ever experienced was the coldest not-truly-cold weather I’ve ever experienced.
📹 This 600 Year Old Fabric Is WATER RESISTANT
With historical fashion, there are generally some commonly recognised fabrics, like wool and leather, which can keep us stay dry …
Wool has been generally overtaken in North America and, it seems, there’s little guidance on waterproofing wool. Thank you so much for this article. I’ve ordered your product from Amazon UK for Northern Rockies, Canada. High performance cross country and touring skiers are almost naked in nylon to avoid “wet is dead” but I can’t strip down that way, goose down hoodies get wet with sweat or wet snow so I’m experimenting with wool under, mid and outer layer. Works for me. Now I’m experimenting with water proofing. I’d love to find pre shrunk wool outer layers on a retail basis. Someone accidentally shrunk a heavy lambswool sweater and it’s tight weave is wind proof and breathable and keeps me warm. Planning to stormproof it. 😂
You didn’t mention that many oil skin fabrics especially treated with Linseed oil become HIGHLY Flammable. It may also be true with other oils and waxes. It’s believed that it was the cause of the 1944 Circus Fire in Hartford CT, USA. My father was a young man at that time who worked across the street from the circus grounds. I used to hear stories of the horror that happened that day. Please be careful with it.
Traditionally wool garments would be covered with lanolin from the sheep. This lanolin would make woollen garments naturally waterproof but still breathable. Also felt. Felt is made by gathering loose wool and stabbing it with needles to mat it together. Again if the wool was in its raw state it would make for not only windproof garments but also waterproof garments. It wasn’t until modern times that the wool processing would have removed the lanolin. There is a gentleman’s coat brand in England called Barbour which still uses oilskin for coats. They are very heavy and good quality. There is a company called Nikwax where you wash synthetic clothing in it and it makes the cloth hydrophobic. It stops clothing from getting damp so you don’t get cold so quickly.
According to my mother-in-law she would pinprick oilskin cloth along the seam line before actually stitching. She used heavier thread for this purpose and oiled the seam afterwards to ensure weather proofing. These were utilitarian items, not fashionable ones. Do not know what was used to “oil” the finished seams since it was a ready made product available in Hungary in the 1930s, but she said it contained beeswax. She also said it was used on umbrellas.
In Australia and New Zealand Oilskin coats. jackets and vests have been in continuous use in rural areas since first European settlement. To some extent the jackets and vests are one form of fashion statement. Two major Australian companies are R M Williams and Driza Bone, definitively both fashion and practicality focussed. Unfortunately their jackets and vests do not fit my body shape and my current oilskin vest, very wide across the shoulders and comfortable is actually made in China with the name Outback :). I have experimented with making my own oilskin using both cotton and canvas. The process of coating/soaking the fabric is not hard but definitely could be very dangerous if the ingredients or the wet fabric came into contact with any open flames or extreme heat. A process best done outdoors as shown in the Townsends article. When the oilskin is dry, ie the waterproofing has cured, it is not a risk near fires. You see plenty of stockmen wearing oilskin jackets and vests and sitting around campfires. Someone made a comment about oilskins being stiff and hampering movement. That is true for heavy stiff fabrics like canvas but lightweight oilskin cotton fabrics are very different.
the British navy, waxed their cloth with hemp oil/wax, which was a thick substance that needed heating to make it liquid enough to use, but gave a watertight hemp cloth, often used to cover things stored on deck, like boxes of biscuits. the wax was also used on the hemp ropes and to watertight the planks. this widely used crop was vital to the navy, all issued uniforms including shoes were made from hemp, though officers had to purchase their own uniforms. i live near the main naval docks and am interested in naval history and have spent some time at the museum area learning all about this.
Hand sewing canvas or leather is a lot easier with a Sailmaker’s Palm. Glover Needles and Saddler’s Harness Needles can also help (I recommend John James Needles). A stitching pony also helps for stiff heavy materials. There’s also a very convenient little one handed manual tool called an Easy Awl/Speedy Stitcher.
this sounds like a great material for rain coats (or an entire rain suit like we have in The Netherlands. Seems like it would be way more breathable than plastic). Also as a cloak for a fantasy festival. I have a cotton velvet one for the summer, but that one you’ll definitely get wet it really quick if it more than slightly drizzles. It’s also not really warm enough for winter wear unless you put a winter coat underneath it
Yes, you cannot leave linseed oil on cloth in a bundle, it catches fire spontaneously. You need to spread it out so that the heat generated can disperse. As the oil reacts with atmospheric oxygen heat is generated and anyplace where heat cannot disperse it will heat up, reacting faster and faster until it ignites. Once the oil has oxidised this is no longer an issue.
Hi, vasi! This is a topic that I’ve been very interested in so it’s super excited to see it on your website. I just wanted to share something I had picked up in the past. In Japan they use something called khakishibu. It’s a coating on handmade Japanese paper, umbrellas, and fans that makes them waterproof and very strong. It’s also painted on walls to protect them from wind and rain. The Matsu Castle is an example. ☔🏯
At the beginning you mentioned that wool would be very cold to wear once soaked with water. It may be helpful to know that wool still maintains its ability to keep a body warmer than bare skin even when wet. (It depends on the temperature of the water, of course). My daughter spent a semester at sea aboard a 180′ research sailing ship. They were all told to wear only wool. They had fresh water to drink, but bathed, worked in sea water the whole time. Constantly sodden, but warm enough. They sailed from a city in the Caribbean (Puerta Vallarta, I think) up to a port in Massachusetts.
In norway, oilcloth was traditionally used for fishermen. A standard “oljehyre” consisted of a coat and a pair of trousers. I read an account of two brothers who could only afford one set, so one brother wore the coat while the other wore the trousers. Oilcloth was useful at sea, because it protected your wools from being drenched by sea spray and rain in bad weather (which might come suddenly). Leather will not work as well, because the salt will ruin it. Norwegian fishermen still use similar garments, but they are now typically made with plastic covered cloth. They will also protect the undergarments from fish guts and other nastiness, so the trousers have a high front and can be worn without the coat. These garments are also common on modern children.
Pardon me, I just stumbled in here while researching medieval waterproofing chemistry for my novel… I’m currently stuck on this idea that it must have been entirely possible for medieval clothiers to waterproof their fabrics using tallow-based polymers or even calcium stearate… But I digress. I love the little fireplace aesthetic in this article, and your production quality is quite high. The way you speak is also paced like you’re just talking about something you love and not reading a pre-written script from a teleprompter. Your intelligence and enthusiasm and interest shines through and that’s wonderful. I’ll be exploring your other articles for sure. Also, OMG eyes!
Also, Sailcloth was also repurposed as floorcloths, or floor coverings, typically over wood floors. From the wee bit of research I’ve done, it appears that it was a ‘wall-to-wall’ covering. These were generally painted to look like a carpet. This is what make me curious – you indicated that the sails themselves were treated/oiled. So how were the cloths painted? When I paint floor clothes, I use canvas (I.e. inexpensive painters tarps) and heavily discounted latex paint (I haunt paint depts seeking rejected mixes). Then cover the finished cloth with multiple coats of heavy duty varnish – typically spar varnish. I’m confident that milk paint would not stick to old sailcloth. So what did they use? Had to be the equivalent of what the sail was treated with. More research necessary! Thanks for the great article.
Older guy here and I really enjoyed your 28th century vibe and sophistication. It’s amazing to me from perusal movies and reading explorer experiences like Shackleton’s adventure to the Arctic that they survived in those harsh conditions 10:59 . Oil skins were primary outer for more than a year and climbing a cliff face with ship nail climbing equipment. It’s just amazing what people have done!Thank you for your show💚!
Hello V…Another wonderful article to see…Looking forward to many more since I found your website and related links not too long ago… As a teacher (and living traditionalist) it is always wonderful to see others that have taken the step forward of embracing the superiority of the traditional lifestyle (in some form) to modern consumerism…As I have told students and colleagues alike, be it in the architecture I design and build or the Sartorial arts “…modern seldom equals better…but does usually equal profit for an industry at the cost to the environment…and a product that will soon need to be replaced…” On your current topic, should you choose to expand your research and understanding into further depths, I might suggest moving from the Eurocentric perspectives and more to the world I tend to specialize in of the indigenous and folk vernaculars… To some of the points in your article, I would expand… “Oilskin” (aka “oilcloth) has its roots in actual “oil skin” as I have worn on several traditional kayaking and wilderness adventure that came from the vast garment techniques found among many Arctic First Nations People and related indigenous cultures. This can be made of intestine, fish skins, bladder leather, and the list goes on…These fabrics gave rise to Europeans trying to simulate and mass-produce the fabrics of these cultures, and as you suggest the sails also of many nautical cultures which many used skins and wool first…then later flax fiber and hemp…
There is a cotton based cloth called Ventile which is so closely woven that when it gets wet it swells up and becomes impermeable. it was invented in the late 1930s and is still used for flight crew imersion suits. Sir Edmund Hillary was wearing Ventile when he and Sherpa Tensing first reached the sumit of Everest in 1953. When dry it is soft and windproof. it is still made today and you can get garments made from it. You’d have to check around to find a supplier of the bare fabric. I have 1960s smock made from it and its still one of my favorite garments.
I got to go to a lady’s home who participates in the SCA here in the US. She was selling her over stock fabric super cheap. I grabbed some cotton that was treated against ‘stains and dirt’ according to the salvage edges. But the feel and look of the fabric seems to almost exactly like what you have shown here as a variety of ‘oilskin’. I will need to do more research. But I got so much of it that if it’s fairly water tight, I’m so up for making a long cloak out of it!
Thank you, this was very interesting 😊. Just as an Interesting fact would like to mention that wool actually has the wonderful ability to keep you warm even when it’s soaking wet. As far as I know, no other material can do that. BUT it must be pretty close fitting to the body, and/or tightly woven, felted or knitted, to not let the wind in. You can look up for example the knitted sweaters called ganseys, used by sailors along the British coast. Very interesting and beautiful garments. If you compare the two cloaks you’ve made, the wool one obviously doesn’t fit close enough to keep you warm when wet, and it looks like it’s pretty loosely woven too. So the ( very pretty!) blue oilskin one will certainly be very useful. Maybe you could even use it on top of the wool one? That would definitely keep you dry and toasty 😊 but I really hope the weather will turn too warm for that soon🌞!!
I’m late to your website but have been thrilled to find it! I just wanted to share that my family and I participated in an authentic pioneer era recreation of a wagon train in the state of Montana, USA in 1989. In preparation my family had to hand sew and waterproof two large pieces of canvas which served as the covers for our family wagon. Secondly, recent research indicates that the chemical components used to make waterproof garments, such as rain slickers and outdoor clothing, contain PFAS, a known carcinogen. Oilskins do have drawbacks, such as flammability and odor depending on the materials used, but I think they’re a wonderful option for people interested in reducing their exposure to carcinogenic substances. ❤
One of many reasons the UK Military (through the Ministry of Supply) funded fabric research was the need for a waterproof and low flammability fabric for WW2 aviators and ground crew. AVGas and lubricants rendered oilskins unsuitable for use, too easy to turn into a flaming torch!. Ventile, a fabric made from long cotton (sometimes wool) fibres, very tightly woven, was the result. Without any further treatment the loom output became nearly waterproof because its fibres swelled up when damp and formed a near impenetrable skin. The fabric could be hot washed and ironed to shrink it . This contracted the fibres giving greater rainwater protection. A cotton variation of the basic fabric is still in production, now manufactured in Switzerland. It is much prized by anyone trying to move around without the rustling caused by modern synthetic waterproof materials. I’ve fond memories of the (very) secondhand parka I had back in the 70’s. The only downside I ever found was that the jacket got heavy in a downpour – but it didn’t let the rain in. Today I understand it’s necessary to use the double layer type of Ventile outer garment to get the same waterproofing – the fabric isn’t as tight as in my old parka.
In the USA colonial period, 17th century, before glass became commonly available, linen oiled with linseed oil was used to cover windows. Over time it would turn black. There were buckets made from waxed leather. I have read of oiled, painted canvas floor cloths in the 18th and 19th century USA, before linoleum became available.
Oil skin coats are still a staple with New Zealand farmers and hunters. These require annual maintenance (best timed just before winter. These coats are weather proof for several hours of solid rain but will begin leaking at the seams in the shoulders first. They are a fantastic product to use in the outdoors.
Im a bushcrafter kind of guy, who loves camping, especially very simple camping. I like the idea of making a cloak or poncho of sorts with oilskin that i can cover my entire body and small pack with, thats a bit more traditional than the new, lightweight plastic materials that lots of people are using these days. Something i can sit down next to a tree in a downpour and just sit it out and weight, and stay warm and dry.
Late on the scene but hopefully useful info . The other purpose for waterproof linen is ” cere cloth ” linseed oil and wax impregnated linen specifically used for the wrapping of the dead in 17th C England to contain the juices of decomposition. This is from primary source material held in the British Library in London and from a mile of research I did back in the 90’s . Manufactured and made into garments by 2 companies in the UK Barbour ( country wear ) and Belstaff ( biker wear ) . Hit a peak in the 80s during yuppie rule .
As a youth I had a coat called a “great coat” It had a hood that attached with studs to the back and covered me from head to toe and was made out of a hemp based fabric, it had a woven woolen jacket on hemp or cotton ties inside. I inherited this from my grandfather. I would dearly love one again. I had to re-oil it with a special oil that I remember smelling of bees wax and hemp I did that until it ran out and my mother threw it out. By that time it was very battered and torn.Also missing the internal jacket which made it quite uncomfortable to put on until it warmed. I remember walking many miles in many storms dry as a bone and lovely and warm. I suspect that it was made prior to or around WW1.
Decades of hand sewing. The way I stitch thick, tightly woven, or coated fabrics is by using a small plastic cutting board ( 3x5x1″ ) and small flat tip needle nose pliers. Instead of pressing the needle through using the thimble, I place the back of the needle against the cutting board. Once the sewing needle is poked through, I grab onto the sharp end with pliers and pull needle and thread through the fabric.
i’ve always been interested in making a raincoat out of oilskin but I don’t know if it could be used for summer weather. would the oil/wax melt in summer heat? in my climate we get the most rain during spring and early summer and I know that the beeswax I use for my thread gets a little mushy during summer so I’ve always been hesitant to buy the fabric
Ah oilskins. This brings back memories of growing up in a sailing family. We had both the modern plastic/rubbery coated jackets and trousers in bright yellow. And the more traditional cotton based ones. I remember the fun of having to go below and try and put them on when the weather changed with the boat rocking about in the swell, but they did keep you warm and dry. Thinking of purchasing some of this fabric and making a cloak or coat. Keep me dry especially at Whitby in october for the goth weekend.
Soaking fabric with oil or oil/wax mixtures works well. But you definitely have to pay attention to two things: it has to be an oil that hardens in the air, linseed oil is the best known for this. The second danger is that the oil becomes very hot when hardening, so always hang the oily cloth spread out in a well-ventilated place until it is completely dry, which can take up to 3 weeks with a thin linen.
Sewing oilskin on a machine results in very similar problems – your hands get coated, your needle gets coated, the mechanism that moves the fabric (feed dogs and presser foot) get coated…😮I second the “sailor’s palm” – you end up using the center of your palm to push the needle through. As other’s mentioned, sometimes you might want to make holes with an awl as you might with leather. And you also can use “grippy” thimble type tips to improve your grip. Lots of quilters use them. And because tents have been made from treated canvas for a very long time, you can find lots of tips in those communities too
you have intrigued me! That material does sound like something I would love to make a rain coat out of! I actually haven’t sewn anything or even worked on my project since we last spoke because that next day we got a 10 week old puppy… she exhausting but a sweetheart and taking every speck of time I have. If I do have free time I am doing house work or just sitting relaxing because she is sleeping.. If I had all my pieces ready to sew I would sew them when I am relaxing but those aren’t even cut out yet, I am still working on my mock up. I think I lowered the back neck hole but I am not sure right now. House training her is slowly on going
This article makes me think of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine, the two climbers who attempted Mount Everest in layers of cotton, silk, wool, petticoats, etc. They got higher than any documented climbing duo and even invented bottled oxygen (still used) for their ascent above 8k meters. In the 1990s they found Mallory’s body after he fell during his last ascent in the 1920s. They could see the clothing materials he had been wearing to summit. I’d literally love to hear you discuss how they were able to survive Everest for the amount of time it took them to come within a few hundred meters of the summit before passing on.
As someone who wants to phase into making/having clothing of all natural materials, I’ve been very interested in the idea of oil cloth/waxed cloth to help with inclement weather. I don’t know how close I am to tackling that project, but it’s so helpful to learn about your experience and the tips you’ve shared. Thank you!
Linseed oil is a “drying oil”, which is a class of oils that also includes tung oil, walnut oil, and poppy seed oil. These oils polymerize over time (weeks) when in contact with air, forming a tough plastic-like natural material. This is similar to the coating you get on cast iron by seasoning it. I imagine this kind of coating would be tougher than wax or non-drying oil, but it might be more prone to wear from flexing. Being mixed with other oils or waxes could improve the overall durability.
wow, that’s an interesting face, a unique type of prettiness: it’s very mild (not screaming, over-the-top) and (somehow, in all the randomness of nature) very tasteful. with your mimics and a voice that is on the lower side being the pleasant finishing touches. but i believe it would not be appropriate to only comment on looks, especially given that you’re here in a professional manner, and there truly are things worth commenting: your pronunciation is clear, your script is solid, and your presentation is clear and effective, without unnecessary mannerisms and ramblings. you are a great presenter and a sight to behold. the content itself is not up my alley, though, but at least have these like and comment, for algorithm sake.
The tar used to waterproof sails was Pine Tar, made in the same process that gives us Turpentine. The pine tar, also called Stockholm Tar, is still commercially available today and you can buy it from any store that deals with the nautical world. It’s great stuff, honestly, and I highly recommend it to every woodworker I know. The sailors used it because the Pine Tar has natural anti-microbial or anti-fungal properties in it. That means it not only makes stuff waterproof, but it also prevents rot caused by molds and mildews. The ships were painted with Pine Tar because it kept the boring bugs away. The pine tar would be colored with various natural mineral pigments, and that’s actually why our barns are traditionally red — the pine tar served as the base and protected the wood against rot, while the red was Iron Oxide the stopped rats from gnawing on the wood while also stopping damage from UV Radiation. Pine Tar was literally worth its weight in gold back during the Golden Age of Wooden Ships. Wars were fought over the stuff because every Navy relied on it. English sailors were called Jack Tars because they smelled so strongly of pine tar, their overcoats made from old sails that were cut and sewn into coats while the gentlemen were at sea for months at a time. It wasn’t long before the various governments found other oils that could be blended with the pine tar to make their supply go further. Linseed oil is often used, and is quite good since it has a natural polymerization that helps to protect against the sun’s rays.
My oil skin is a duster long coat. A bit heavy and when it is cold it can become somewhat more stiff. In the rain it is excellent for remaining dry. Only thing to remember is when it becomes wet never put it away wet, make sure it is completely dry otherwise it will become moldy. 3:53, Utilize: Because it has a different meaning, utilize is not a fancy way to say use. Use means to consume from a limited supply or take something to achieve a result. Utilize means to use something beyond its intended purpose. Example, think of a chair, we use it to sit upon, however with the same chair we can utilize it as a step stool.
Good Day. I want to know what this upper body scarf for women is called. I wear scarfs in traingle form since half a year, and I like to share, this is so comfy to wear. I am impressed I never heard about oilskin. But I was wondering how can I have a rainsafety gear which is helping me with cycling with a long skirt or a long robe. I´ve started to wear long skirts and gowns since last year autumn, I just felt somehow I want to do this. And I feel very well now. So, yes I will try to find this kind of fabric to make some kind of rain skirt which I can cycle with. Thanks for all your information. Greetings from Ausria.
Some 65 years ago, I had a red rubber rain cape when I was 2 and my dad a heavy oilskin one when we went out on his bicycle. I sat in the child seat on the bicycle handlebars and had a see through screen in front of me to protect me from the rain. I remember enjoying the scent of the capes. With love from the Netherlands.
When I started to learn to sail, over half a century ago, the ‘yellow peril’ foul-weather gear was invariably referred to as ‘oilskins’ even though, by then, they were made of pvc-sprayed, open weave cotton or some synthetic material as the matrix. Some very expensive ‘town and country’ style rainwear still appears to be oilskin. I have neither ability or experience of tailoring or dressmaking but the historical aspects of your articles, the detail and research is fascinating. Many thanks.
have some llama sweaters I know my brother had some that were made out of sheep’s wool that still had the original oil in them and those sweaters are somewhat to water resistant especially on the lawn mower alpaca with a guard hairs are present and the water tends to hit the outside of the guard Harrison roll off mine were made in some hot Bolivia glama walls and alpaca is very soft and tends not to be itchy. Will garments when wet or warmer than cotton but still aren’t comfortable and really become heavy historically the Mongols made felt to make their yurts and other clothing items and they would take the wall and lay it out on the leather hides they’d wet it and they would roll it wrap it around a pole and then they would pull the pole behind a horse so it would roll and it would roll around and cause a felt a pressure based felting procedure with the material which they could then cut in manufacture their homes or garments
As a cowboy landing in Oz, from Texas, I discovered that the Australian duster (long black coat) I wore, was I herited from the walers that came ashore here and became cowboys… The treatment I put on it every couple of years is crazy flammable. That said, I never Burt into flames around a camp fire 🔥..
I have alpaga loden. I can testimony it is weather resistant. In winter, I put wear 2 one other another one and get never cold nor wet + 100 natural alpaga wool. The con is the result of the plus : it keeps really warm. This weather resistant fabric might be useful to replace plastic which is too often décolorated and destructurated from UVs. Vax is flammable but not less than nylon or plastics.Thanks for article.
Far as I know, while wool isnt waterproof, or even really more than lightly water resistant, it DOES have the feature that it remains a good, if not quite AS good, thermal insulator while wet. Meaning that you can still stay decently warm even in wet wool clothes. My father tells a story from when he was travelling while young, and visited the Faroe islands in winter. It was raining pretty much constantly, and around the freezing point, and the fisherman working outside all wore really thick and heavy, we are talking a centimeter of extremely hard-knit fabric here (he brought one back), woolen sweaters, and you would see clouds of steam rising off them as they were working.
Here in Arizona my winter gear starts with an oilskin duster because if it is cold enough for a coat it is usually also windy, wet, or both. And if it actually does go sub-zero I put on a flannel shirt/jacket; even colder, just add a down vest before the duster and I’m good to go. The ability of the oilskin duster to block wind and shed water is everything!
Fascinating topic. OIlskins have been around for ages. I see a commentor below mentioned oilskin tablecloths. I know you are more a maker, but commercial oilskin products are made and sold. I call the fabric wax cloth. I have a Barbour wax cloth jacket which is almost 40 years old. Works perfectly in Ireland the the U.K., but it is too heavy and warm in warmer climes. Bravo.
I’ve read books that mention oil skin capes and I always wondered what it was. Never thought to look it up 🤦♀️ Those great coats with all those little capes on top. I figured it had to be a waxy oily finish of some kind like lanolin and beeswax. Awesome article, now I know what it is and its history. 👍🏻👍🏻
Oilcloth can be softened and smoothed with a hairdryer. If it’s too greasy to be used, iron it between sheets of brown paper, I expect baking parchmemt would work too. Beware the plastic coated textile known as oilcloth, it is not traditional oilcloth, although it does make for a good wipe-clean tablecloth.
I lost my best rain hat in a storm recently, and instead of buying a new expensive one, I waterproofed a well-used cotton cricket hat with a mixture of 1 part parraffin/kerosine to 2 parts microcrystalline wax heated on my gas stove. The result was a 100% waterproof hat the like of which I could not find in any specialist outdoor shop. The point about it being flammable is a good one, theoretically, but the chance of a my hat catching fire is remote and would require a very hot flame to set it alight. A thin nylon tent represents a much greater danger in that, as the air inside is used up it vaccuum packs the inhabitants with an extremely hot burning goo that sticks to the victim and is very difficult to extinguish. Waxed cotton is far safer by comparison.
Glad to see this. One of my favorite topics. Questions? “… typically it has some kind of cloth base.” When doesn’t it? What would the base be? Petroleum-based oilcloth is not what I grew up with nor what I would consider “real” oilcloth. I’m amazed that it is widespread. I have been unable to find good oilcloth for years: it’s all polyvinyl, or some other petroleum product. Thank you for this.
You can still get oilskins. I wore a long oilskin jacket for years as it was so practical. I live in Scotland and wet and windy is a normal part of day to day life living here. I’ve found synthetic fabrics get overwhelmed, PVC preventS sweat drying and you end up drenched and cold from your own sweat; yuck. Oilskins seem to work best for me. Getting them dirty can be a real pain for cleaning and the only down side is the upkeep. Apart from that, it’s better than anything else that I’ve tried.
For anyone doing long distance backpacking/thruhiking, be aware that oilskin can be pretty heavy compared to more conventional waterproof materials like Gore-Tex or sil-nylon and that it definitely doesn’t pack as well. I’d only use it while doing front country hiking where weight and packability are less important.
@V. Birchwood Thanks for this very interesting, informative and entertaining article (The TriFecta 🙂 How ever I would argue that Wool though certainly can get “”soaked”” it never gets as cold as other “wet fabrics”((At least all woollen clothes I’ve worn, though admittedly none of these have been of “highly processed” wool-fibres)). And I attribute this to the “fact” that they never “clings/sticks” to You in the way that for example “cotton” or other cloth does when “fully whet”. And due to the “fibres” in themselves (i.e.”hair” are not absorbing water, nor “holding on” to it very well, it even doesn’t “feel whet” the same way. And (imo) always “feels warmer” than other “whet cloth”. I would say that these”attributes ” are part of the reason that we don’t use “woollen rags”, they simply are not really good at “absorbing” or holding water… And also while here I feel I simply must provide a link to “NighthawkAndLights” article “A Better Way to Waterproof Fabric”. ( youtu.be/HedRbIsM75M ) . In which he makes and demonstrates his recipe for making “oil Skin fabric”… ((It most likely was me viewing that that made the “algorithm suggest” this article as Best regards
I grew up in a sailing family, but we seldom talk about foul weather gear (foulies) prior to the rise of what would have been rubber or vinyl coated fabric. I may need to try some oilcloth when I get the chance. Hearing that sailcloth was being repurposed also makes me wonder if a sailor’s palm would be preferable to a thimble when hand sewing oilcloth.
I have a vintage umbrella my aunt says she bought in the 1980’s when she went to the movies, and it’s cotton. Sat around for a while so I guess whatever it had came out of the fabric, so I used those Hanukkah candles and now it’s waterproof. I used a heatgun to melt it into it after scribbling it like a crayon.
Modern waterproof fabrics are a lot lighter and far more flexible than oilskin which is why it fell out of use. Wool that has only had a light wash to remove dirt before being spun is waterproof in the rain, but it does smell of the sheep due to the lanolin so it’s best reserved for fishermen at sea. As in Aran sweaters. Making the garment and then oiling/waxing it is much easier. I wouldn’t use my machine to sew oilskin as I’d be afraid of damaging it. The weave of a cloth also affects how it responds to rain. Gabardine is particularly good at keeping both wind and rain out. Not in a storm at sea, but for all but the heaviest downpours. As a child in the 60s it was always used for hooded coats as part of school uniform in GB.
We had oilskin raincoats back in the 70’s in New Zealand for school wet wear. Synthetics weren’t so common then, except for solid PVC. They did the job, although I do remember the fabric being a little greasy to the touch when wet. Having said that, I don’t think I’ve had a better coat since then – long rain coats that reach to the knees don’t seem so common for men these days. Maybe it’s time to get myself another oilskin!
(Commenting for the algorithm) John Townsends is about as much of an expert on 18th century living as you can find. He did indeed have an episode where he made oilcloth from a linen base by simply painting on an oil (I forget what he used, it’s been some time) on it and saturating the fibers. This article can be found on YT on the Townsends website. Let it dry and it’s waterproof! Patrick O’Brian (the author who wrote the Master & Commander series) was heavily inspired by history. His main character is recognizable as a Napoleonic era ship’s captain who inspired the protagonist of the series, Capt. Aubrey. In fact one of his books is a step-by-step recreation of a battle between one of the US Navy’s first ships and a British ship. He also describes the use of sailcloth as a base for oilcloth aboard ship. Again, not “experts” with academic titles, but people who’ve spent thousands of hours doing their homework mentioned it!
First of all, you made a great article and I do enjoy your content in general. You are one of the Youtubers, who inspired me to start to make my own clothes, by hand of course. Secondly, eventhough that I never heard the therm oilskin (which is not really surprising considering that I’m German and it is called a little diffrent in German), but I grew up with oilskin Jackets and those are incredible garments. As an Equestrian I used to have diffrent kind of outdoor or weatherproofed garments, but my absolut favourits, which I used to waer for the worst kind of Weather, were oilskin garments. I used to have a british-style waxed jacket(this is translatet from what it is called in german), which my mom passed down to me and an austrailian oilskin Cloak, which my unkle brought back from Austraila in the 1980’s. So both Garments were already quite used, when they were passed down to me in the early 2000’s. And I belive at least the austrailian Cloak is still in use today by my dad. But those two jackets were the only Garments i could wear in really heavy rain, without sweating (because you are basicly wraped in plastic) or getting soaked after a while. So to sum things up, oilskin in my expiriance is incredible and modern synthetic alternatives are just not holding up to the historic fabric. (Apology for the full novel i wrote, i got carried away and I kind of want to make a Cloak myself now)
I ride mountain bikes and use Gortex and polyester jackets. These can get rather expensive and Gortex is a treatment of the outer layer of the jacket which can be waterproof or it can be breathable but not both at the same time (research it). As children we wore oilskin rain coats when riding horses and I think it is a better jacket fabric so I will be searching for riding jackets made of waxed cotton or oil skin. ‘Bel-staff’ motor cycle jackets were made of waxed cotton which is the same fabric. and were around in the 80’s.
Surprised you didn’t mention lanolin. (I actually thought this would be about lanolin) so basically lanolin is skin oil, naturally produced by sheep, and used (among other things) to make fabrics waterproof. I haven’t used it myself but I’m in a group where some people do and talk of it, it makes garments waterproof but needs to be reapplied every once in a while because it does eventually wash off.
I ride a motorcycle as a commuter and go out EVERY day no matter the weather. Waterproof kits have absolutely no breathability in their shape, seams and fabric (Goretex fails too and I wouldn’t describe it as anything more than a fancy gymnic brand name). Even when you don’t get wet from the outside you will get wet from the condensation on the inside of the kit. I believe riding my motorcycle is similar to riding a horse.🤷♂ And while in a horse you don’t go as fast, horse riders would spend many hours traveling in the rain and would survive using natural fibers. How dried where they? I don’t know, but they did survive in very cold places so they couldn’t be that wet. So now I would love to test this fabric’s water protection. If it could work in some level of application. I have to say that when riding you are not expecting to get to your destination “dry”. Nothing will achieve that, this side of a pants-boot unibody with a poncho. I would be just happy to wear something that kept most of the water away in the chest, shoulders, crotch and knees and didn’t drip my humidity back to me. Thanks for the content. It was a very nice article! 😁👍
The second Fjällräven jacket model (manufactured between 1974 until the 1990’s), was made with oilcloth. Their most popular rucksack, Kånken (manufactured since 1978), is still made of oilcloth. They use/-d a base of the infamous Vinylon cloth, manufactured with a North Korean invented process (Sweden was the only country with any diplomatic connections, and a trade, with N. Korea in 1974), and coated it with wax, originally synthetic wax, but in the 1990’s they switched to bees wax for the jackets (because they thought bees wax was more marketable). Vinylon is almost indestructible, but a bit stiff and uncomfortable to wear, unless the clothes are very well tailored, and the weather proofing wax of the cloth is really easy to restore, with a bit of ironing, when the wax has been worn off. I used the same jacket daily 1987-2018, in all kinds of weather and temperatures (-36°C to 44°C), until it no longer could be made waterproofed by applying new wax. I really miss using that jacket every day (now I can only use it on days with good weather): really good pockets, really good stitching, and a comfortable looser fit (otherwise you would get chafing from the stiff cloth) The current line of Fjällräven jackets are really expensive, too tight fitting for traditional layered clothing, gets destroyed quickly (within less than 5 years of daily wear), uncomfortable, poorly manufactured and has no good pockets, some of their jackets even have a netting inside that is loved by bugs as hidingplaces.
Linseed oil is self inflammable if it isn’t dry yet. Be careful in the drying process and stretch out the fabric flat or hang it in the fresh air outside till it is dry. If it is dry, nothing happens any more (except you put fire on it 😅 but then all the other cloths made out of different materials will burn too…)
I’ve had a couple of oilskin winter jackets. Seemed to be a tightly woven denim. Maybe a heavy linen? Don’t know how it was treated, but it was excellent for winter. Windproof as far as I could tell, and warm. Warm to the touch as well, compared to synthetic, which always feels cold. Also nice and quiet, without that raspy nylon sound. Plenty water resistant against sleet or wet snow.
You look professional and official in this article, due in part to your wonderful outfit. You have an entertaining way about your presentation. This is an engrossing, informative article, of which I have thoroughly enjoyed. Oilskin has indeed piqued my interest. Recently, I’ve purchased attire made of waxed cotton — which I have grown to enjoy for its durability of lasting new-appearance. Is this another form of the same concept; in other words, were waxed fabrics produced in tandem with oiled? Is it a fair comparison, in your professional view?
When I was in first grade we were told to bring a piece of oilcloth to class for our clay projects. It was still commonly used for children’s raincoats (I honestly don’t remember about the girls, but the boys’ raincoats were yellow). Recently I went looking for oilcloth, and here in the US it seems that what is currently sold as “oilcloth” is actually cloth coated with plastic of one sort or another.
I’m Canadian and in the smaller communities especially on the coasts or in the Prairies up north oil skins are rather common still, I was briefly dating a guy from Manitoba a few years ago and one of the times I was over he was maintaining his oil skin tarps. Some people still use them for clothes I know my grandfather who has passed away used them in Newfoundland but a lot of people still use canvas tarps for camping or canvas tents that required the oil treatment
If you read the paperback book about the voyage of the Brennan (Brendan?), in the 70s (they went across the Atlantic in a Leather boat), you’ll read about their Faroese companion, who wore a woolen sweater and had woolen gloves. He dipped these woolens in the (very cold) northern Atlantic before putting them on.
Watched a YouTuber who mixed 2 pounds of paraffin with 2 cups of mineral spirits to weatherproof fabric. Also, he ironed the mixture into the fabric so you can get a spiffy looking outfit from this initial ironing. The fabric was not greasy or oily and was pliable like normal. It was not overly flammable; he put hot ashes on it and it did not catch fire! Try it and you may like it!
Oh, so that’s the word for the beeswax mens jackets I remember in that one historical book, haha. I do wish to make a loose jacket out of it someday, but I have no solid plans for now – I can live with a modern rain solution for a while as I build better base for my wardrobe overall 🙂 But one day, for sure!
One way to ‘beat’ (or at least improve) wrinkles is to hang the garment on a sturdy wooden hanger and hang it out on your clothesline on a really hot sunny summer’s day. Check n it frequently and hand smooth as needed. This will help eliminate wrinkles a lot. It is intensive and takes a lot of time and attention but it is worth it. And afterward take care to store it where it won’t get wrinkled again.
Ah. delightful. Historically sealskin (a tighter-grained leather than cowhide by a mile), whale oils, and other clothing resources – once standards – are rightfully a thing of the past. Lead oxide is no longer used for “boiled linseed oil” for instance. It can be difficult to draw direct lessons from a modern perspective to an older experience. And I like your approach and forthright manner in the attempts. Wonderful young lady, wonderful!
One thing you can make is pith from sampling if you sprout and grow a lot of trees like maples strip the bark and leaves and it will make water proof a boat or cloths some if it’s to thick you ferment it to make thiner and heat off the alcohol don’t add water. If you drink it it’s your own risk never recommending drinking at any time or know of drinking at anytime.
Impressive result. I impregnated a new welding jacket (kinda thick leather or fake leather) and apart from changing color it was heavier, very hard and it smelled so bad even after 6 months that I lost patience and threw it away. The linseed oil was not boiled tho. Anyway never again I’ll use this stuff
Late to the party as usual but I only recently discovered your website. I’m glad that the sailor’s term ‘foul weather gear’ tickled your funny bone because i’m a salty kind of sailor and my ‘foulies’ have usually been the most expensive clothes that iv’e ever bought and worn. Can I say too that cor-sets kind of tickles mine because it always feels as though I have wandered backstage in Terry Pratchett novel. Right now i’m contemplating having to buy yet another set of the one piece of sailing clothing that I seem to wear just about all the time when it’s ether wet or doing dirty and wet jobs on the boat….speaking here of the ‘oilskin’ (actually nylon and goretex) chest high saloppettes that are the very core of sea going clothing…..rather than the jacket which hardly gets a look in. Problem with modern yachty saloppettes is that they are very expensive and don’t last very long so i’m looking around for an ‘oilskin’ alternative and that design does seem to go back to at least the 19th century and I guess was made of oiled or waxed canvas of some kind. Best wishes to you…….
The Royal Navy used oil skin pouches to carry documents in, which of course, by repelling water, would float if thrown overboard, so lead weights were added to to ensure those important documents were denied to the enemy by the depths of the ocean. No doubt all naval forces around the world used oil skin pouches in the same manner eventually.
thank you for the article. I made oil skin with bees wax,boiled linseed oil, and mineral spirits to cure. it took a week to cure out side . the canvas was very water resistant, but the PH was off and in a year it started to turn black. bees wax and paraffin wax mixture and mineral oil worked better second try. thanks again
Barbour, Drizabone and others have been making waxed / oiled cotton jackets, coats and hats for years..and still are today. It seems strange that in the States they aren’t well known.. The traditional yellow sailors / fisherman’s oil skins have been in use in Europe, Scandinavia and the British Isles since the Vikings…and still are!
Oil cloth to me has some leather like qualities. There is a nifty tool to poke several holes at once along the edges of leather to then sew it together by hand. It would be interesting to see if using a leather tool to make a line of holes along a seam line could work. Then sewing it might be easier?
The biography of James Madison I’m reading mentions a silk cloak sent to the Marquis Lafayette. It doesn’t say how the silk was treated to resist rain, but apparently it got sticky when warm… So it REALLY shouldn’t have been shipped wrapped in newspaper. On the bright side, future President Madison enjoyed reading global headlines while traveling behind the Marquis.
Wel call it oljehyre here in Norway. The second part of the word – hyre has a dual etymology. On the one hand, hyre is like the English word hire, as in for hire, but as in a job you’ll perform. But the other part stems from the English word herd, as in take care of something. It’s this latter meaning that is of importance in the world oljehyre. The short and sweet is that it’s a garment that takes care of you even in very bad and wet weather. These kinds of cloth were often very stiff, though, so much so that they would require significant effort for fishermen to get on and off. For that reason….. if you really had to go, the norm was to put one leg outside the railing, and just let go…….. 😉
Very interesting article! I knew about oilcloth, but not so much the historical use of it in clothes. It’s very practical for protecting other things than oneself and one’s clothes underneath it. I’m wondering something, though. How water proof are the seams? Is waxing the thread enough to create a good seal with tight stitches? Do you treat with wax or other oil over the seams after? Perhaps a bit out of your scope of knowledge from researching this article, but would it be possible to sew a garment, say a cloak, with untreated cloth and then “oil” it? Or would that ruin the shape and other properties because of the (usually) high temperatures involved in treating the material? I don’t see why it shouldn’t work, but I guess it’s impractical compared to buying the fabric pre-treated.
Helly Hansen has a place in the history of oilskins having started production of such garments in the 1870s. There may have been a watershed (!) moment when production became organised rather than an ad hoc creation of individual garments but It is quite difficult to dig that from the mists of time. At any rate, Hansen definitely predated LeRoy in this regard.
I can’t hear “oilskin” without thinking of the first verse of the 1928 folk song written by Arthur Scammell, “The Squid-Jigging Grounds”: “Oh… this is the place where the fishermen gather With oil-skins and boots and Cape Anns battened down All sizes of figures with squid lines and jiggers They congregate here on the squid-jiggin’ ground.”
If hand sewing is difficult, why not use a sewing awl? Most sewing awls come with heavy-duty needles, but a sewing machine needle can be substituted for finer work. You mention that oilskin can’t be ironed. Wouldn’t it be more correct to say that it cannot be ironed at a temperature that would melt the oil or wax? Maybe one could use a simple sad iron (not electrically heated) and warm that slightly, perhaps in a pan of hot tap water? Are you aware Australian dusters made of oilskin? They’re commercially available, even over Amazon.
Fascinating vid. I assumed that it remained, historically you just got wet. You either dried out and got a carriage home or if you were unluckily you got wet and caught a chill. Depending on the author and the plot you either stayed at the house fell in love with the hero aka Caroline Bennet or you died (way too many heroines to mention for this one!) Then you mention oil cloth. I thought that was a poor persons table covering and was easy to wipe up spills. I had no idea it was used for outer wear. Horatio Hornblower as a midshipman was constantly sent up onto the quarter deck in the most inclement of weather. I figured that he was dressed in wool, wool is naturally waterproof partic if untreated ie if the lanolin had not been taken out of it. That would have been a fine line to undertake; hot water would draw the woolen fibres closer together but the lanolin would have been removed. To bring back good waterproofing the lanolin would have had to be introduced. In Outlander, in one of the very early series, Claire joins in the Highlanders as they prepare a plaid. In this they beat the wool with their hands with urine. What does this do? Does extra lanolin dissolve better in urine and the beating of the plaid drives the lanolin into the fabric? It was obvious that there would have been ways to make waterproof or at least water resistant outer clothing thruout history. With a severe lack of treatments for chills, colds and viruses caught when ‘under the weather’. One couldn’t rely entirely on animal furs, they when wet would be incredibly heavy and leather requires significant preparation and can’t be entirely protectively.
Hello love! I am very interested in natural fabrics such as cotton with water wicking properties since I want to machine sew swimwear that is not synthetic or petroleum based. I thought about beeswax for the water wicking properties but then I imagined it potentially melting in the warm weather. HEHE. You mentioned in your article some manufacturers that use oilcloth. Would you mind sharing a few of those or any other suggestions you might have? Thank you so much 🙂