Let’s find out more about the fabrics used in the making of raincoats:

1. Cotton: The very first Macintosh raincoat was made using a cotton fabric. Heavy and work-related rainwear that is available on the market is made up of cotton duck or oil cloth.
2. Wool: Wool does not have waterproofing properties but once it is treated with water-resistant coating it proves to be durable and provides one with extra warmth. These woolen raincoats are most commonly used by military men or by elite brands in high fashion garments.
3. Vinyl: This fabric is typically used in manufacturing raincoats for children. Vinyl is a kind of material which is inexpensive, easy to clean, water repellent and best can be dyed in various colors. When you think about making a raincoat, what more can you ask for!
4. Nylon: This is yet another inexpensive and long-lasting material which is often used for making raincoats by several companies. The elasticity of this material helps in easy folding and packing of your rainwear making it ideal for traveling.

5. Gore-Tex: Introduced in 1970, what makes this fabric different from the others is its properties of being extremely lightweight and breathable. This fabric is particularly used by companies making raincoats for trekking, camping or any other outdoor activities.

I hope this list helped you in increasing your knowledge about your rainwear and making a right pick!

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Windcheaters/wind jackets:

These are two different names for the same product. Windcheater or wind jacket is a lightweight and a close fitted piece of clothing that protects your body from the outside winds. Typically made of a synthetic material the wind jackets are geared with hoods, elastic waistbands, and armbands. Therefore these provide the user with a full protection against harsh and chilly winds.

Raincoats:

Raincoat, as the name suggests, is a coat providing you protection against the rain. The raincoats usually extend below the knee and also have a hood thus covering the entire body. This full coverage protects the wearer from getting wet in heavy rains. Because they are made with a water-resistant and breathable material the raincoats ensure that perspiration of the wearer passes through the garment. The materials which are commonly used in the production of the raincoats are Nylon, vinyl, and Gore-Tex.

Rain Jacket:

There is no major difference in raincoats and rain jackets except the length of the two. While raincoats typically extend below the knee, rain jackets are generally restrained till waist length. Made up of almost similar products/fabrics and used for the same purpose both these garments are used according to the needs of the customers. While raincoats cover the entire body, rain jackets protect only the upper half of the user’s body against the rains….(Link)…

So now, that you know the major difference between these basic outdoor apparels, I am sure you will be able to make a good judgment of what clothing to pick according to your requirements.

The post What makes rain jackets and windcheaters different? appeared first on Modern Rain Wear.

1. Check the label:

Before proceeding to clean your rainwear it is advisable that you first check the care tag. You will find this tag near the collar of the rainwear. Most raincoats brand recommend machine washing in a gentle setting while the other brands recommend washing them with hands with the help of a specialized cleaner.

2. Washing your raincoat in the washing machine:

Before putting your raincoat in the washing machine do not forget to zip to close all the zippers and buttons of your raincoat. Also, remove the removable belt from your raincoat. After you are done with these steps add in a small about of the gentle biodegradable detergent, set the machine on the delicate washing setting and run the cycle with cold water.

3. Cleaning by hand:

You need not go through the process of machine cleaning if your raincoat has only a small spot of dirt that has to be cleaned. You can easily get rid of the spot by hand washing your rainwear. Mix a bit of liquid soap in warm water until its produces froth. Dip a clean sponge into the water and gently wipe away that area.

4. Take your coat out to dry cleaner:

Or if the instructions on the raincoat seem complicated and you don’t want to get into the hassle of doing the cleaning yourself just go out and hand your raincoat to a trusted dry cleaner. But be careful; if your raincoat contains polyurethane do not take it to the dry cleaner.

Follow these steps to make your raincoats shine nice and bright and get ready for the rains!

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Not anymore, we have found out multiple places where we could wear our favorite pair of rainwear:

1. Sailing: Have you never noticed the famous pictures of sailors wearing their branded rainwear when they are out sailing? I’m sure now it might have struck you. When you are out in the water and waves are climbing high up on your boat, there is no better thing than a raincoat to keep you nice and dry.
2. Puddle Jumping: When was the last time you thought about jumping in the puddles with kids? Can’t recall? Maybe now you can give it a thought, get yourself covered in your rainwear and go out to re-live some of the most amazing childhood days. And with the raincoat in place, you won’t have to worry about post cleanup.
3. Festival of Holi: Raincoat is a blessing in festivals such as Holi which is celebrated in India. Although the whole thing about the festival is to enjoy the colors but it’s often played with splashing colorful water on the opponent. If you are scared to catch a cold or do not feel like getting wet, just put on your rainwear and get Holi ready.
4. Fashion: On many occasions, it has been witnessed that raincoat has been used as a fashion statement.(Link)…. There is nothing trendy like wearing your fancy colored branded rainwear tied up in a true British style. Kids love it specially; it is amongst one of their favorite apparels.

On such amazing alternative occasions to flaunt your raincoat, I’m sure you will certainly change your perception about rainwear. And for those who love to wear their raincoats, I hoped the list helped!

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Well, worry not today all these questions will be answered!

We all owe it to the British chemist Charles Macintosh.  He is the man because of whom we are able to go out in the rains and enjoy the beautiful gift of Mother Nature without getting dirty and wet. So, the story began with Macintosh finding a way to incorporate the water-repellent properties of polymer materials in clothing.

At that time, Macintosh was experimenting with a waste product of black coal gasification out of which he extracted ammonium that was required to manufacture a violet-red dye. The by-product of this experiment was coal tar naphtha, a solvent which did not mix with water. Seeing this, Macintosh got an idea of coating this product on thin layers of cotton fabric. As a result, a rubbery fabric which was impermeable to water was produced.

Now, the biggest hindrance in his way was the problem of stickiness of this product. He overcame this problem quickly by coating a textile web. He further took advantage of the sticky layer to laminate it to another textile web. And finally, he was able to produce a water-repellent, the double-layer material which was no longer sticky and was easy to handle.

In later years, Thomas Hancock (1786 – 1865) the founder of British rubber industry took Charles Macintosh’ invention and improved it via the vulcanization process. In this experiment, the problem with rubberisation, such as the intensive odor, stiffness and poor washability in hot water, were all gone.

With years passing by, we see several other improvisations done by companies for the betterment of quality and comfort. But this is how where it all started from, interesting right!

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If your answer is yes, it’s probably high time that you should think about waterproofing your old raincoat. More often than not despite wearing your raincoat in the rains, you start to feel the water on your arms and shoulders, be it of any brand. It’s a sign that your trusty raincoat proved to be no longer waterproof.

Many amongst us don’t know that the manufacturers coat the raincoats with durable water-repellent (DWR) which normally wears away. So it is advisable to re-waterproof your rainwear about once a year. Once the DWR layer starts wearing off, your raincoat converts into a normal regular coat, which surely has the property to clothe you but not to protect you from the outside rain. Therefore it is mandatory to recoat your raincoat.

Now that we know what has to be done, let’s focus on how to do it. Waterproofing your raincoat is quite a simple task; it just requires you to follow these three simple steps:

One, before thinking about waterproofing your raincoat, it is mandatory to clean it with a gentle detergent. This step cleans the residue which has been building up on your rainwear due to wearing off of the DWR layer. Second, after you are done washing your raincoat, rinse it properly and let it dry on a hanger. After its dried spray a thin layer of DWR as per the instructions. And thirdly, gently treat your rainwear with heat. Put your raincoat in a dryer and when it’s out it should be hydrophobic again.

Following these steps, you can easily waterproof your rainwear. You can even check the results by sprinkling some water on it. If the water starts beading off, you are so ready for rains!

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