The Man Behind Raincoats

Perhaps you grew up wearing raincoats as your mother led you to nursery school one rainy day. Now that you are an eligible bachelor, you still have your corporate-looking water-proof coat on. A raincoat is truly helpful, especially when people need to brave heavy downpours and head off to just about anywhere –- store, office, school, home, etc. For this reason, it is not too bad to briefly discuss about the man behind raincoats.

Charles Macintosh, a British chemist, invented waterproof fabrics and the Mackintosh (spelling has changed) raincoat in the early 1800s. He discovered how to make waterproof material by mixing rubber into the fabric. However, the first raincoats were heavy. It was only in the 1940s that lightweight raincoats made from vinyl fabric were made available. Vinyl is waterproof and lightweight in nature. Later, there were progressive experiments on making not only lightweight waterproof apparel, but also those that can be machine-washed and are low-maintenance. In the 1970s, the rain wear industry experienced a boom with the introduction of raincoats of different designs, prints, and colours fit for all people of all ages.

Modern raincoats are no longer made solely from rubber or vinyl, but from a blend of artificial and natural fabrics such as wool, nylon, cotton, and polyester. Microfibres and plastic-coated fabrics are commonly used. Closely knitted fibres are found to be more resistant to water.

A good raincoat effectively prevents the passage of water, allowing the wearer to stay dry and comfortable during a rainy day. Still, manufacturers have found ways to sell raincoats off-season. There are year-round raincoats, which can be stripped off of its lining when needed. The different types of rain wear include ponchos, waxed jackets, trench-coats, Mackintoshes, and anoraks. The latest in the industry are the disposable raincoats and ponchos.

Raincoat-making involves several processes. A raincoat is a machine-made garment produced with the aid of a computerised system. The fabric is waterproofed by dipping and soaking it into different chemicals. It is then heated for added chemical absorption and later cooled. The fabric is subsequently cut down into patterns, and the different parts like collars, hoods, body, pockets, and sleeves are lined by rolling them into a fusing machine. Next, the parts are sewn together using industrial sewing machines. The finished garment undergoes quality check before it goes to the market.

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