![]() Because waxed fabrics are made with, for the most part, natural materials, they are easier to repair, lengthening the product’s lifespan. Waxed cotton fabrics develop a highly desirable patina, not unlike that of a well-faded pair of indigo-dyed blue jeans whereas synthetic technical fabrics keep their color and merely break down. With proper maintenance, waxed cotton fabrics have been known to last for years and even decades. Today, waxed cotton fabrics are mostly made from paraffin, silicone, beeswax or soy-based oils. When sails began to wear down, the cloth was then repurposed as waterproof clothing. Applying fish oil (and eventually linseed oil) to the sailcloth resulted in sails that were equally efficient but significantly lighter than water-soaked sails. Waxed fabrics first came on the slippery scene when European sailors discovered that wet sails performed better than dry sails. When you’re considering your next piece of outerwear, here’s what you need to know. It’s evolved from fish oils and blubber (food as fashion!) to rubberized coats to futuristic three-layer techwear - each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. In our long relationship with precipitation, we’ve come up with inventive ways to keep ourselves dry (see: the umbrella, a contraption that dates back several millennia) and there now exists a sea of water-resistant fabrics to keep the stuff at bay. As long as there has been rain, humans have been trying to avoid it.
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