The science, story and care of BYBROWN forever textiles.
At BYBROWN, we don't believe in disposable fashion. We design high-end, urban raincoats built for longevity, durability, and protection.
Central to this philosophy are our Forever Textiles, premium waxed cotton materials that combine timeless heritage with contemporary design.
Due to its incredible resilience, this raincoat is the ultimate sustainable item in your wardrobe. It is built to age beautifully, developing a lived-in character that evolves uniquely with you, making it a true heirloom to be handed down from generation to generation.
Below is the story, the technical brilliance, and the essential care guidelines behind your BYBROWN raincoat.
Treat it well and wear it forever.
From sails to contemporary raincoats.
Our Forever Textiles are rooted in centuries of maritime survival, carrying a legacy that moves from the rough oceans straight into our modern urban designs.
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15th Century (The Scottish Mariners): Waxed cotton was born out of pure necessity on the rough oceans. Sailors noticed that heavy, wet sails slowed down their ships. They discovered that treating the sails with fish oils and animal fats repelled water and kept them light. Scraps of these treated sails were often crafted into capes and jackets to protect the crew.
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18th Century (Linseed Oil): Fish oil was later replaced by linseed oil. While it worked well, it had major drawbacks: over time, the fabric became stiff, turned yellow, and would crack or fracture in cold weather.
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The Paraffin Breakthrough (1930s): Pioneering British mills developed a breakthrough technique to impregnate cotton with a paraffin-based wax. This resulted in a fabric that was highly water-resistant, breathable, remained supple, and lacked the foul odor of older oils.
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Military & Battlefields (1940s): Due to this breakthrough, the fabric was officially adopted during World War II. It became the legendary armour for British Royal Navy submarine crews standing on freezing, storm-swept decks, as well as military motorcycle dispatch riders who needed ultimate protection against the elements.
The BYBROWN craft | Responsible and premium production.
To create a true BYBROWN raincoat, we collaborate exclusively with the world’s leading heritage mills.
Every metre of our Forever Textile passes through a rigorous, responsible production cycle before it is tailored into your jacket.
- Sustainable Sourcing: We care about our planet. All cotton used for our raincoats is proudly sourced from BCI-certified farms (Better Cotton Initiative), ensuring sustainable farming, reduced environmental impact, and fair working conditions.
- Inspection & Laboratory Testing: The raw cotton undergoes strict initial testing to ensure the highest yarn strength and quality.
- Dyeing & Batching: The fabric is expertly dyed to match BYBROWN’s signature, deep color palettes.
- Specialist Coating & Waxing: Depending on the specific raincoat design, a product-specific treatment is applied. Either our traditional Wet Wax or our clean, grease-free Dry Wax where the wax is deeply embedded into the core of the fibres.
- Quality Control & Despatch: A final, strict round of testing and QC sign-off guarantees that the textile meets our high standards for premium weatherproofing before it is packed for despatch to our atelier.