Material Discussions

[Cherie]

I am fascinated by our many attempts to describe the materials that make up the lovely rainwear that we desire. Although images can portray colour and shine, the are terrible at weight, stiffness and of course aroma. For such a tactile thing it is a shame that we sometimes struggle to get across what we really mean, often resorting to “like this” photos or metaphors like “as thin as cling film (saran wrap)”. Does this add to the fun of trying to communicate with fellow rainwear enthusiasts? Or should we start a new set of internationally recognised codes for specific attributes of material so that everyone knows exactly what we mean?

After being made single I dabbled with making PVC clothes using my wife’s sewing machine (until it disappeared as part of the breakup). I found that all sites selling any kind of fabric seem to have the same issue. Unlike a shop you can’t feel it, so how do you sell something accurately so people don’t return it “that was not what I expected”. From those sites I learnt new terms which I had never considered as attributes of fabric such as bias, two-way and four-way stretch.

I did learn that making your own clothes is easy, but making them fit and look good is nearly impossible! Also that you spend more time swearing at a sewing machine than actually sewing anything, and that unbacked plastic that is just sewn tears in no time without some other form of seam attachment like welding or glueing.

Cherie x

[Tiefdruckgebiet]

Everyone has a different specific feel for fabrics and different likings. So it's hard to describe it exactly, for one a specific fabric is stiff, for the next one ok etc...

[rainwearseeker]

the perfect material for me is the one that is soft and very rubbery. i don't like when it i crinkly but it needs to feel softer when it gets warm. i have a snowrage tube that is made of a thick rubbery like pvc that i want to be made into a one piece suit.

[Nylon macs]

I have one the same but in green.
Mine came with no belt .it was second hand from charity shop.
Made in Finland .
Very nice on inside out.

[rainwearseeker]

a shiny rukka? i have 2 shiny green rukkas but they don't have the neck popper or the belt.

[Nylon macs]

Mine do have neck poppers .no belt

[Nylon macs]

Only in the house and in the back garden as it's a ladys tikka raincoat.

[Nylon macs]

That's ment to say rukka raincoat lol

[Nylon macs]

Only in the house and in the back garden as it's a ladys tikka raincoat.

i understand, glad to hear its used thou, rukka raincoats are meant to be used not just lay around. i used my rukka raincoat as much as i could

I would love to wear it out along the beaches and town or when walking the dogs. But I think I would draw so much attention to myself and have to explain why I'm wearing a ladys raincoat lol.
But it definitely do get used very much most days when home

[rainfash]

I like to wear cotton backed raincoats like Rukka, when it’s a little bit colder, below 10 degrees celsius. They are smooth and keep you a little bit warm, compared to pure vinyl raincoats.
Between 10 and 20 degrees celsius I like to wear thin vinyl raincoats, mostly clear or transparent, very noisy, crackly, swishy, shiny, vinyl materials. And they are still very soft at 20 degrees celsius, whereas they get stiff below 5 degrees celsius, so it’s depending on the outside temperature, which raincoats to wear…