Wax Jackets

Overview

How a factory in South Shields produces 650 water-resistant waxed jackets a day - from 500-metre-long rolls of undyed cotton, to dipping the finished fabric into baths of heated wax, to assembling each jacket from 23 pieces. How a breathable membrane is key to allowing sweat to get out while keeping water from getting in. How a simple wooden stick is transformed into a top-notch umbrella using saws, pliers, and needle and thread - techniques barely changed in 150 years. The history of seamen adapting oil-covered sail cloth into garments.

Episode Information