so buy what you and the future generations might need

We can’t ignore the impact of textile industry, driven by fashion. In this post, we dive into the environmental and practical aspects that shape our decisions in apparel. The path towards responsible consumption starts by taking into account the purpose and properties of the wear we use.
 

Longevity and durability

The textile industry is the 4th highest pressure category measured in the EU and 5.6 million tonnes of textile waste is generated on an annual basis (that is 5.600.000.000 kg). Most of our clothes shopping is from fast fashion but work wear is not an exemption. Water-resistant raincoats are subject to the powerful force of fashion too!

In general, workwear has a higher environmental footprint during its production – but also a longer lifetime (or at least has the potential for it).

Degrees of waterproof

Waterproofness is a scale and not all rain protection gear is created equal. That is okay. Not every situation demands real waterproof clothes. There is a difference between Copenhagen or London “in-case-it-rains” jackets and clothes that should withstand extreme weather conditions or working in fishing, agro- and aquaculture and forestry.

How to make reliable waterproof clothes?

Essentially, there are two ways of making clothes waterproof:

One is with tape.

You sew the pieces of fabric together to create your garment, and then you use special tape to cover the seams so that water does not bridge to the other side. This technique has its limitations but is good enough for urban bike rides and “in case it rains” situations. For rain gear that you have used for a while, you might have noticed that the seams or connections of the gear parts are weaker and sometimes let in water.

However, if you are certain that stormy weather is coming, or if you expect continuous heavy rain or high-pressure water, the tape solution probably will not be sufficient.

The other one is High Frequency Welding.

Just as when you weld metals, you essentially melt the materials while pressing them together. This means that where the two materials meet, there is no greater risk of getting wet than in any other place. The downside is that it is less breathable – but it will last for a really long time.

How do you know which you will need?

Intensity

• What conditions do you expect to meet? Are they stormy, sustained water impact or somewhere where you can’t easily find shelter, then you probably lean towards something that you know will protect you. If not, then using the one that you (probably) already have or getting one that also fits other purposes (like being lightweight, small, can be (socially acceptably) used in non-rainy situations etc.) would make sense.

Frequency

• Are you using the gear for work or do you go out every weekend disregarding the weather conditions? Then you need something reliable. 
• Are you on your way for a once-in-a-lifetime outdoor trip? You definitely need reliable gear. But since you are using it for a one-time event, you should probably just rent the gear. 

Are you thinking of passing it on to the next generation?

Well-made gear lasts a long time and it is what you should expect.

At Viking Rubber, we are collecting stories of people who have had our products for 20-35 years and still using them!

It is incredibly energising to get messages from people that are passing down our jackets to the next generation – and even generations in plural!

Outdoor gear can be costly. But often we forget the cost per use. For a 20-year-jacket, that you use every week, the cost per use is quite low (and maybe even lower than the “cheap” clothes you can buy in fast fashion stores).

And that is the financial price. The environmental cost has the same logic (although more complicated to calculate). Using the same jacket for 25 years instead of 5 means that you are preventing the whole process of material extraction and production of 4 entire jackets. Prolonging the products’ lives is the most effective way of reducing the resource consumption of clothing.