The Mackintosh, a rain-resistant coat developed in the UK, uses rubber coating to prevent water seepage. The coat has experienced a fashion renaissance and is produced by the original company with personalized options.
A Mackintosh, often called a ‘mack’ or a ‘mac’, is a rain resistant coat developed in the UK. Although the term becomes a generic word for any raincoat, an authentic version of the coat uses a rubber coating to prevent water seepage. Mackintoshes have recently experienced a fashion renaissance, with updated designs making them popular in many places.
Born in the late 18th century, Charles Macintosh was the son of a Glasgow, Scotland factory owner who produced textiles. When Charles took over the plant, he began trying to increase the factory’s profits by finding some use for the waste products from a nearby Glasgow gasworks. Through experimentation, Charles discovered that a naphtha solution would dissolve rubber, forming thin sheets of the material that could be laminated onto cloth, making it waterproof.
Macintosh partnered with a clothing company owned by Thomas Hancock, which had conducted its own experiments in waterproofing with little success. The original plies made through the rolling process were quite stiff and uncomfortable, and the rubber often melted at high temperatures. Hancock invented a vulcanization process for rubber in 1843, in which he used an ether solution to cure rubber, making it more durable and flexible. The original experiments were carried out on woolen fabric, which did not hold up well to rubber coating. Soon the plant was making Mackintoshes out of lightweight cotton fabrics, which added flexibility and could handle vulcanized rubber.
For most of the 19th and 20th century, Mackintosh coats were considered functional, rather than fashionable. The company was taken over at various times by various rubber and clothing manufacturing companies which operated with varying success. The Mackintosh coat retained popularity in areas such as the UK, where variable weather is a staple of the environment, but failed to attract new buyer markets.
In the 1990s, the Mackintosh seemed on the verge of failure, planning to close its Scottish factory due to falling sales. However, the style was saved when it was surpassed by David Dunko, who decided to reinvigorate the look and appeal of the functional coat. In the 21st century, Mackintosh Limited teamed up with various fashion designers to create beautiful styles of coats using the traditional methods of waterproofing the original design. The colorful patterns and trendy cuts of the new coats have attracted considerable worldwide success, particularly in fashion-conscious Japan.
While many similar Mackintosh-style coats are available at low cost, the original item is still produced by the original company. The company’s pairing with famous fashion brands has led to skyrocketing prices, with basic models of the coat available for approximately $800 US dollars (USD). At the company’s main UK location, customers are only allowed in by appointment and can personalize their coat with hundreds of fabric, style and design options.
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