New uses of raincoats

New uses of raincoats

During World War I, trench warfare was prevalent, and British soldiers often fought in the trenches in the rain. If they wore ordinary raincoats, they would inevitably affect the marching operations of the troops, but not wearing them would easily cause soldiers to catch cold and become ill, affecting the combat effectiveness of the troops. At this time, the British government equipped soldiers with a new type of clothing to protect them from wind and rain. This uniform fabric was made of gabardine. Its fibers are woven very tightly, have excellent waterproof properties, and have better breathability than tarpaulin. It does not have the odor of wax oil or rubber, nor is it as rigid as rubber raincoats. More importantly, its price is cheap. During wartime when supplies are scarce, this design is naturally more popular than expensive wool waterproof clothing. After the end of the war, the government sold this raincoat to the public as military supplies, and this military style coat became civilian and quickly became the fashion of the time.

However, the real popularity of raincoats should be attributed to film works. With the support of film stars' classic styling, raincoats continue to be popular and become timeless classics. In the classic film "Casablanca", the male and female protagonists wear raincoats, creating unforgettable memories in people's hearts; In movies such as "Waterloo Bridge" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's", the protagonists have scenes of walking in the rain wearing raincoats, making raincoats even more fashionable.

With the acceleration of urbanization, there are more and more rain shelters and rainproof vehicles. Loose and bulky raincoats seem to have become the chicken ribs in the rainy season, and people are more willing to travel with lightweight and bright umbrellas. After entering the 21st century, the number of people riding bicycles or electric bikes on the streets has gradually increased, and raincoats that liberate both hands have become popular again. In Japan, it is illegal to ride under a single umbrella, so designers have improved the color, material, and style of raincoats to make them undergo dramatic changes. Raincoats have also become a beautiful scenery on the streets. Later, there were Japanese designers who combined the characteristics of umbrellas and raincoats to create a "two in one rain gear", which could freely switch functions and was popular with young people.

An American company once exhibited a plastic raincoat that emits light when exposed to water at the French Textile Exhibition. The raincoat is made of nylon as the base material, with a polyvinyl chloride coating on the outer surface, and rain sensors are installed on the back and sleeves. These sensors are connected to the conductive light-emitting plate in front of the raincoat through built-in electronic devices. When the raindrops touch one of the sensors, the corresponding light in front of the raincoat will flash, Make people walk in the rain more emotional. The raincoat designed by a researcher at a design and research institute in Copenhagen not only provides shelter from the wind and rain, but also has a series of small pipes installed on it to collect rainwater and directly filter it to purify it into drinking water. The wearer can drink directly through the water conduit in front of his chest, which is suitable for backpackers who lack drinking water in the event of rain during long journeys.