Barbour

Barbour has been making waxed jackets in South Shields since 1894, when John Barbour started out kitting out mariners and fisherfolk of the North East. Five generations on, it is still a family business, and it holds three royal warrants. The Bedale, Beaufort and International are the jackets people know, with waxed cotton, corduroy collars and tartan linings. Wax jackets are water-resistant rather than fully waterproof, but they are built for wet, windy weather. Classic wax jackets are still handcrafted at the Simonside factory, and the repair and re-waxing service means a good one can last for decades. South Shields is not known for dry weather, which is rather the point.

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