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The birth of the windbreaker is deeply imprinted with the smoke of World War I. In 1914, British soldiers were issued a revolutionary waterproof jacket for the first time in the muddy and cold trenches on the Western Front. This military uniform made of Gabardine fabric completely replaced the heavy (weighing up to 4 kilograms), stuffy and brittle traditional rubber raincoat with its excellent practicality.
The secret of Gabardine: This fabric improved and patented by Thomas Burberry is centered on its unique 45-degree twill weave structure. Use worsted Egyptian cotton yarn (later wool, chemical fiber, etc.), and impregnate with paraffin or hydrophobic agent. High-density weaving (the 120 strands/square inch mentioned in the original text is a typical density) allows rainwater to slide off the surface in a "balling effect", while the micro-gaps formed by the twill structure ensure good breathability. This "waterproof and breathable" feature was subversive at the time.
The eternal mark of military genes,Design details born to meet the needs of harsh battlefields, after a hundred years, are still immortal classics.
Double-breasted & deep slits: ensure soldiers' ease of riding and moving, windproof and warm.
Epaulettes: originally used to fix binoculars, rank insignia or backpack straps.
D-Rings: designed to hang map bags, grenades or other equipment.
Gun Flap: an extra layer of fabric on the right shoulder to buffer rifle recoil and divert rain.
Storm Shield: strengthen the back to protect against wind and rain.
Adjustable cuffs: prevent wind and rain from entering. These elements have gone beyond practical functions and become the core symbols of windbreaker aesthetics and identity.
Windbreaker fabrics have developed from a single gabardine to a rich and diverse ecosystem, mainly forming three camps.
Core: Adhere to the texture and style of natural materials, especially Egyptian long-staple cotton gabardine. Its luster, drape and timeless classic appearance are irreplaceable.
Extreme pursuit: High-end brands such as Japan continue to break through and develop worsted wool or cotton fabrics such as Super 200's or even higher counts. The yarn fineness can reach 11 microns (or even finer), the texture is as light and soft as top-grade shirt fabrics, but it still has a good sense of structure and durability, pushing luxury and functionality to the extreme.
Advantages: Natural texture, good breathability, classic and noble, timeless.
Disadvantages: Waterproofness depends on coating/impregnation (may weaken over time), heavier (especially when wet), and high maintenance requirements (often require professional dry cleaning).
Core: Using cutting-edge material science to balance extreme protection with lightweight comfort.
Representative: Gore-Tex and other ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) or PU laminated fabrics are the benchmark. Their microporous structure is so small that liquid water (raindrops) cannot penetrate, but allows water vapor (sweat) to escape, achieving true "waterproof and breathable". Indicators such as hydrostatic pressure (e.g., 10,000mm+) measure waterproof ability, and air permeability (e.g., 15,000g/m²/24hr+) measures moisture removal ability.
Widely used: Coated/laminated nylon (Nylon) or polyester (Polyester) is the mainstream of outdoor and daily functional windbreakers. Protection is achieved through coating (PU, etc.) or laminated waterproof and breathable membranes. Nylon is more wear-resistant and soft, while polyester is more wrinkle-resistant and sun-resistant, and has lower costs.
Other technologies: DWR (durable water repellent) treatment, elastic fiber blends (increase freedom of movement), lightweight technology (such as Pertex Quantum), etc.
Advantages: Super waterproof and windproof, lightweight and portable, highly breathable (high-quality fabrics), easy to care for, and durable.
Disadvantages: The texture may be "plastic", environmental protection is questionable (especially PFAS-based DWR), and laminated fabrics may delaminate after wear.
Core: Respond to environmental and ethical demands and promote material revolution.
Bio-based materials: Such as seaweed fiber blends developed in Italy. Seaweed grows fast and absorbs CO2, and the carbon emissions of the production process are significantly reduced (such as 65%). Some of them also have natural antibacterial, UV-resistant or degradable properties.
Recycled materials: Brands such as ECONYL® use recycled discarded fishing nets, industrial plastics, carpets and PET plastic bottles to regenerate nylon yarn. Its quality is comparable to that of virgin nylon, and after special treatment, its wear resistance can even be increased by 40%. Greatly reduce oil consumption and waste pollution.
Organic cotton/recycled cotton: Reduce the use of pesticides, fertilizers and water resources.
Tencel Lyocell: Wood pulp from sustainably managed forests, environmentally friendly closed-loop production process, soft and drapey, moisture-absorbent, breathable and wrinkle-resistant finished products.
Impact: These innovations not only reduce environmental impact, but also rewrite the ethical standards of raw materials for luxury goods and the entire textile industry, and promote supply chain transparency. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the "green footprint" of products.
Composition: Usually refers to the interwoven fabric of nylon (nylon) filament or staple fiber and cotton yarn on an air-jet loom. The specific ratio (such as 70/30, 50/50) affects performance.
Features: It combines the comfort, breathability and skin-friendly feeling of cotton with the wear resistance, high strength, wrinkle resistance and quick drying of nylon. It is more durable and crisper than pure cotton, and softer and more natural than pure nylon. It is a common and cost-effective material for casual windbreakers and fashion windbreakers.
Application: Daily wear, casual commuting.
Features: Synthetic fiber, high strength, excellent wear resistance, good elasticity, light weight, easy and quick drying. Commonly used in making outdoor windbreakers and sports windbreakers. Waterproofing is achieved through coating or lamination.
Note: "Nylon" is a general trade name for polyamide fibers in China. Filament nylon is smooth and strong (commonly used for outerwear fabrics), and staple nylon is closer to cotton (commonly used for lining or blending).
Polyester
Features: Another major synthetic fiber, low cost, excellent wrinkle resistance and shape retention, strong light and weather resistance, easy care, and quick drying. Widely used in coated windbreakers and laminated windbreakers (outdoor/daily). Often imitates the texture of natural fibers such as cotton and silk.
Compared with nylon: Usually stiffer, more UV-resistant, and cheaper than nylon, but slightly inferior in wear resistance and softness.
Cotton
Features: Moisture-absorbent and breathable, soft and skin-friendly, and good natural texture. It is a classic choice for casual windbreakers and fashionable windbreakers.
Limitations: Easy to wrinkle, heavy after getting wet, slow to dry, and poor waterproofness for pure cotton without coating. Canvas weaving (tight and thick) or gabardine weaving (twill waterproof) can improve durability and certain water repellency, but chemical treatment or lining is still required to achieve better waterproofness. Ice cotton is usually a thin cotton fabric treated with a special coating (such as cool finishing), emphasizing lightness, elegance, and coolness. It is a popular material for casual windbreakers in spring and summer in recent years.
Features: Mainly refers to fabrics containing wool (mainly worsted wool). Excellent warmth retention, high-quality texture, good drape, natural wrinkle resistance, moisture absorption and breathability.
Application: Wool trench coats are the representative of high-end fashion in autumn and winter, perfectly combining warmth and style. They are often blended with polyester, nylon or cashmere to enhance wrinkle resistance, strength or luxury. They do not solve the "heavy" problem, but provide a choice of warmth and high-quality texture.
Features: Extremely strong windproof effect, unique fashion sense and aura (genuine leather is more luxurious, PU/PVC faux leather has a variety of choices and is more environmentally friendly/affordable).
Application: Leather trench coats are fashion statement items with more diversified designs (such as color, texture, and silhouette). Their waterproofness depends on the tanning treatment of the leather itself and the subsequent coating care.
Note: Weight and breathability are aspects that need to be considered (especially for leather).
Classic Trench Coat: Inheriting Gabardine fabric and military details (double-breasted, epaulettes, D-rings, etc.), it is a timeless business and elegant choice. Fabrics have expanded from traditional cotton gabardine to high-quality nylon, polyester and even high-tech fabrics.
Wool Coat / Wool Blend Coat: A weapon for keeping warm and enhancing the sense of style in autumn and winter. Focusing on tailoring and fabric texture, from light worsted wool to thick Melton.
Casual Cotton Coat: Covering a wide range, from workwear trench coats (Mackintosh style), canvas trench coats to lightweight ice cotton trench coats. The key to the Ice Cotton Windbreaker is the lightness, coolness, wrinkle resistance and flowing drape brought by its special coating, which meets the needs of functionality and fashion in spring and summer.
Outdoor/Technical Windbreaker/Raincoat: Emphasis on protective performance (waterproof, windproof, breathable), using a large amount of coated/laminated nylon and polyester fabrics. The design tends to be simple and practical, and often has a foldable design.
Leather Windbreaker (Leather/PU Coat): A signature item of fashion pioneers, with first-class windproof effect and strong styling.
Lightweight Commuter Coat: An important category in modern cities. Made of lightweight nylon, polyester or blended fabrics, it may have basic waterproof function. The design is simple and neat, easy to carry and layer, and is an ideal coat for spring and autumn.
Streetwear/Techwear Coat: An emerging trend. It combines outdoor functionality (such as waterproof pockets, drawstrings, modular design) with urban trendy silhouettes. High-tech fabrics or recycled materials are often used, and the color matching and design are bolder and more avant-garde.
Design Heritage Beyond Function: The military origin of windbreakers is not anecdotal. Each of its classic designs stems from practical needs that are vital to life and death. These elements can become aesthetic symbols across a century, proving that functional design and timeless aesthetics can be perfectly unified. They tell the story of pragmatism sublimated into style.
The essence of fabric technology is to solve contradictions: The development history of windbreaker fabrics is centered on constantly solving the inherent contradictions of "waterproof vs. breathable", "protection vs. weight", "durability vs. comfort", "natural vs. synthetic", and "performance vs. environmental protection". Every breakthrough (such as Gabardine, Gore-Tex, recycled nylon) represents the exploration of a better solution to a contradiction.
Sustainability reshapes the value chain: The environmental protection wave is not just about adding a few new materials, but profoundly changing the entire value chain of windbreakers (especially luxury windbreakers) - from raw material sources (recycled, bio-based), production processes (emission reduction, water saving, fluorine-free DWR), supply chain transparency to consumer values. Sustainability is becoming a new "luxury" dimension for high-end brands.
The trench coat is a reflection of the spirit of the times: from trench munitions, to the standard of Hollywood stars (such as "Casablanca", to the symbol of power in the workplace, to the integration of street trends and sustainable concepts today, the evolution of the trench coat has always reflected the changes in social culture, technological level and aesthetic taste. It is both a practical garment and a cultural symbol.
Choosing a trench coat is choosing a balance: There is no "perfect" fabric or style. Consumers need to find the most suitable balance point for themselves in the three camps of tradition, technology and sustainability and many sub-categories according to their core needs (waterproof level? Warmth? Formalness? Portability? Environmental values? Budget?).
