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This article is part of a Teja on the Horizon Circular Living series, which is about my experience transitioning to a more circular, low-waste life. This article describes my experience exploring the possibility of modern zero waste rainwear in my quest to avoid carrying an umbrella.
For why a zero waste & circular lifestyle is important, watch the video below.
Where relevant, I include feedback from my friends, to give a sense for alternative choices people might make, and why. Obviously, people are different and live different lives. I think zero waste solutions advice need to consider this range, rather than assuming everybody should live the same way in order to become sustainable.
On the other hand, having the ability to go against the current linear mass consumerism and experiment with changes, does require a minimum quality of life. When you’re living in poverty, you have to take the options you can afford. So, the articles in this series will likely be more relevant to middle class people and above.
Additionally, I am based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Consequently, the options and financial comparisons provided in these articles will reflect value calculations that are true for Kuala Lumpur; a different result may be true for your location. I welcome comments that describe how the choices would be different at your location.
Rainwear in the context of Malaysian life
Zero waste rainwear was not something that ever occurred to me until recently. You’d think that rainwear would be something we’re good at in Malaysia, given how frequently it rains.
But rain gear is somewhat of an afterthought here. The last time I remember having a raincoat was when I was in school. Those uncomfortable, unfashionably bright yellow, rubber raincoats seemed indestructible then, and you couldn’t wait to grow up and not wear them anymore like the cool kids.
I think the main reason it isn’t something we consider essential gear in adulthood (except for bikers), is because life in Malaysia is very car-centric. So after I began driving, I found myself rarely needing to be out in the rain at all.
However, when I moved out to the city centre, specifically so that I could take public transport more and drive less, I found myself having to confront the reason Malaysian weather is so humid.
Why Malaysian rain gear is either an afterthought, or disposable
Another important reason why rainwear is paradoxically an afterthought despite our rainy weather, is Malaysian weather itself. Yes, it rains frequently. And yes, the rains are torrential downpours. But unlike other rainy countries, like the UK and northern Europe, it doesn’t last very long. The rain dumps its load in fury, but it is usually over in an hour or two.
So unless you’re out and about for hours, such as bikers on the road, you might not be rained on at all, or you could just take shelter somewhere for a little while and wait it out. Thus people make do with little umbrellas that fit in handbags, or nothing at all. Bikers might get proper waterproofs, but since the weather is so hot and humid, they typically stay with the motorbike. It’s not very comfortable to walk around with thick unbreathable waterproofs.
But then, with the era of cheap disposable things, you had another option. If you forgot your umbrella, you can easily buy a cheap one from the people who somehow magically appear the moment a few raindrops start falling. Corporate brands gave them away as free promotional merchandise.
Raincoats and rain jackets were now both cheap and lightweight as well. And if they don’t last long, it doesn’t matter – you could just buy another. They were effectively disposable, with the quality you’d expect from that. The uncomfortable, indestructible rubber raincoats became obsolete in this hot climate.
Why I personally don’t like carrying an umbrella
Most commuting pedestrians in Malaysia carry an umbrella. And not just for the rain either, but also as a screen against the hot sun (though this was mainly women afraid of getting a tan).
Having an umbrella at hand isn’t the issue. There are always old free gift umbrellas lying around the house somewhere, some of which may be half rusted and faded, but as long as it still opens, why would you need to buy one?
However, I personally don’t really like using an umbrella, because I prefer having both hands free, and I don’t care if my skin darkens. Besides, it’s not like it even helps that much if the rain is very heavy and there’s any wind. So for the longest time, I tossed a crappy free gift umbrella into the car for contingencies, and made do otherwise.
That said, I’ve come around to umbrellas after a long journey trying out rainwear options. So check out the section on zero waste umbrellas below if that’s your preferred rain gear. Additionally, you might better appreciate the difference between ‘making do’ with free umbrellas vs having a well-designed, good quality umbrella.
When rain jackets became the obvious solution to me
It wasn’t until my Nepal trip that I began considering a rain jacket as essential rain gear. I went trekking in Annapurna on that trip, and it happened to be monsoon season. I prepared for it, of course, and dutifully got myself a secondhand North Face waterproof jacket. By the time I returned, I got used to being able to go anywhere outside under “all weather” conditions.
My trekking jacket was a bit on the heavier side for Malaysia’s heat. But I was delighted to discover that waterproofing technology allowed for single-layer lightweight rain jackets. So, for a while, I carried one of these folded up in my handbag instead of an umbrella.
But in a few short years, I realised that these were not that far away from being disposable too. The waterproof coating doesn’t last indefinitely. So I tried the jackets that have the waterproofing as an inner coating to the jacket. But I discovered that this inner layer coating will chip off, and this happens no matter how expensive it was or how famous the brand.
So when my last rain jacket began disintegrating, I began looking up whether there were sustainable or zero waste options for rainwear, because surely I can’t be constantly buying raincoats!
The sustainability downsides of PTFE waterproofs
Generally, the breathable, lightweight rainwear that is possible in modern times, owes itself to Gore-Tex technology. Gore-Tex apparel achieves waterproofing through a PTFE coating which is highly water repellant, which enabled waterproofs that are breathable and windproof.
However, the coating’s effectiveness does decrease with time. You’re supposed to re-coat it, but I discovered that if the apparel itself doesn’t intend this to happen, it doesn’t survive the attempt. So basically, a lot of light waterproof jackets weren’t actually made to last.
What’s even worse is that the PTFE coating (which, if you recall, will gradually leach off with use) is a PFAS chemical. This is a class of chemicals which, at the time of invention, was considered miraculous, because it was highly water repellent, oil repellent, and fire resistant. This quickly led to them being adopted into a wide variety of uses, ranging from coating on non-stick cookware, fire extinguishing foams, fire retardant clothing and furnishings, and outdoor apparel.
Unfortunately, PFAS’ resistance to everything became a problem in itself. The coatings do not adhere forever to the surfaces they were applied on, and firefighting obviously release them into the environment. Studies have since shown that at least two of its chemicals are carcinogenic, and they bioaccumulate.1
In a way, these jackets got the materials priority backwards. You want the raincoat to last forever, not the coating which leaches away over time!
What are the main elements of sustainable rainwear?
At this point, I decided to think about zero waste rainwear from first principles. What does sustainable rainwear really mean, if you want something better than disposable rainwear with inner coatings that crumble to pieces after a year, or cheap polyester ones that encourage you to just get a new one when the waterproofing deteriorates?
I discovered that there is actually a considerable range of options, depending on what you want the rainwear for, and how much you’re prepared to spend. (More) sustainable rainwear involves the ability to re-proof the item.
Generally, for long-lasting rainwear, you’re balancing three elements vs your budget:
- the material that needs to be waterproofed,
- the waterproof coating, and
- the seams.
Most brands I cover in this article are on the higher end, because I wanted some good stuff for a change. Also, because Asians haven’t started making sustainable rainwear yet. However, I will also describe what sustainable rainwear means, so that you can look for them yourself at different price ranges. By then, maybe more options will exist.
3 categories of sustainable rainwear material
Although I began wearing rain jackets after going trekking, there was no reason why I should be limited to outdoor gear. After all, most of the time I will be wearing it in an urban context. And if I’m outdoors, it’s more likely to be a coastal setting than a mountain one. I just needed to choose the most sustainable material that can be repeatedly waterproofed, and which suits a hot and humid climate.
Fortunately, by the time I was shopping for zero/low waste rainwear, options have become available.
1. Recycled polyester & nylon
Synthetic materials like polyester and nylon are popular for rainwear due to its durability (if properly made) and lightweight properties, which makes it more versatile and fashionable. In fact, nowadays if you think about rainwear, what comes to mind is probably a polyester one.
One way to reduce waste when buying a raincoat or rain jacket is by choosing one made of recycled plastic synthetics, e.g. recycled polyester and recycled nylon. This helps reduce the production of new polyester from petroleum, and utilises existing waste plastic instead.
This category has a wide range of budget options. There are cheap options, but they usually don’t say whether you can re-proof them. (That said, there are also more expensive options that don’t say either.) So they might not last any longer than the conventional rainwear, but I guess at least they wouldn’t have created new plastic waste.
However, recycled polyester & nylon are also used as a base material by higher end brands like Patagonia (USA), and Ilse Jacobsen (Denmark). These typically contain instructions for how to re-proof the item. See next section to understand what re-proofing actually means.
2. Organic cotton (yes, cotton!)
Another way to do sustainable rainwear is to go back to traditional fabrics. Due to sustainability concerns about plastic waste and synthetic waterproofing, waxed cotton is making a comeback! Waterproofing could be a traditional wax option as with Patagonia (USA) and Barbour (UK), or a modern elastomer option as with Seasalt Cornwall (UK).
Waxed cotton has some downsides compared to modern rainwear (which is why the switch happened in the first place). It isn’t as waterproof as the technical outdoor jackets. And it is not very breathable, so perhaps it is better suited to colder weather. Re-waxing can be a chore, though you shouldn’t need it done often.
But on the plus side, traditionally waxed cotton apparel are expected to be very long lasting, on the order of 20+ years. In fact, they’re considered better with age, giving it a timeless ‘old money’ appeal.
Organic cotton waterproofed with elastomer coating, on the other hand, is more similar to synthetic rainwear. I don’t know if it would still be as long-lasting as waxed cotton, but it is more breathable and not as stiff, and perhaps better suited to a hot climate.
3. Rubber
And finally, there is still the original humble yellow rubber raincoat of one’s childhood.
Yes, it’s stiff and not very comfortable, and I probably won’t choose it because it’s not very packable to carry around the city, and even I can’t see myself wearing a rubber coat like it was normal clothing. But it does have sustainability credentials. Rubber is a natural material, doesn’t require any re-proofing, and lasts for ages.
The rubber raincoat is actually no longer easy to get, though I did find Rajkumar (India).
(Tip: search for ‘natural rubber raincoat’ and not ‘latex raincoat’. The latter goes to… other kinds of websites.)
Understanding modern waterproofing for sustainable rainwear
When my expensive jackets pissed me off enough, I read up on what modern waterproofing actually involves. It’s actually not one thing at all, but two.
Even if the jacket might look like it’s a single layer, there are actually three. Aside from the main jacket material (the ‘face fabric’), there is a waterproofing layer, and a DWR layer. The waterproofing membrane is on the inside, and is the part that keeps you dry.
But the face fabric is also coated on the outside with a DWR (durable water repellent) layer. This layer repels water from the face fabric so that it doesn’t become waterlogged, keeping it breathable and protects the waterproof membrane from damage.
So actually, most of the time when we’re saying ‘re-proofing’ the rainwear, it’s actually replacing the DWR, not the inner waterproof layer.
For sustainable rainwear (aside from waxed cotton), there are basically two kinds of water repellent/proof coating.
1. PU (polyurethane)
Sustainable rainwear brands often have a recycled polyester or nylon range coated with rubberised PU as the water repellent treatment.
Although PU is not without sustainability issues in terms of its life cycle, it does provide near-permanent waterproofing. So if you intend to keep your rainwear indefinitely, at least it’s ‘one and done’. PU also used to not be breathable, but nowadays that’s no longer the case.
A disadvantage of PU-coated rainwear is that it is not as lightweight as DWR treated rainwear, which makes it unsuitable for outdoor activities. However, perhaps it would do just fine for going out and about in a rainy city.
2. DWR treatments
The other kind of waterproofing for sustainable rainwear follows the original concept of membrane waterproofing. The waterproofing layer for such rainwear is supposed to last indefinitely, but you need to wash it every now and again to clean the surface, and potentially re-proof the DWR.
PSA: Do not wash rainwear with waterproof laminate, unless the care instructions explicitily allows it, not even with tech wash meant for rainwear. Also, if your jacket has an inner lining fabric, sometimes there is a laminate layer inside that you don’t see. Washing it – even according to normal rainwear laundry instructions – will result in the laminate disintegrating in the wash and clogging your washing machine (and all your future laundry) for the next several washes.
You shouldn’t need to re-proof the DWR frequently, only when water doesn’t bead up anymore even when the jacket is clean. Most sustainable rainwear brands recommend re-proofing with Nikwax, which is an elastomer based waterproof coating. It is quite easy; basically the same like doing normal laundry but with Nikwax (obviously, follow the instructions).
Other alternatives include Ecorepel (used by Ilse Jacobsen), and ePE, which is the new Gore-Tex material. Some of these, such as Ecorepel, is reactivated by heat during tumble drying, and thus there is no need to re-apply the DWR.
3. Traditional waxing
I personally would not be interested in waxed jackets because they would be too heavy for casual walks around town. Besides, I can’t be bothered to do any necessary re-waxing. However, maybe you regularly ride a motorcycle, and want to try a waxed cotton or canvas jacket. Maybe you’re into crafting, and find the artisanal aspect appealing.
There are basically two options for re-waxing a cotton jacket: paraffin wax, or beeswax. The former is petroleum based, and the other is natural. It seems like the kind of people that go for waxed jackets favour the second one. Re-waxing involves manually re-applying heated wax. The idea is that the fabric oaks the wax in, so water can’t then soak in, hence it becomes waterproof.
There are many tutorials for how to re-wax jackets, such as this one.
PSA: Do not wash a waxed jacket!
Don’t forget the waterproof seams
And finally, when shopping for rainwear, don’t forget to read the description about how the seams are sealed. The cheapest raincoats may not well-sealed seams, and the whole discussion about waterproofing and DWR options above is pointless.
Generally, there are two types of seams, taped and welded. But even taped seams aren’t all equal. If you want a high performance, you’ll want all the seams taped, not just the ‘critical’ ones.
Personally, I found that taped seams do come off the lightweight rain jackets I’ve tried, which included Tresspass, North Face, and Salomon. The one serious trekking jacket I used in Annapurna (ironically not a new one, but secondhand North Face) did have better quality taping, but it’s a bit much to pack in a tote bag to go about town.
I haven’t tried rainwear with welded seams, as I eventually opted for Seasalt raincoats which have fully taped seams (so far so good). An example of a brand with welded seam rainwear is Ilse Jacobsen.
How to search for sustainable rainwear brands
The good news is that there are brands that offer sustainable rainwear now. Or in the case of waxed jackets, have always offered them, but they’re coming in vogue again.
But when I started looking, I didn’t really know how to look for them except for the outdoor brands. Searching for variations of ‘sustainable/recycled/organic rainwear’ did reveal that there are way more options than that nowadays, many more suited for urban wear. But the range is very broad, and it still doesn’t help me learn which ones had reliable quality for the extra investment I might have to make. After all, even the established outdoor brands can yield poor quality rain jackets despite being expensive.
If this is the first time you’re finally able to afford more than cheap throwaway quality raincoats, how do you even begin to look for good rainwear?
To save you time, I’ve summarised how I made my selection below. Personal preferences vary, so you may not make the same decision I did. But at least you have somewhere to start with.
Note: since I was looking to invest in quality rainwear, these options will cluster around mid- to upper-price range brands. For my summary for a broader price range, and how to get good rainwear at a bargain, skip this section and go to the next one.
1. Brands from countries that rain a lot
For a while now, I’ve begun selecting functional apparel from the country that should know how to do it. Much of my water sports apparel is Australian, and my cold weather clothes include cashmere, merino, and alpaca, usually from my actual travels there.
So I reasoned, if I were to buy rainwear, surely the logical thing would be to look for brands from countries that rain a lot? And not like Malaysia a lot, but continuously a lot, so that there is no escaping the rain.
Naturally, I immediately thought about the British Isles. I asked my friend in Ireland what she uses herself, and looked up related brands since this weather is similar across northern Europe. Examples I considered were Seasalt Cornwall (UK)2, Isle Jacobsen (Denmark), Norwegian Rain (Norway), and Rainkiss (Netherlands).
Depending on the context of your rainwear needs, and your fashion style, you might also want to consider options from a different type of outdoor brands. Think less ‘trekking and camping in mountains’ and more ‘posh outdoorsy’ like equestrian, sailing, and fishing brands.
The logic is that people who do these activities need quality performance as much as the camping people, plus tend to prefer things that get better with age. Examples range from Regatta (UK), Stierna (Sweden), to Barbour (UK).
3. Brands from countries with strong environmental regulations
The above two considerations are about finding rainwear that’s probably worth spending on, in terms of long term performance in the rain. This one is about finding rainwear with sustainability claims that are probably honest. Generally, at the moment this category is biased towards the EU countries, Scandinavia, and the UK.
It’s worth checking out the brands’ sustainability pages, because different ones do more or less. Some focus the sustainability effort on the item production and quality itself. But others include more, such as partnerships to reduce ocean plastic, biodiversity rehabilitation, overall carbon footprint, or intentionally adopting low waste business models (e.g. making them to order in small batches).
How much does sustainable rainwear cost?
The brands I considered required a degree of investment that the typical Malaysian is not used to spending on rainwear. They’re priced on the order of hundreds of RM (that said, this is comparable to branded lightweight rain jackets from North Face or Salomon).
I did so anyway because I liked not being limited by the rain, I already got used to packing a light rain jacket in a tote bag/backpack in my trekking jacket era, and I am expecting the raincoat to last forever (I’ll let you know how far into forever my Seasalt lasts).
But if you’re on a tighter budget, don’t fret. You’re not limited to umbrellas forever.
Secondhand rainwear
Although I bought my rainwear new, actually getting them secondhand is even more sustainable. It’s not easy to find them on local Freecycle or Buy Nothing Project forums, because relatively few Malaysians have them in the first place. But you might find some in pre-loved stores, and there are plenty of options on international online marketplaces.
My original North Face trekking jacket for my Annapurna trip was secondhand, and a steal from eBay. I also got myself a shorter Seasalt rain jacket on eBay (mainly because I wanted one that looks like I just stepped off a boat). This way, you can get a really good rain jacket at a fraction of the price.
And of course, afterwards, care for it and re-proof as necessary.
Slightly more sustainable rainwear
What if you don’t even have the budget to invest in secondhand quality rainwear? After all, since most of the options are located abroad, the postage alone could be too much. Even I timed my Seasalt purchases to a trip I was already making to visit my friend in Ireland, so I could ship them to her with free postage.
In this case, you could choose a synthetic rain jacket that isn’t waterproofed with a laminate, so that you can re-proof it with Nikwax. Be sure to get at least a good enough polyester quality that it would survive the process. This way, you can probably re-proof it once or twice before it starts to fray at the seams. At least, it would last slightly longer than it would otherwise.
Most expensive: luxury rainwear
The brands I covered in the previous section are roughly mid-range. They’re not cheap, but you’re expecting to get a long-lasting product from a brand that has put in effort to make it sustainably.
However, for the sake of completeness, I should note that they’re not the most expensive rainwear you can get. For the most expensive rainwear, you’re looking at luxury brands.
Luxury rainwear is generally priced on the order of thousands of RM3. Examples include typical luxury brands like Ralph Lauren (USA) and Prada (Italy), to Mackintosh (UK) and Moncler (Italy).
Note that the price for luxury rainwear is mainly due to the brand prestige. Therefore, you still need to check whether the actual raincoat was made sustainably. Not all of them produce all rainwear with recycled polyester, for example. However, Prada does have make it easy by branding their recycled items as Re-Nylon. And Mackintosh is quite traditional in that their waterproofs are waxed cotton.
And of course, you could always try to find a secondhand luxury brand rain jacket.
Sustainable options for umbrellas
I used to hate bringing an umbrella around. I figured, if I’m going to lug an extra thing around, it might as well be a packed-up light rain jacket. But ever since I retired early, I find that I tend to pop out more frequently, and only to nearby places. And yet, because of the way our weather can just immediately turn to a downpour, I could still be stuck.
So I found myself making a quick grab for the umbrella, because it was there, whereas I had to be more intentional with the rain jacket, and compress it to a compact pack. So in the same year I decided to upgrade my rainwear, I began wondering, was there such a thing as sustainable umbrellas?
As far as I know, sustainable umbrella options are not available in Malaysia despite its ubiquity in our society. So I shopped brands from abroad. (Unsurprisingly, sustainable umbrella brands also cluster in the same rainy countries with the sustainable rainwear.) However, like what happens with many zero waste / sustainably-made daily items, hopefully in a few years this would no longer be true.
Generally, the price range for sustainable umbrellas is between RM100-300. So it’s considerably more affordable than rainwear, and quite comparable to the better quality umbrellas available in Malaysia that aren’t zero waste.
What makes a sustainable umbrella?
Now, even cheap umbrellas may last for ages. If you rely on umbrellas, the most sustainable option for you is probably to just continue using whatever you have. However, suppose you’re in the market for a new one? Or if you are someone who buys nice umbrellas already, why not get one that’s also zero waste?
There are even better designs nowadays – check out this brand that makes umbrellas with canopy shapes so that you can more conveniently share with another person, or protect your backpack behind you. It’s also supposed to resist strong winds better than the conventional shape. And umbrellas that are sturdier in harsher weather will last longer, which means you replace them less often and create less waste.
An umbrella is usually made of a synthetic or plastic waterproof material, with metal ribs and usually also a metal handle. Cheap umbrellas use low quality materials, so you are more likely to get issues like rust on the metal, the lever breaks, or a rib snaps. Sustainable umbrellas come if a few categories which I review in more detail below.
Additionally, while it’s less discussed, the umbrella canopy fabric is probably also waterproofed with a PFAS coating1, just like old generation outdoor jackets. Sustainable brands avoid waterproofing the umbrella fabric with PFAS.
1. Recycled polyester umbrellas
Many sustainable umbrella brands try to source the umbrella components from recycled materials. For instance, Duckhead (UK) use umbrella fabric made from recycled plastic bottles, whereas Dri Umbrella uses recycled ocean-bound plastic. Both also have sustainably sourced wooden or bamboo handles rather than the typical plastic.
Some brands also accept end of life return of their umbrellas, so that the components could be recycled (i.e. closed-loop recycling). An example is Soaked Umbrellas (UK).
ROKA London will also buy back their umbrellas – which means you can also check out their pre-loved catalog for a zero waste umbrella that’s even more sustainable!
2. Repairable umbrellas
Some sustainable umbrella brands design them to be easily repairable. You can buy replacement parts, or send them back for repairs. An example is Senz (Netherlands).
Now, of course it is not practical to send an umbrella all the way to Europe and back for a repair. Still, hopefully it will become more normal to have such umbrellas, and then we would surely have umbrella repair as a service too. But part of that is to have umbrellas that you adore, as nobody bothers to repair something they don’t love.
3. Umbrellas from natural materials
Although I ultimately went for Duckhead umbrellas, I also discovered that umbrellas don’t have to contain any plastic at all. Though it hasn’t made a comeback like waxed cotton rain jackets, you can still buy traditional zero waxed/oiled cotton umbrellas with bamboo handles from brands like Chiang Mai Umbrellas.
Unlike the options above, such umbrellas would be 100% biodegradable. So it’s zero waste in the sense that the materials will return to nature, and are very replenishable. So the impact of replacing it is less than an umbrella made of plastic and metal.
Footnotes:
- As a former contaminated land scientist, PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are among key chemicals of concern in several regulatory jurisdictions I have worked in. Only two have sufficient toxicology data to even estimate a threshold of concern: PFOS and PFOA. However, on a precautionary basis, regulators tend to use them as a proxy for others in this class until otherwise demonstrated.
The exposure level estimated to result in a health effect is extremely low, but this not due to a high toxicity. Rather, it is mainly because PFAS are remarkable stable and resist being degraded in the environment, but they bioaccumulate. This means that the amount increases over time in the environment, and potentially in living beings as well. Consequently, in some countries PFAS is ubiquitously detected in the environment.
Lawsuits and activism have pushed many industries to shift away from PFAS, e.g. in cookwares and apparel. Gore-Tex themselves have shifted to an ePE (expanded polyethylene) membrane which is more inert.
On the other hand, change in firefighting foam is more challenging due to the performance difference of alternatives, and the fact that disposing of existing PFAS foam stocks is very expensive (because they’re basically indestructible). ↩︎ - I eventually chose a Seasalt coat, but it’s only because I wanted a trench coat look! ↩︎
- That said, somehow North Face jackets are nearly entering into this range nowadays. It might even be cheaper to book a flight to Nepal and shop for secondhand North Face in the back streets of Pokhara, than buy a new one! ↩︎
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