History of Oilskin or Waxed Cotton Clothing
 The origins of oilskin or waxed cotton clothing take us back a couple of centuries to the 19th century. At the beginning of the century there were no manufacturers of waterproof outerwear. Those outdoors during wet weather had the choice of cured animal skins and leathers or heavy wool capes or cloaks. Neither was particularly waterproof as they tended to absorb water slowly. As water was absorbed the already dense heavy garments became heavier and became extremely cumbersome as well as quite smelly. And they took ages to dry out.
This was also the era of the sailing ship and they were rigged with linen sails. Linen is made from flax fibre and it was found that by applying the oil of the flax seed (linseed oil), the linen could be made water proof. This oiled cotton was useful in many commercial applications. One of he foremost was in providing waterproof capes. Many of these were made by their wearers, the sailors and fishermen with ready access to the raw materials. Although they were waterproof, clothes made from linen sailcloth were quite heavy and the linseed oil as it aged turned yellow and became stiff.
By the middle of the 19th century cotton was king and most of the cotton imported into Britain came from the USA. So important was cotton to the manufacturing industries of northern England that Confederate politicians mistakenly believed that the leveraging of the supply of raw cotton issue would ensure diplomatic recognition of their succession.
One of the most important items manufactured from cotton was ships sails. Cotton displaced linen because it was lighter and could be woven into a stronger, tighter fabric. A bit like Americas Cup yachting technology today, the improvement in sail technology led to bigger sails and faster ships. It also led to lighter stronger clothing and the rough cloaks and capes of the linen era, gave way to tailored linseed oiled cotton jackets coats and trousers.
 The late 19th Century and the early 20th century saw the rise of the manufacturer of oiled cotton clothing such as Japara, and of apparel companies who produced branded clothing. One of the earliest was J. Barbour and Sons Ltd of South Shields in England who produced the "Beacon" range of oiled cotton clothing. This brand was named after the lighthouse at the mouth of the Tyne river in NorthEast England where the Barbour factory was located.
Other brands included the English company Belstaff formed by Harry Grosberg and Eli Belovitch in Staffordshire, E. Le Roy, New Zealand founder of the Driza-Bone brand, and Oscar Eide in Wanganui, New Zealand.
The next big technological leap came between the Great Wars, when the linseed oil used to waterproof the cotton was replaced by paraffin wax. The advantages of the waxed cotton fabric over the linseed oil fabric were immediately obvious. Where previously the linseed oil if left unused for a period of time would harden rendering clothes unwearable, the wax maintained its flexibility throughout its life. It was also breathable which meant that condensation didn't build up under the garment and it didn't yellow with age. Being a more flexible fabric it could be more easily machined into more sophisticated garments which provided the wearer with significant more flexibility of movement.
These waxed cotton or oilskin garments as they were known in Australia and New Zealand, were extremely hard wearing and were the tough guys on the block during and after World War II. In England Barbour suits were developed for the Submarine Service and waxed cotton jackets and rousers were extremely popular with motorcycle riders on both sides of the Atlantic. The revolutionary appeal of waxed cotton motorcycle gear was enhanced by Che Guvara's use of Belstaff gear on his motorcycle ride across Latin America. In Britain Barbour became associated with rugged field and equestrian outdoor sports and became one of the defining characteristics of the rural oriented social elite.
 In the more egalitarian "Downunder" countries of Australia and New Zealand the history of the oilskin is principally associated with the pastoral farmers on both sides of the Tasman Sea. Although you are more likely to die of thirst in most of Australia than need an oilskin coat, the eastern seaboard and inland mountain ranges see their fair share of deluges. The horseman wearing the stockman duster coat used by generations of drovers and farmers is an icon that today's largely urban dwelling population have taken to heart. Hence the popularity of the oilskin in the years after the movie "The Man From Snowy River" was released. There is a poem by Banjo Patterson, Australia's best known poet that will give you a fair idea of the imagery.
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