Fabric Guide

The following fabrics are used in products we offer. Please see individual garment care labels for further information on how to care for your garment.

Alcantara
A unique 68% polyester and 32% Polyurethane ultramicrofibre, non-woven fabric combining aesthetic appeal with exceptional comfort, warmth, durability and easy maintenance.
Antique Wax
Antique wax is a mediumweight waxed cotton which is heavily calendered. The resulting lustrous and glossy finish is designed to change character with wear. It is currently available in 6oz cotton.
Beeswax
Comes in 4oz, 6oz, 8oz and is made from beeswax. A stiffer wax that will show the jacket has been creased creating a distressed appearance.
British Wool Tweed
Using only pure wool fibres from the British Isles, this cloth offers strength and durability with a rugged appearance for the toughest of environments.
Cashmere
One of the softest and most luxurious yarns available. Barbour only buy Chinese Cashmere which is one of the highest qualities available and it is most commonly used in Barbour sweaters and shawls/scarves. Hand wash only.
Columbian Stitching
Also known as AMF. A machine stitch mainly used with lining, which has a hand finished appearance.
Coolmax
A naturally hydrophobic polyester with fibre cross-sections designed to ensure high breathability and moisture wicking. It is made by DuPont and is often used in performance sportswear.
Cordura
Cordura is DuPont's abrasion-resistant, air-textured, high technology nylon fabric engineered fur durability, strength, lightness and easy care. Even the lightest Cordura fabric has two times the abrasion resistance of comparable standard nylon and three time the tear strength.
Cotton
A strong, natural fibre. It is cool to wear but does not dry quickly. Often blended to extend usefulness.
Cotton Futura
Finely spun cotton yarn with a soft handle. Cotton Futura is often used in combination with other fibres to give a natural feel and look.
Cotton Jersey
A generic term for a plain knit fabric without a distinct rib. The consistent interloping of yarns in the jersey stitch produces a fabric with a smooth, flat face and a more textured, but uniform, back. Originally made from wool, jersey fabric was first manufactured on the island of Jersey, off the coast of England.
Duracotton
A machine washable, cotton fabric with a cracked wax effect resin coating.
Duralinen
Coated linen with a textured look. PU coating gives waxy, wet look and casual/ worn appearance.
Durawax
A densely woven heavyweight 8oz waxed cotton which has been emmerised to give a slightly peached and luxurious finish. The character of this fabric improves with wear and age.
Elastane
This synthetic fibre is very extensible, abrasion resistant and dries very quickly. Often blended with other fabrics to increase stretching qualities.
Garment Washed
See pre-washed garments.
GORE-TEX®
Durably waterproof, windproof and highly breathable.
Lumicotton
A new cotton-based washable finish. The innovative process involves coating cotton twill with a special solution which holds an oiled finish even when the garment is washed, so the fabric looks and feels like washable waxed cotton. The other great benefit is that it allows Barbour to use bright summer colours in these garments for the first time - previously the traditional wax treatment would have darkened down the colour.
Lycra
An elastane fibre trademarked by DuPont. Lycra is used to give comfort, movement and shape retention to a garment that will not lose its elasticity through washing.
Mercury
A heavily calendared polyester/ polyamide changeant quilt fabric.
Merino Wool
A luxurious, warm, natural fibre from the Merino Sheep.
Microfibre
Fibres made using microfibre technology, which weigh less than 1.0 denier. The fabrics made from these extra-fine fibres provide gentle drape and are incredibly soft. Comparatively, microfibres are two times finer than silk, three time finer than cotton, eight time finer than wool, and one hundred times finer than a human hair. Currently, Barbour uses two types of microfibres - nylon and polyester.
Milled Wax
Milled wax is a luxurious brushed wax in 8oz heavyweight fabric. The cotton is passed slowly over emery rollers to provide a fine suede-like finish.
Moleskin
Soft, warm yet strong 100% Cotton fabric.
Oban Wax
Oban is 8oz base cotton with a slightly ‘suede effect’ surface. It is a soft wax with a matte appearance.
Oiled Leather
Natural cowhide specially treated with a unique oil to give a water-repellent finish.
Pigment Garment Dyed
The garments are treated with pigment dyes, especially designed to fade gradually with each wash. This results in a 'weather-worked' look.
Pre-Washed Garments
Garments are pre-washed to give a soft handle and 'weather-worked' look.
Pique
A medium-weight knitted cotton fabric with texture.
Polyamide (Nylon)
An extremely strong, abrasion resistant fibre. It resists creasing well, dries quickly but is cool to the touch. Available under a wide variety of brand names offering specific enhanced properties.
Polycotton
A blend of polyester and cotton that gives durability and breathability and improves care characteristics. It is lightly brushfor a soft handle.
Polyester
An extremely strong, synthetic fibre that is resistant to abrasion. It does not crease easily and maintains its shape well. It dries quickly and is warmer to wear than cotton. Often blended with cotton to improve crease resistance and drying time.
Polyester Fleece
A knitted fabric with high warmth to weight ratio. It is not very wind resistant and it is often used as a mid-layer. It is DWR treated to resist showers.
Polyester Waping
Polyester fibres used for paping quilted garments.
Polyurethane (PU)
Man-made synthetic polymer fibre. Used as coating to make fabrics waterproof.
Resin Coated
See Lumicotton.
Satin Wax
A 6oz waxed cotton which has been heavily calendered to give a smooth and highly polished effect. The resulting finish is extremely durable and is suitable for all weather.
Soft Cotton
100% finely brushed cotton twill.
Sylkoil Wax
Sylkoil wax is traditional unshorn wax. The cotton comes straight from the loom and is dyed and waxed. The natural imperfections of weave are reflected in the rich variations of colour and finish. This wax is smooth featuring a soft matte texture providing the wearer with more flex. Sylkoil has a drier handle than Thornproof wax and is available in 3 different weights.
Tactel
A soft, lightweight, yet durable, nylon fibre trademarked by DuPont. It is extremely easy to wash, allows the skin to breathe and readily regains its shape, making it ideal for active outdoor clothing.
Tartan
For information on Barbour tartans, please visit the tartan blog page.
Thermostat
A lightweight, thermal insulating, hollow-core polyester fabric by DuPont. It's breathable, with good moisture wicking properties and it dries quickly.
Thornproof Wax
Thornproof wax is a lustrous wax with deep colour and even touch. The cotton is calendered for smoothness before being dyed. Thornproof wax is a medium weight, durable heavy duty wax. The fabric was originally designed to protect the wearer from sharp thorns and brambles.
Twill Weave
A basic weave in which the cotton fabrics are constructed by interlacing warp and filling yarns in a progressive alternation which creates a diagonal effect on the face of the fabric. In some twill weave fabrics, the diagonal effect may also be seen clearly on the reverse of the fabric.
Viscose
A manufactured fibre made of regenerated cellulose. It is soft, absorbent and drapes well. Viscose is a refined type of rayon and is often used in linings on high quality garments.
Washed Sylkoil Wax
Washed Sylkoil wax offers a distressed look with a small amount of fraying in places. To create the vintage feel and matted texture of the wax the jacket has been washed and therefore is no longer weatherproof.
Wax Leather
Natural cow hide which has been treated with a protective wax.
Weathered Wax
Weathered wax is an aged finished wax used primarily in Vintage garments in 8oz weight. The particular application of this wax ensures a characteristic weathered appearance.
Wool
A luxurious, warm, natural fibre. It is warm to wear but does not dry quickly. Many yarn types and blend are available. It is also used to produce felted, worsted and Loden fabrics.
Worsted Wool
Very fine wool yarn.

Help and Information

Fabric Guide