The 125-Year-Old Wool Jacket Brands Still Can’t Beat.
Michael of The Iron Snail hikes in 10-degree cold to explain Brown's Beach Cloth, a 1901 cotton and recycled-wool knit that he argues outperformed heavy woven wool and still holds up.
The gist
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William W. Brown introduced Brown's Beach Cloth in 1901, and it was worn by lumberjacks, delivery boys and early US Antarctic expeditions.
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Michael explains the inner fleece used shoddy, a recycled wool hated after the Civil War, which works because fleece fibers get torn up anyway.
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The fabric is a warp knit, which Michael says resists unraveling and sagging like a woven but stays flexible like a knit.
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He says the cotton outer face adds strength and keeps the shape, while the lofted fleece makes it about one third the weight of woven wool.
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Michael says woven binding, snap buttons and especially the vest made it popular, and predicts knits will dominate workwear within 5 to 10 years.
Also mentioned
10:30
Brown's Beach Cloth
· "It's cheaper, lighter, more breathable, possibly warmer, super durable, and it looks great. They're..."
12:06
Capital Brand vest
· "This is a Capital version. So, it's a little more artsy fartsy than the original, but either way, the grand..."
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