A case for making the waterproof jacket your wardrobe hero this spring

There is arguably nothing more suited to the British weather than the raincoat – ideal for those awkward transitional times of year when you can encounter all four seasons in a single day and have to dress accordingly. And coming through this season are some strong contenders, courtesy of Tretorn and Wax London.

Indeed, us Brits are no strangers to rain, and neither are the Swedes. Established in 1891 in the southern city of Helsingborg, Sweden, Tretorn started out making rubber shoes for farmers and the military before branching out into tennis shoes (it’s one of the oldest trainer brands in the world), tennis balls and eventually outerwear.

Tretorn’s Wings raincoat is a perfect example of the typically Scandinavian jackets that have flooded the UK in recent years, and comes in a rainbow of colours – including sou’wester yellow – to brighten grey skies.

All of the rubber in Tretorn’s products is natural, not synthetic, but its innovative Bio Jacket takes the principle of sustainability a step further. It’s made from renewable plant-based fabric – specifically, sugar beet, corn and cassava – as opposed to the oil-based polyesters that are commonplace. ‘Most jackets are made of plastic and end up in landfill in the long run,’ says Helen Spencer, Partner and Men’s Branded Casualwear Buyer. ‘This will naturally biodegrade.’

Yes, even the zip, which is made from the world’s first biodegradable polyamide. (Don’t worry about your Bio Jacket promptly disintegrating in a downpour, though – it won’t decompose unless you compost it in a controlled, moist environment with the presence of fungus.)

As the name suggests, Wax London is another brand with waterproofing at its core, or rather its surface – and, as the name doesn’t suggest, a Scandinavian air to its clean aesthetic. Steffy Neceva, who grew up in Sweden, is creative director of the young brand, which she co-founded with her husband Tom Holmes and friend Richard Singh in 2015 with the shared ambition of making great, affordable menswear in Britain.

Its signature and bestselling style is the Navarino mac, after the north-east London road of the same name. ‘We like to think it’s so popular because it marries our two main focuses, which are quality and price,’ says Steffy. ‘But another reason might be that it looks so good on.’ Made of unlined cotton and therefore light and breathable, the slim-cut Navarino is – fittingly – manufactured in north-east London, although the actual waxing takes place in Dundee. 

Venturing further afield, the print under the Navarino’s collar is inspired by a traditional design from Japan, where the brand sources fabrics and has a number of stockists. A percentage of the profits from its sale go to the Pardada Pardadi Educational Society in order to support the education of girls in India, where Richard Singh has roots.

Every season, Wax London creates a hero product to raise money for a worthy cause close to its heart – and close to home. ‘The UK has a rich history of producing quality outerwear – we don't want to see that tradition fade away,’ says Steffy. ‘We’re also constantly trying to find ways to be more environmentally friendly, and working with local manufacturers lets us do just that.’