There are raincoats, and then there is Jack’s Mac.
Built in Manchester for Manchester weather, Jack’s Mac is more than just a tribute to Private Jack White V.C., the man whose name adorns our factory gates. It’s a celebration of British invention, wartime ingenuity, and 100 years of uncompromising craft. Cut from twin layers of 100% cotton Ventile® and finished with sealed copper seams, it is, to our knowledge, the only fully waterproof cotton raincoat in the world.
No synthetics, no laminate, just pure, natural performance, made possible through precision engineering and a depth of fabric expertise that’s hard to rival.
Ventile was first developed at Manchester's Shirley Institute in the late 1930s, at the request of Winston Churchill, to help save the lives of RAF pilots forced to ditch in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic. Using the longest and finest cotton fibres, densely woven into an Oxford weave, Ventile swelled on contact with water, forming a natural barrier. It extended survival times in icy waters by up to 20 minutes. It was, in essence, the world’s first technical fabric.
Since then, Ventile has scaled Everest with Hillary, crossed the Arctic with Fiennes, and kept generations of explorers dry in the harshest environments. Today, it forms the backbone of one of our best-selling outerwear icons.
Most so-called "waterproof" cotton coats on the market are blended with synthetics such as polyester, or treated with environmentally harmful chemicals. Others are merely showerproof. Jack’s Mac is different. It features a double layer of Ventile, an outer shell and a half-lining, with fully taped seams. This technique has been expertly adapted in our Manchester factory to work with 100% natural cotton. The result? A garment that breathes, flexes, and protects without compromise.
Most so-called "waterproof" cotton coats on the market are blended with synthetics such as polyester, or treated with environmentally harmful chemicals. Others are merely showerproof. Jack’s Mac is different. It features a double layer of Ventile, an outer shell and a half-lining, with fully taped seams. This technique has been expertly adapted in our Manchester factory to work with 100% natural cotton. The result? A garment that breathes, flexes, and protects without compromise.
At a glance, it appears minimal, but every detail serves a purpose. A clean fly front conceals our Swiss-made, military-grade copper zip. The collar is reinforced with distinctive Vandyke stitching, named after the Dutch Old Master portraitist whose sitters wore wide ornamental collars, which gives the coat structure when turned up against the wind. Inside, stud-secured pockets protect modern essentials. Copper snap fasteners at the hem and centre front ensure a clean closure in rough weather.
Every coat is cut, sewn, and checked by hand in our Manchester factory, as it has been for generations.
The story of Jack’s Mac is also the story of Manchester. Once known as ‘Cottonopolis,’ the city built its fortune on cloth, steam, and rain. Waterproof garments have long been stitched into its identity. Our own factory was producing raincoats for workers long before Private White V.C. was founded.
Named in honour of Private Jack White, war hero, Victoria Cross recipient, and master of military utility, Jack’s Mac represents the best of what we do: technical yet understated, historic yet modern, and always built with purpose.
From the pavements of Piccadilly to the towers of Tokyo, Jack’s Mac has found its place in wardrobes around the world. It works just as well over tailoring as it does with denim. And while the weather may vary, the need for performance, craftsmanship, and quiet confidence never does.
In a world of compromises, Jack’s Mac stands alone.
The only waterproof cotton raincoat in the world. Built in Manchester. Ready for anything.
SHOP JACK'S MAC
In a world of compromises, Jack’s Mac stands alone.
The only waterproof cotton raincoat in the world. Built in Manchester. Ready for anything.
SHOP JACK'S MAC
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