The Dry-Wax Revolution Started Here in 1995
As most revolutions, this one started slowly, ignited by a growing discontent and a desire for better. In this case, discontent with the smell, weight and greasy feel heavily oil / waxed garments.
The “better” came from the hands and mind of Michael Miller, 5th generation owner of British Millerain, in Rochdale, UK, currently the world’s largest producer of waxed-oiled cotton cloth. He developed the first commercially viable versions of dry-wax cotton fabric in the early 1980s. This fabric was the opposite of the then fashionable, heavily oiled & waxed cloth jackets popularized by brands such as Barbour and Filson. It didn’t stain upholstery or other garments in the closet, it was lightweight, it was weatherproof and it didn’t stink!
I became aware of this dry-wax finished cotton fabric while launching The Atlantic Rancher Co. in 1995. I flew to meet Michael in Rochdale and hammered out a 5-year exclusivity agreement and trademarked the name DryHandle® in 1995 and used it to build the first dry-wax cotton fabric trucker…we named it the Boatyard Jacket.