June 17, 2026 5 min read
How to re-wax a jacket on a kitchen table
A waxed jacket is meant to be re-proofed once a season. It takes an hour, a tin of wax, an old cloth and a hairdryer.
By The Wrenfield repair workroom
Most of the waxed jackets that reach our workroom do not need a repair. They need wax. The cotton has gone pale and dry at the shoulders and the creases of the elbows, water has stopped beading, and the owner assumes the jacket has worn out. It has not. Waxed cotton is a fabric you maintain, the way you oil a wooden board.
Why it needs doing
The wax is what makes the cotton shed water. It wears away where the jacket flexes and rubs: shoulders under a bag strap, elbows, the hem, the seams. Once it is gone from those places, rain soaks in there first.
Re-waxing once a season keeps the jacket waterproof. It is also what keeps a waxed jacket inside its warranty: the repair program covers seams, zips and snaps for two years, on a jacket that has been looked after.
What you need
- A tin of Jacket Bar Wax. It is the wax the jacket was finished with, and one tin does a jacket about twice.
- A bowl of hot water, to soften the tin.
- A lint-free cloth. An old cotton tee is ideal.
- A hairdryer.
- A table you can wipe down, and an hour.
Before you start: clean it
Never machine-wash a waxed jacket and never dry clean it. Both strip the wax, and a washing machine will leave it limp and patchy. Brush off dry dirt, then sponge the jacket with cold water. No soap. Let it dry completely, overnight if you can.
The method
Warm the tin
Stand it in the bowl of hot water for a few minutes, until the wax is soft enough to take on a cloth.
Work a panel at a time
Lay the jacket flat. Rub a thin layer of wax into the cotton with the cloth, in small circles.
Seams and creases first
The shoulder seams, the elbow creases, the pocket edges and the hem are where rain gets in. Give them a little more.
Set it with heat
Run the hairdryer on low over the panel until the wax sinks in and the surface looks even, with no white streaks.
Wipe off the excess
A dry part of the cloth takes off anything left sitting on top.
Hang it overnight
Somewhere warm, away from pale fabric and soft furnishings.
The two mistakes
The first is too much wax. It does not make the jacket more waterproof; it makes it sticky, and it marks car seats. A thin, even layer is the aim. If you overdo it, the hairdryer and a clean cloth will lift the surplus.
The second is waxing the lining or the corduroy collar. Keep the wax on the outer cotton. If some lands on the collar, lift it with a warm cloth before it sets.
What we will do for you
If a seam has opened, a snap has pulled out or the two-way zip has stopped tracking, that is a repair. File it on the repairs page with a photo: it is free for two years from delivery and done at cost after that. A re-wax is maintenance rather than a warranty repair; if you would rather we did it, ask on the same page and the repair team will say what it costs.
How often
Once a season. If you wear the jacket hard, in rain most days or under a pack, the shoulders may want a touch-up halfway through. You will know: the cotton goes lighter and water stops beading there.
-
Care
Jacket Bar Wax
The wax the Waxed Field Jacket is finished with, in a 50 g tin that re-proofs a jacket about twice
$18
-
- Low stock
- Best seller
Jacket
Waxed Field Jacket
Our signature jacket: 8oz British waxed cotton, a corduroy collar, a two-way brass zip, built to be re-waxed and repaired
3 colors
$348
-
- Low stock
Parka
Wool-Lined Parka
Next season's winter parka, on pre-order: a waxed-cotton shell lined in boiled wool, with a detachable collar
2 colors
$458
