Originally posted by wadge22 I'll only make one post about this:
One of the reasons that wax and oil on cotton have drawbacks is that they are natural and simple products. They are relatively benign, and break down in nature. That, of course, includes the very rain they're protecting you from. You can reapply the wax or oil and restore function repeatedly as long as the fabric lasts.
High tech synthetic fabrics coated with PFCs or "nanoparticles" offer better performance and comfort, but are undeniably unhealthy for the environment and the people involved in their production (or who live near the factories, or, well, anywhere else on earth). There are indeed additional chemical products that can be applied when the jackets start to lose their impressive effectiveness, although these are likely even worse for us (Scotchgaurd... aka PFOS... yikes, is that stuff still available?), and also do not work as well as the factory applied chemicals, which leads many to purchase another garment to get back the performance they now 'require.'
Sorry to be such a downer. I know that not everyone shares my sensibilities or priorities on this matter. Happy shopping, all.
You're not being a downer... That said, someone can broadly share your sensibilities and priorities yet be unable to find a product that is simultaneously compatible with them whilst performing the job it's required for, and at a price they can afford.
Everything we buy has
some direct or indirect environmental and/or social impact somewhere in the manufacturing and distribution chain. For anyone who thinks cotton is environmentally friendly, WWF (and others) will tell you just
how friendly it is:
Cotton | Industries | WWF. Yes, there are "friendlier" standards of cotton production (e.g. the "Better Cotton" initiative), but even those have significant impact.
Given that we can't run around naked and bearskins are frowned upon these days, we have to wear manufactured products of
some description, and figuring out the most environmentally friendly could tie a man in knots. Arguably, the best and most responsible approach (probably the easiest, too) is simply to buy the most versatile, effective and high-quality garment we can reasonably afford - one that performs well in multiple roles and only needs to be replaced infrequently, if ever - then get as much use from it as possible whilst looking after it. A good quality Gore-tex membrane jacket will keep the wearer dry, doesn't use additive treatments that transfer to skin or equipment, and should last for many years. Gore-tex itself may not be particularly environmentally friendly - but, if you're only buying a jacket once every 10 years, the impact is relatively low compared to three or four inferior garments in the same period.
Sympatex is supposedly much better ecologically, if you can find a suitable jacket that uses it.
As has been mentioned already in this thread, layering is a good approach for warmth and weather-resistance, involving a number of garments that perform multiple roles when worn individually or in combination - so it's versatile and efficient. Used and/or surplus garments, whatever materials they're made from, are always more environmentally friendly than newly-manufactured ones, regardless of the materials and/or treatments used. If you can find used / surplus garments that suit your requirements (and that you actually
like), that can be a great option... cheap, effective and relatively guilt-free. Military surplus
can be incredible quality for the price... a few years ago I bought a surplus full-length Czech army coat, new and unissued, for about GBP £30. It's warm, durable and comfortable, and a consumer equivalent would have cost £100 - £200...
EDIT: I could do with practising what I preach a little more... That waxed-cotton jacket of mine, made from natural, simple products? It's a great jacket, but it was a poorly-thought-through choice. I can't wear it for photography because the wax gets everywhere (see my previous post with the smartphone - I used four sheets of kitchen paper towel and three individually-foil-wrapped alcohol wipes to clean the phone, all with their own manufacturing foot-print, and all going into waste). Now, I need to buy another jacket - at extra cost to me and the environment. Sigh...