WHO WE ARE & THE STORY BEHIND WAX JACKETS CLEANED
The Story Behind Wax Jackets Cleaned
What began with one dirty, smelly and supposedly “uncleanable” Barbour jacket became a specialist cleaning, hand re-waxing, repair and restoration service trusted by wax-jacket owners in the UK and around the world.
Founded by Nigel Eastwood after developing a specialist process for cleaning and restoring waxed-cotton garments.
It started with an “uncleanable” Barbour jacket
In late 2010, a customer visited Nigel Eastwood’s dry-cleaning shop in New Mills with a Barbour jacket that was dirty, badly affected by odour and no longer wearable. The customer had been told that the jacket could not be cleaned and that replacement was the only realistic option.
That answer did not seem good enough. Around two years earlier, the business had begun using a specialist wet-cleaning system: a gentle process developed to clean a wide variety of fabrics without relying on harsh dry-cleaning chemicals.
The question was simple: could that experience be adapted to waxed cotton without ruining the fabric, colour, lining or character of the jacket?
How the process developed
The service was not created overnight. Cleaning, repair materials and wax application all had to be tested and refined before a complete restoration process could be offered with confidence.
Specialist wet cleaning begins
The business starts working with a gentle wet-cleaning system designed to clean delicate and difficult fabrics without the aggressive chemicals associated with conventional dry cleaning.
2010
The jacket that started Wax Jackets Cleaned
A customer arrives with a dirty and smelly Barbour jacket that has been described as uncleanable. The challenge becomes the starting point for a dedicated waxed-cotton process.
months
Cleaning and restoration trials
Over the following year, methods are tested and refined to clean the garment gently while protecting the fabric, construction and distinctive characteristics of waxed cotton.
stage
A library of vintage donor materials
Old and badly damaged Barbour, Belstaff and other waxed garments are sourced and carefully dismantled. Useful waxed cotton, linings, corduroy, belts, buckles and trim are saved for sympathetic repairs to older jackets.
trials
Hand re-waxing is mastered
Extensive practice leads to a repeatable hand-waxing process and a choice of finishes suited to different garments, appearances and levels of outdoor use.
A UK and international specialist service
Wax Jackets Cleaned now receives garments from throughout the UK and overseas, including Europe, North America, Australia and other parts of the world.
What makes the service different
Waxed cotton needs specialist treatment. Applying fresh wax over dirt, odour or hidden contamination is not the same as cleaning and restoring the garment.
The complete garment is cleaned
Our process is designed to clean the outside and the inside, including linings that may hold years of body odour, dirt, mould or storage smells.
Repairs use sympathetic materials
A modern patch can look completely wrong on a thirty-year-old jacket. We keep an extensive collection of aged donor fabrics and original components to create a closer match.
Every jacket is treated individually
Age, colour, previous treatment, construction and condition all affect the result. The same cleaning or wax finish cannot simply be applied identically to every garment.
Wax is applied by hand
The selected dressing is worked carefully into the garment before controlled warming helps it absorb into the fabric and reduces excessive surface stickiness.
Complex restoration is possible
Cleaning can be combined with zip replacement, relining, cuff work, collar restoration, pocket repairs, alterations and other specialist work.
Experience across many brands
Hundreds of waxed garments are handled each year, ranging from modern country jackets to vintage motorcycle, military, workwear and fashion pieces.
What we do
Services can be combined according to the garment’s needs. Repairs and alterations form part of the complete cleaning and re-waxing process rather than being treated as unrelated work.
Inspection
The garment, lining, seams, fastenings, wear and previous treatments are assessed.
Specialist cleaning
The inside and outside are gently cleaned to remove dirt, organic odours and contamination where possible.
Repairs and alterations
Approved repair work is completed using suitable original, vintage or replacement materials.
Hand re-waxing
The selected wax finish is applied by hand and worked carefully into the cleaned garment.
Final preparation
The garment is checked, packed securely and returned ready to be worn again.
Restoration results and experience
Some garments arrive heavily soiled, mouldy, damaged or affected by years of poor storage. Results vary, but careful cleaning and restoration can return many previously unwearable jackets to regular use.
Brands and garments we regularly work with
Our promise—and realistic expectations
Restoration is about preserving the garment’s life and character. It is not about pretending that decades of wear never happened.
We aim to make it wearable again
Our long-standing objective is to return the garment clean, professionally re-waxed and usable, while retaining the age and history that make it yours.
We explain what cannot be guaranteed
Some permanent stains, fading, wear and colour changes may remain. Re-waxing improves water resistance, but no waxed-cotton garment can be guaranteed to become completely waterproof.
We do not waste money on unsuitable work
Where inspection shows that extensive repairs would not represent sensible value, we will advise you rather than carry out work that is beyond economical repair.
We treat every garment as an individual
Fabric, colour, age, previous treatment and damage all affect the final result. Photographs of another jacket cannot promise an identical outcome for yours.
Extending the useful life of waxed cotton
Better for the garment, your pocket and the resources already used
A well-made wax jacket may contain decades of use and personal history. Cleaning, repairing and re-waxing it can postpone replacement and keep the original fabric, fastenings and workmanship in use.
Donor garments that are too damaged to restore are not simply discarded. Useful fabric, linings, belts, buckles and trim are recovered and used to help other jackets continue their working lives.
Let us assess what can be done
Read the current information sheet, review the prices and include clear details of the garment, selected wax finish and any repairs or alterations required.