Rainwear Fabric
Rainwear fabric needs to do more than resist water. Depending on the garment, weight, breathability, drape, hand feel, and surface appearance can all influence how the finished rain jacket, poncho, or shell performs and feels in use.
Yi Chun develops coated and functional polyester and nylon fabrics for rainwear applications, with waterproof, water-repellent, moisture-permeable, and PFAS-free finishing options available according to the required construction. Fabrics can also be developed around specific garment requirements rather than limited to a standard stock specification.
Waterproof Performance Is Only Part of the Rainwear Specification
Two rainwear fabrics can provide similar water resistance while creating very different finished garments. A lightweight packable shell may prioritize low weight and flexibility, while a rain coat or workwear garment may require a different balance of durability, structure, and surface feel.
Breathability is another consideration for garments intended for longer periods of wear. Where moisture permeability is required, the base fabric, coating or film, and target waterproof performance need to be considered as part of the same construction.
Hand feel and appearance also matter. The required fabric may be soft or structured, matte or more technical in appearance, depending on the garment design and target market. These requirements should be defined alongside functional performance rather than treated as finishing decisions after the fabric has already been selected.
Start With the Garment, Not Just the Water Column
Before selecting a construction, it helps to define how the rainwear will be used:
- Lightweight and Packable Rainwear: Weight, flexibility, and packability may be priorities alongside waterproof performance.
- Everyday Rain Jackets and Coats: Drape, hand feel, appearance, and weather protection need to work together.
- Ponchos and Protective Rainwear: Coverage, durability, waterproofing, and manufacturing requirements may lead to a different construction.
- Workwear and Outdoor Shells: Durability, breathability, and other functional requirements can be specified according to the intended environment.
Once the garment type and target characteristics are clear, the base fabric, coating or lamination, and finishing can be evaluated together.
Develop the Feel and Performance Together
Rainwear development can start from a target specification, an existing fabric sample, or the characteristics required for the finished garment. Instead of defining waterproof performance separately from appearance and feel, customers can provide both functional and design requirements as part of the same development brief.
Useful starting information may include:
- Garment type and intended use
- Target fabric weight
- Waterproof and breathability requirements
- Preferred hand feel and drape
- Surface appearance or texture
- Colour or printing requirements
- Water-repellent finishing requirements
- Seam taping or other assembly requirements
Yi Chun can then evaluate the base fabric, construction, coating, and functional finishing according to the project requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Custom coating, emboss, hand-feel and colour development are what we are set up for, and exclusivity terms can be agreed for a developed article. Tell us the target handle and price position and we will run a trial.
We supply the technical data and test reports your certification body or local representative needs. We do not act as an INMETRO representative ourselves — that role has to be held locally in Brazil.
1000M per color / specification. Development trials run below production MOQ so you can evaluate before committing.
Yes — TPU film lamination and breathable PU coating both give a waterproof-breathable construction. We will quote the water column and MVTR together, since raising one usually costs you the other.
Start With a Fabric Sample or Garment Requirement
Send Yi Chun an existing fabric sample, target specification, or description of how the finished rainwear should perform and feel. Include your waterproofing, breathability, weight, hand feel, appearance, and assembly requirements where available, so the appropriate fabric construction and finishing direction can be evaluated.
