Our Fabrics

PVC

All of our rainwear is made from PVC – polyvinyl chloride, which is a man-made fabric developed a hundred years ago. The process of making it includes a lot of science, but basically, it is made from oil and salt. The oil and salt mixture is applied onto knitted fabric – made from cotton, polyester or a cotton-poly blend. The thickness of the coating defines the weight of the fabric, which is measured per square metre. For example, our original heavyweight fabric weighs 530 grams per square metre and is thus termed “530-gram fabric”. PVC is known for being 100% waterproof but most importantly – for its durability and longevity, making it the perfect material for our raincoats and jackets.

Original Heavyweight, 530-gram

The original fabric weight, which all of our core styles, such as Stockholm and Mosebacke, are made of. This is our most sturdy and hard-wearing fabric, which you can rest assured will last a lifetime. Suitable all year round, it makes our raincoats true wardrobe staples. The very first STUTTERHEIM raincoats were produced in this weight and it’s the fabric and silhouette that propelled the brand onto the global fashion scene and made our rainwear iconic.

Heavy-midweight, 380-gram

This weight was developed to mimic the look and feel of our original 530-gram fabric but to better suit larger and longer garments such as Stockholm Long and Mosebacke Long. With the same sturdy and hard-wearing qualities, but slightly lighter in weight for ease of movement and comfort in a long raincoat. This fabric weight is suitable for year-round wear, making it an excellent choice for a long-term wardrobe investment.

Midweight, 280-gram

A lighter fabric weight, which still retains the hard-wearing quality of the heavier fabrics. The midweight fabric is perfect in spring and autumn – our trans-seasonal and more tailored styles such as Kista and Mayfair are made in this weight as it creates a lovely drape. We also use it as the shell fabric of our Winter coats, which are warm, padded raincoats.

Lightweight, 230-gram

The lightest of our fabric weights – it’s perfect in summer and warmer climates. This fabric was developed with portability in mind, meaning it folds up very small and is therefore easy to pack away and carry with you for days with unpredictable weather. Our Lightweight range, including Stockholm Lightweight, Mosebacke Lightweight and bottoms like Vasa trousers and Skivarp skirt are made in this airy and flowy weight.

Opal

Opal is the name we use for the shiny, high-gloss finish of our PVC fabrics. It’s available in the 530-, 380- and 280-gram fabric weights and includes many of our classic and most popular styles, such as Stockholm, Mosebacke, Kista, Mayfair, Svea Bag and more. Reminiscent of 1960’s vinyl coats, the glossy look of Opal will always be á la mode.

Matte

The Matte fabric finish is achieved using brushed PVC and has a matte texture, which gives it a suede-like look and feel – a characteristic which is unique within rainwear apparel – all while keeping you as dry as any other STUTTERHEIM raincoat would. Available in most of our regular styles, as well as lightweight coats, trench coats and bags.

150-gram technical insulator poly-filling

This material is made from polyester fibres and constitutes the padding of the warm raincoats in our Winter Collection. Poly-filling is more resistant to moisture than animal-derived products such as feather down and is therefore the perfect option for a padded raincoat – as it withstands both wet and cold.

Natural Rubber

We make our beloved rainboots Chelsea Rainwalkers in natural rubber. The material is derived from the sap of the rubber tree and is known for being waterproof and versatile – it moulds into shape with wear, forming exceptionally comfortable footwear.

Merino Wool

Merino is known to be the softest of all wool types and is much appreciated for its non-itchy quality. For our knitted garments, such as Original Sweater and our beanies and scarves, we use pure merino wool sourced in Italy. This natural fabric is not only soft but breathable and anti-bacterial – making it comfortable to wear and easy to care for.

Leather & Suede

Whenever we use leather or suede in our products, as with Patrol Boots, we use vegetable-tanned Italian leather of the finest quality. Vegetable-tanned means that the leather has been tanned with vegetable tannins rather than chemically processed. This makes for higher quality, longer-lasting material and the process is more environmentally friendly.

Cordura

Cordura is a woven fabric of synthetic fibres, known for being hard-wearing and durable. The Cordura used in our products, such as Patrol Boots, is made of nylon and resistant to water.

For information on how to care for the materials, see Care Instructions.