subject: Reflective Tape - Glass Beads Vs Prism [print this page] The more modern style of waterproofing using chemical application began with Charles Macintosh, back in 1823. His method used rubber dissolved in coal-tar naphtha, which allowed him to cement more than one piece of fabric together.
Even today, almost 190 years later, the macintosh raincoat remains a popular innovation in technology that helped to pave the way to the technology we utilize today in the textiles and garment industry. From consumer wear to professional protective clothing we can thank Charles Macintosh for helping us stay dry.
The invention process was one of both deliberate and accidental discover. As chemists commonly experiment with various goods, Macintosh was attempted to find uses for the waste products of gasworks. During his experiment he discovered that coal-tar naphtha dissolved india rubber. Using wool cloth he painted one side with that dissolved rubber solution and placed another layer of wool on top of it.
While this initial test did not create a perfectly waterproof fabric it was, for all intents and purposes, very practical. The problems however were many. The fabric was easy to puncture, creating holes in the material where leaks could occur. Natural oils in the wool also caused the rubber cement to deteriorate. Worse still, the fabric became extremely stiff in cold weather and would become soft and sticky in hot weather.
Over the years we've encountered advances in technology that made it easy for us to improve on the original waterproofing created by Macintosh. A prime example is the invention and discover of vulcanized rubber in 1839. This variation in the rubber used made waterproof fabrics impervious to temperature changes.
Improvements in modern fabrics create little worry for leaks and deterioration however no matter the advance, every garment remains resistant to puncture. With clothing this can be a particular pain because hems must be sewn for maximum durability and strength. When needles pass through the garment you're left with a puncture leak at every thread point.
To answer this problem, seam sealing tape was invented. This seam sealing tape is used in modern garment production to create watertight seals where hems are created. In addition, the seam seal tap helps to create a tight, waterproof bond at the seams. This improves the strength and durability of the hem and stitching while maintaining the integrity of the garment against water intrusion.
Tape is applied in most facilities using seam seal taping machines which allows for rapid production. This process wasn't refined and utilized globally until the 80's. Not so long ago it wasn't uncommon to see rows and rows of factory workers and women manually painting and bonding seams together with solvents and bonding agents.
