Mackinaw fabric

What is Mackinaw fabric?

• The name Mackinaw most likely comes from the Straits of Mackinac, which are located in what is now the state of Michigan in the United States. 
• A strong, dense, and water-repellent woolen fabric, such as melton cloth, is referred to as mackinaw. 
• It was used in the production of a short coat with the same name, which often included a doubled shoulder.

History

• In 1811, John Askin, a fur trader who worked in the Upper Great Lakes, approached a group of Metis women and requested that they design and construct woolen coats for the army. These ladies gave birth to the Mackinaw jacket.
• The original intention was for all of them to be blue, but when this color ran out, they substituted red, and then they used the checkered fabric that has become synonymous with modern jackets.
• Askin was working to complete the terms of a contract that he had obtained from Captain Charles Roberts at Fort St. Joseph. Later on, American loggers in the northern section of the Midwest during the logging boom of the mid-19th century brought fame to these jackets by making them renowned.
• The phrase eventually became common parlance, and today, the "Mac" is widely recognized in Canada as a symbol of both national identity and the virtues of the working class.
• These kinds of coats have been seen in comedic sketches on Canadian television series including "Great White North" and "This Hour Has 22 Minutes."
• During the 1700s and 1800s, this region served as a significant commercial thoroughfare. It is said that the heavy woolen fabric that was traded through this region was referred to as Mackinaw cloth.

What makes it stand out

Application and Usage

Care Instructions

• Washing with soap and water will cause shrinking, even if it is air-dried afterward; thus, the only method that we suggest for this is dry cleaning.
• Due to the fact that the chemicals used in dry cleaning remove part of the lanolin from the wool, only the bare minimum should be done.

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