My favorite sustainable raincoats for the Dutch summer

Do you love a summer storm? Fat slow drops of rain flood the summer day, cooling the air and cleaning off the dust. I love to be outside in the summer and I’m a sucker for a good summer storm: sheltering from the downpour in the dunes or in the closest tent at a music festival. I’m always on the lookout for a perfect summer raincoat. It has to be light, breathable and, of course, sustainable. Here are the two of my latest finds: the sustainable raincoats ByBrown.

THE RAINDRESS

Sustainable or not, a good summer raincoat has to do just 3 things:

1. Look pretty
2. It has to be made out of breathable fabric
3. It has to be easy to fold.

Photography by Victoria Ushkanova

Thisrain dress does exactly that and more. I love the minimalist aesthetic of The Raindress, it reminds me of a mix between a monk and a ninja. This raindress is actually designed for cycling in the rain, which is so so useful here in Holland.

The Raindress is made from Bluesign® industry approved technical material, which is 100% waterproof, 100% windproof and has a breathable membrane. The Bluesign® system is the solution for a sustainable textile production. It eliminates harmful substances right from the beginning of the manufacturing process and sets and controls standards for an environmentally friendly and safe production. This not only ensures that the final textile product meets very stringent consumer safety requirements worldwide but also provides confidence to the consumer to acquire a sustainable product.

The waterproof and breathable 2-layered fabric is a technology developed by SINGTEX. It works with a membrane, which allows the skin moisture to escape out of the fabric, butbut stops the rain entering at the same time. This, to me, is the best part of this raindress: it’s not only light & can also be snapped up into a bag in five steps and, most importantly, it’s made with breathable fabric, so it doesn’t get too hot and sweaty in the summer.

THE AQUA RAINCOAT – S CAFE FABRIC

This is a really cool coat. I love its architectural lines and how easy it is to combine this raincoat with most clothes in my wardrobe. The Aqua Raincoat is very light, has sealed seams and laser cut & bonded finishings. All the zips are waterproof.

The fabric is made using the Scafé technology, which is 16% recycled coffee grounds, 16% recycled polyester and 68% polyester with a 3-layer waterproof and breathable membrane construction. Ever imagine that the coffee we drink can be transformed into the apparels we wear? S. Café® technology, with a low-temperature, high-pressure and energy saving process, combines coffee grounds onto the yarn surface, changing the characteristics of the filament, and offers up to 200% faster drying time compared to cotton.Also, the micro-pores on S.Café® coffee grounds absorb odors and reflect UV rays. Perfect for a rainy festival!

Photography by Victoria Ushkanova

What is your favorite summer raincoat? If you haven’t got one yet, check out the sustainable raincoats on ByBrown site. You can get a 15% discount with the STYLEMEGREEN code till 15 of July!