Gannex Raincoat

[starone]

I have a Gannex raincoat which I have probably had for about fifty years but never worn. So I recently decided I would wear it, (it looks quite good). it is raining here and I had to go to the dentist which is about half a mile either way (walking). By the time I got home I was absolutely soaking and had to change all my clothes. Far from being waterproof, which it is supposed to be, it let every drop through. My question is, is it likely that it has lost its waterproofness throughout the years, although not used, or maybe because of not being used, and does anyone know if it can be re-waterproofed? That's two questions! Is the Gannex company still existant? (3) I rather like it and am disappointed that I am not going to be able to wear it in the rain. Thanks for any suggestions.

[heathfield]

Gannex raincoats need regular re-proofing. Nikwax Cotton Proofer gets some good reports. Dilute with water and swab it all over the coat.

[hellywelly4]

Sorry, but I do wonder why you would keep clothes for 50 years? xx

[heathfield]

Eventually, they come back into fashion, Helly!

[mikey4444]

I seem to remember that these coats were a great favourite of old Harold Wilson ! Congratulations by the way, on keeping the moths out for 50 years.

[starone]

Hellywelly - sentimental value, my husband bought it for me, and also it cost a lot of money. £120 in those days don't know how much that would be now but it was a lot then! I never wore it because it reached to my ankles and also I was mostly under cover (in a car). I had it altered to just below my knees and thought that would be it. Didn't realise it would have to be reproofed, but am certainly going to try now that heathfield has told me what to do.

[starone]

Forgot to say thanks for anyone who has taken an interest. It is the sort of fashion which never goes out of fashion, if you know what I mean!

[BlueToffee]

Ah yes mikey, Gannex raincoat and pipe, I remember it well!

[Zacs-Master]

Star A simple Purchasing Power Calculator would say the relative value is £2,062.00. This answer is obtained by multiplying £120.00 by the percentage increase in the RPI from 1963 to 2011.

[Svejk]

You're in posh company, Star;
///worn by world leaders such as Lyndon Johnson, Mao Zedong, and Nikita Khrushchev, as well as by Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the royal corgis.///

[starone]

The Royal Corgis! Wow!

[Peter Pedant]

heavily linked with Harold Wilson - a notoriously devious prime mininster - and one of his louche chums Lord Kagan, ennobled and imprisoned.
Yeah one of those.

He went bankrupt and I am not sure about the firm - see wiki

[Peter Pedant]

You're in posh company, Star;
///worn by world leaders such as Lyndon Johnson, Mao Zedong, and Nikita Khrushchev, as well as by Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the royal corgis.///

but they kinda left when Ld Kagan went into chokey
as the great and good tend to do

[jomifl]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Ladies-Gannex-3-4-length-coat-/251376126099?

Anything like this?

[jomifl]

PP /a notoriously devious prime mininster /
yup that's the one. You could tell when he was lying on his cozy TV broadcasts because he uaually averted his 'frank' gaze from the camera when he did so. Modern politicians still do it.