Our family run business specialises in agricultural products like fertiliser and animal feed. In addition to these, we have other goods available such as waterproofs and wellies. These are essential clothing items if you need to work in this area. With them, you can stay snug and dry during those long hours.

Selecting the ideal waterproof workwear for yourself is vital. There are many details you need to pay attention to. Examples are waterproof ratings, breathability, and technical terms. These will all help you to find the clothing that suits you the most. Therefore, you will have what you need for the working conditions and environments.

The world of ratings

How waterproof a piece of clothing is will come down to its rating. The greater it is, the longer your fabric will stay waterproof for. Every garment will vary, because clothes are made for different specifications.

A rating up to 2,000mm is water resistant and puts up with very light rain. Ratings of 2,000mm-5,000mm are waterproof so they can handle light to average rain. With 5,000mm-10,000mm ratings, they are very waterproof and help with moderate to heavy rain. For 10,000mm and above, these are highly waterproof and therefore work in heavy rain.

As for how waterproofs are tested, people tend to use a Hydrostatic Head test. In these tests, you put the fabric under a 1 inch diameter sealed tube of water. Afterwards, you observe for more than 24 hours. The intent is to determine how many millimetres of water the fabric can put up with before it soaks through. The degree at which water begins coming through the fabric is the hydrostatic head. You measure it in mm. To meet the British Standard, the fabric needs to get a result of over 1,500mm.

EN343

Next, we’ll talk about EN343. This is a classification for protective clothing. Thus, it tends to be used for workwear, with it being commonly supplied as an alternate rating for waterproof Hi-Vis clothing.

The EN343 European Standard for protective clothing classifies clothes that need to meet a minimal level of protection from wet weather in addition to the fabric employed. The amount of waterproofing gets measured with a hydrostatic pressure test. This consists of introducing an amount of water to the clothing under pressure. The water protection rating reveals the level of pressure it can put up with.

Garments get tests in two categories. Firstly, there is (X), the ability to protect against precipitation, fog, and humidity. Secondly, there is (Y), measuring breathability in the conditions of (X).

Both (X) and (Y) receive ratings out of three classifications from the greatest amount of protection to the lowest. With (X), the three ratings are minimum level of rain protection, intermediate, and the highest level. For (Y), it is not classified as breathable under EN343, intermediate level of breathability, and the highest level of breathability.

Water penetration testing

Water penetration gets tested both prior to and following pre-treatment. This includes washing, flexing, and abrasion. It makes the EN343 standard more difficult to obtain for waterproofs. This is if you compare to the normal waterproof testing with non-protective garments.

Measuring breathability

Breathability (Y) gets tested under ISO 11092. A skin model will replicate human skin and measure resistance to water vapour. Here you get a RET number (Resistance of Evaporation of a Textile). The smaller the RET rating, the better the breathability. So, the higher the clothes will score overall under EN343.

Conclusion

Breathable and waterproof workwear is necessary for many roles. It gives you protection against exterior elements whilst keeping you dry and comfortable. However, you need to ensure you invest in the right products. Make sure they will protect you in the conditions but still allow you to move freely and work safely.

Shop for quality waterproofs

At JS Hubbuck Ltd, we have several garments available to buy. They can keep the damp and wet away while you are working hard. Options include the Tempest jacket and Ridgeline Evolution Smock. We also have great products for activities like shooting, ensuring you can stay dry and safe.

So, if you’d like to shop with us for waterproofs or anything else, please get in touch. We can give you product details, size advice, pricing, and more.