When the James Calder type of classic weatherproof clothing was first made around the year 1823, there was only one assured way of making certain that the garment lived up to its weatherproof name ...and that was with a surfeit of skill, patience and care.

Every seam was not only stitched, but also treated with a special rubber adhesive and finally taped to conform to the standards and requirements of a unique and specialised skill-the making of classically styled weatherproof clothes.

Mass production it certainly wasn't... but the results achieved were the kind of quality and reliability upon which the "Made in Britain" reputation was well and truly established and on which the discerning gentry of the day duly insisted upon for their weatherproofs, to be worn at the great County meetings, their field sport occasions and their journeys into town.

Today, in the computer-dominated 1980s-automation, mass production and a throw-away mentality has somewhat tarnished that old British-made quality mark yet in spite of all this "progress" we're happy to report that we're as "traditional" as ever. We still stubbornly insist on using only the finest cotton, woven to stringent specifications. We're still as meticulous as ever in the method used to apply a completely waterproof rubberised coating for our textured raincoats. Most of all, we're still fortunate enough to have the kind of British craftsmen whose skills, handed down for over a century and a half, ensure that every garment is individually made and finished by hand to provide superlative Town and Country clothing.

We may have made some concessions to progress in the way we have up-dated our styles and in the way we also now include garments made in more modern thermally insulated materials... but we still believe that once you've read through our brochure ­ you'll agree with us that James Calder quality is timeless!

James Calder is a division of Bel-Staff International Limited

From the brochure, undated.

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