Barbour

Barbour is a British clothing company based in South Shields in the north-east of England. The Scotsman John Barbour founded it in 1894 to supply oilskins to sailors and fishermen. It is still a family business, now in its fifth generation, and best known for waxed cotton jackets such as the Bedale and the Beaufort, which the company says are still made by hand in its factory in Simonside, South Shields.

Features

• Waxed jackets and quilted coats, plus shirts, trousers, knitwear, footwear and accessories for men, women, children and dogs.
• Barbour International, a separate line built on the company's motorcycle clothing heritage since 1936.
• Wax for Life: re-waxing and repair of wax jackets, a quilt repair service (since 2024) and Re-Loved, where old jackets are taken back, restored and resold.
• Royal Warrants for waterproof and protective clothing, the most recent one granted by King Charles III in 2024.

Range and limits

Barbour is sold in more than 55 countries. Much of the range is countryside and city clothing rather than technical mountain gear, so it suits walks, shooting and everyday wear better than alpine tours. Only the traditional wax jackets are highlighted as hand-made in South Shields.