Economic Botany Collections

Waterproof coat made of paper

This oiled paper coat is waterproof. Several paper items in the Parkes collection, including sandal covers and a coat, were oiled by their makers in order to make them resistant to the rain. Imagine what happens to a normal piece of paper when it gets wet. That the Japanese developed a technique to make waterproof clothing out of paper is remarkable. It is said that these items even resemble leather in appearance.

Back to Paper