I used a heavy canvas drop cloth for a jacket and it's a weird mix of tough and stiff

I had this idea for a workwear inspired piece, something super durable. I bought a 10 ounce canvas drop cloth from a hardware store, the kind I use on jobs. I figured it would be perfect for a chore coat. The sewing was a nightmare, broke two needles before I switched to a heavy duty one. The finished jacket is basically indestructible, but it feels like wearing cardboard. It doesn't drape at all, just hangs straight down. I learned that weight and weave matter way more than I thought for movement. Has anyone else tried a non-fabric material and found a way to get it to soften up or move better?

3 comments

3 Comments

christopherr951mo ago

Ever try washing it a bunch of times with some fabric softener? I did that with a super stiff denim and it helped a little. You could also try beating it up on purpose, like dragging it behind a car on a dirt road or something crazy. That canvas is meant to lay flat, so it's gonna fight you. Maybe try sanding the high-wear spots like the elbows and collar to force some breakdown.

william_rivera1mo ago

Man, my buddy did almost the exact same thing with a tarp for a vest. He wore that thing for a whole summer doing yard work, hiking, you name it. It never really got soft, but it did start to crease and fold at the elbows and shoulders just from moving. It's still stiff as a board everywhere else though. I guess that stuff is just meant to be tough, not comfortable. He ended up using it as a layer for really rough jobs where it didn't matter.

johnb9520d ago

Yeah, that "stiff as a board" part is dead on. I had a tarp jacket I tried to break in for months. Wore it on a bunch of camping trips, even slept in it once. The shoulders finally got a little give, but the back panel was like wearing cardboard. Ended up just using it as a knee pad when I was working on my car.