Claim
Waterproof and water-resistant
Used by nine of the 55 listings in this catalog
What it promises
Read plainly, the word promises that water will not get through the fabric. The narrower cousin, water-resistant, promises that some water will not get through some of the time. Neither word, on its own, says anything about where two panels are joined together, which is where water most often arrives.
Who measures it, and under what
Measurable, method unnamed
The property behind the word is measurable, and the measurement has a published home. AATCC publishes a hydrostatic pressure test method for water resistance and a spray test method for water repellency, both listed by name in its standard test methods and procedures. A hydrostatic figure describes the water pressure a fabric held before water passed through it, expressed as a height of water. One listing in this catalog prints such a figure, and it does not state which method produced it. Eight of the nine rain listings print a water word, and only that one prints any figure at all. This site did not find a published United States rule that defines the word waterproof for clothing, so it does not describe one.
What it does not promise
- It does not promise anything about seams. Two listings here state a seam treatment; the other seven state nothing about seams.
- It does not promise warmth of any kind, and none of these listings claims warmth.
- It does not promise a figure. Only one listing in this catalog prints one.
- It does not promise a method. None of these listings names the test behind its claim.
What a hydrostatic figure is, and what it is not
It is the result of pushing water against one face of a fabric under rising pressure and recording the point at which water comes through the other side. It describes cloth in a laboratory. It does not describe a finished garment with seams, a zip and a hood, and a listing that prints the number without the method has printed half of a fact.
The listing that never uses the word
One rain listing in this catalog never prints a water word at all. Instead it states heat-sealed seams and a quick-dry fabric. That is a narrower statement, and a more checkable one, than the word it left out.
Who says it
| Listing | Category | What that listing states |
|---|---|---|
| 33,000ft Women's Rain Jacket, Waterproof Packable | Raincoats | waterproof, lightweight, packable, unlined, fully seams taped, a foldable hood, four pockets and a weight of 0.55 lb |
| 33,000ft Packable Rain Jacket for Women, Waterproof | Raincoats | 10000mm H₂O, a mesh lining, underarm vents and an adjustable hood; it does not state the test method |
| LOMON Raincoat Women, Long Hooded Trench | Raincoats | waterproof, a lined construction, a hood and sizes S to XXL |
| Muzeca Women's Waterproof Raincoat, Lightweight | Raincoats | waterproof, lightweight, a hood and pockets for outdoor use |
| JMinger Women's Raincoat, Lightweight Waterproof | Raincoats | waterproof, packable, a hood and pockets for travel |
| LOMON Women Waterproof Hiking Raincoat, Lined | Raincoats | waterproof, a lined construction, a hood and lightweight fabric |
| FROGG TOGGS Ultra-Lite2 Waterproof Rain Poncho | Raincoats | waterproof, breathable, reusable, packable and describes it for men, women and kids — an adult catalog entry, and the mention of kids is not extended here |
| SaphiRose Adult Rain Poncho, Hooded with Zipper | Raincoats | OEKO-TEX certified 100% polyester, heat-sealed seams, a packable pouch and quick-dry fabric |
| Hooded Rain Poncho, Waterproof with Pocket | Raincoats | a waterproof hooded poncho with a pocket, described for women, men and adults |
nine listings, drawn from Raincoats.
One of the listings quoted above states an OEKO-TEX certification. That is a private certification program run by an association of testing institutes, with its own published criteria. It is not a government standard and it is not a fiber content disclosure. OEKO-TEX — STANDARD 100
Sources
- AATCC — Standard Test Methods and ProceduresThe published list of AATCC test methods, including the ultraviolet transmission method and the hydrostatic pressure method by name.
- Federal Trade Commission — Policy Statement Regarding Advertising SubstantiationThe FTC statement that an objective product claim has to have support behind it.
- Federal Trade Commission — Advertising FAQ’s: A Guide for Small BusinessPlain-language FTC guidance on what an advertising claim has to be able to back up.