Barbour is a well-loved English luxury brand known for its waxed cotton jackets. Founded in 1894 by John Barbour, this outstanding manufacturer has received the prestigious “Royal Stamp of Approval” by Queen Elizabeth.
Barbour’s top-selling products include waxed cotton jackets and quilted jackets, both designed to be durable and weatherproof but also comfortable and stylish. Perhaps you also noticed the cool sports jacket that James Bond wore in ‘Skyfall’?
Don’t miss this step-by-step guide on how to wax your Barbour jacket at home.
Fearne Cotton, Calista Flockhart, and Maisie Williams wearing Barbour jackets
Because of the brand’s popular products and reputation, counterfeiters have targeted Barbour and replicated both original and classic designs. The brand has been doing its best to fight the counterfeiting problems to protect its consumers.
Buying Barbour jackets from authorized retailers like Backcountry and Nordstrom is arguably the simplest way to ensure that you get the real thing.
You can double-check if an online store is an authorized retailer at the Barbour website. Additionally, suspicious websites can be reported. Avoid being scammed and do a little bit of research before that purchase. Here are some simple tips on how to spot a fake Barbour jacket.
1. Know the Jacket Styles
A lot of counterfeiters create fake products with styles that are not even on Barbour’s roster. Doing a little bit of research beforehand should help you avoid falling for this scam.
Visit the brand’s official website and browse the current jacket styles listed. Familiarize yourself with the different styles, including the popular classics and the newer, trendier releases.
Left: Men’s Barbour Liddesdale Quilted Jacket; Right: Women’s Barbour International Wax Jacket
2. Check the Buttons
The buttons of a Barbour jacket are embossed with the brand name, etched in a circular fashion on its outer edges.
Buttons should have the Barbour brand name or logo
Most counterfeiters won’t bother with this level of precision, and even the counterfeiters that do likely won’t pay close attention to detail. Inspect closely for misspellings, proper spacing, and font.
3. Check the Inner Tag
On the inside part of every Barbour coat and jacket, you should find a stitched label that displays the brand name and the “Royal Warrant,” which is given to businesses or brands that are used and trusted by the Royal Family.
This warrant showcases three golden royal stamps printed along with the Barbour label. The text printed on the label may vary, depending on the style of the product.
Make sure to check your Barbour jacket’s inner label
Typically, it shows the brand name, style name, size, and “Made in England” (for styles made locally). There is also another label found on the inner pocket that displays the care and maintenance tips for the jacket.
4. Check the Zipper and Other Hardware
Zippers and hardware of authentic Barbour jackets also have the brand name embossed on them. Aside from this detail, make sure to check the smoothness of the zipper by pulling it up and down.
Barbour’s high-quality zippers should glide very easily
High-quality zippers should glide very easily, while cheap zippers are hard and often get stuck.
5. Check the Stitched Brand Name
Most jacket styles have the brand name stitched somewhere near the pockets. The font used here should match the one on the label found on the inside of the jacket and the color of the stitched label should exactly match the color of the jacket’s fabric.
Authentic Barbour jackets with stitched brand names in pockets
High-quality stitching should be even, with proper spacing and no loose threads.
6. Check the Quality of the Fur
Barbour has several coat styles that feature faux fur for detailing. High-quality faux fur should look and feel almost real. Genuine Barbour jackets with fur have a thick and fluffy appearance that is soft to the touch.
Genuine Barbour jacket with faux fur trim
The color is not one dimensional but a mix of light and dark threads. Counterfeit items and knockoffs will often have faux fur that’s rough to the touch and do not have that natural, multicolor look.
7. Check the Overall Quality of the Jacket
Barbour is one of the leading makers of waxed cotton jackets. The brand’s products boast high-quality material and excellent craftsmanship. To ensure the durability of waxed jackets, makers like Barbour do double waterproofing.
The outsides have a waterproof coating and the threads used also receive the same treatment. This kind of technique ensures guaranteed protection and also long-lasting comfort.
Barbour jacket for women
Counterfeiters often use cheap materials during construction or skip the proper process of waxing the fabric. The results are weak jackets that are not completely waterproof and also feel too heavy when worn.
What is the classic Barbour jacket?
Barbour is famous for its classic wax jackets that are still manufactured by hand in its factory in South Shields, Tyne & Wear.
A nod to England’s nineteenth-century marine industry, according to Orvis, the terms “oilcloth” and “waxed cotton” are nowadays used interchangeably to describe the same material. The three most popular jacket styles are the Bedale, Beaufort, and Border.
The Bedale is a short equestrian style jacket, the Beaufort is a mid-length shooting jacket, and the Border style is the longest and its hem will usually fall just above the knee. Kate Middleton has been seen in the “Ashley” waxed cotton canvas jacket.
Which Barbour jackets are made in England?
While all waxed Barbour jackets are made in England, biker jackets and quilted jackets are made by third parties in the UK and overseas, mostly in Turkey, Portugal, and Bulgaria.
Know more about the product you are buying before you spend your money. Here’s a behind the scenes look at how some of the most popular styles of Barbour jackets are made.
Credit: WENN / Barbour