Barbour launches "Wax for Life" station in Selfridges "Project Earth" area

Heritage British outerwear brand Barbour has launched a new permanent space called "Wax for Life" in Selfridges Oxford Street as part of the department store’s "Project Earth" initiative.

The new area features a dedicated re-waxing area, a customisation station, upcycled Barbour "Re-Loved" jackets and the latest premium Barbour Gold Standard line.

Located on the first floor in the menswear department, opposite the Brasserie of Light, the Wax for Life station aims to showcase the sustainable benefits of owning a Barbour wax jacket, giving customers the opportunity to “immerse themselves in a world of wax.”

It follows on from the successful partnership with Selfridges on the E-Defender, where Barbour designed and supplied the interior fabrics as part of the launch of the Project Earth initiative.

Paul Wilkinson, Global Marketing and Commercial Director, Barbour, said: “Our Wax for Life station in Selfridges is the first of its kind. It demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and the environment and we are delighted to be launching it in Selfridges as part of their Project Earth initiative which is all about encouraging people to shop more responsibly.

“With the growing understanding and interest in sustainability, we’ve recently seen a real boom in re-waxing by customers keen to extend the life of their wax jackets.”

Jack Cassidy, Head of Menswear at Selfridges, commented: “It’s so exciting to see a brand with a heritage as rich as Barbour take part in an initiative as transformational as Project Earth.

“Durability has always been at the heart of Barbour products, and the Wax for Life station is the perfect project for us to launch alongside Project Earth to enable Selfridges’ customers to breathe new life into their most loved Barbour jackets.”

Customers will be able to drop off their Barbour wax jackets to be re-waxed in a dedicated area. Through re-waxing, the colour of a classic Barbour jacket goes back to its original state and, with regular wear, the brand advises re-waxing once a year.

With the new customisation station, customers can have their Barbour jackets embroidered with their initials on the collar or pocket to make their jacket more personalised.

Barbour "Re-Loved" is the new upcycle jacket restoration programme, with Barbour wax jackets that have been returned to the company by customers who no longer have a need for them. They are laundered, repaired and restored in Barbour’s factory in South Shields in the North East of England, and then sold on to new customers to “continue the life and story of the jackets.”

There are three types of "Re-Loved" jackets available exclusively in Selfridges, including "Re-Loved Collectables" – a small number of wax jackets which are over 30 years old with either one or two Royal Warrants.

In 1974, Barbour received its first Royal Warrant from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and, in 1982, received its second from HM The Queen. Those with two Royal Warrants are particularly collectable as it was only five years from 1982 to 1987 before Barbour was awarded a third Royal Warrant from HRH The Prince of Wales.

Barbour Gold Standard is the new sub brand for AW20 – a collection of luxury premium outerwear inspired by the Barbour archives, dating back to 1910.