Ensure your waxed canvas dopp kit keeps looking great and lasts through all your adventures with this clean and care guide.
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What is Waxed Canvas How to Clean Waxed Canvas Why Use a Waxed Canvas Toiletry Bag |
What is Waxed Canvas
Waxed canvas fabric was originally developed and used amongst British sailors who relied on the strength and performance of the material for their sails. It has been around for hundreds of years in various uses but recently it has had a resurgence of popularity in consumer goods including bags, packs, and apparel.
The fabric is made from densely woven cotton that gets coated or saturated with wax. The wax provides a unique and natural water resistant barrier on the cotton that manufacturers and consumers are drawn to.
The fabric is extremely durable and outlasts many competing materials. This means its typically higher end products that are made from waxed canvas.
Besides the durability and water resistance, one of the largest draws are the great looks of the material. Not only does a product made from waxed canvas fabric look good to begin with but it actually gets better over time!
Much like a classic leather jacket, a waxed canvas dopp kit or bag will develop unique wrinkles and creases with use. These marks and creases blend into a wonderful patina over time ensuring your product is truly one of a kind.
How to Clean Waxed Canvas
Cleaning waxed canvas couldn't be simpler!
Depending on the product you receive, expect a break in period. If the product is shipped flat, a great way to get it looking sharp is applying heat from a standard hair dryer near the product’s surface. This will remove the wrinkles and creases that settled in during shipping.
If you get rain or water splatters on the bag you may notice some spotting. These can easily be removed with the same hair dryer process.
When it comes to cleaning the product, make sure you never use soap or detergent, and avoid dry cleaning. All it takes is a soft, damp cloth to spot clean waxed canvas and then leave it out to air dry.
It's not necessary, but to keep the bag looking its best and ensure you get the longest use out of it, you can re-apply the wax coating annually. There are plenty of waxes available for this purpose and the manufacturer of your product will likely recommend a specific one. The wax provides the water resistance and you’ll see splashes typically bead instead of getting absorbed. If you choose not to re-wax you will notice the product gets softer and less water resistant over time.
Why Use a Waxed Canvas Toiletry Bag
With so many different styles and materials of toiletry bags (or dopp kits as they’re also called), why would you want one made out of waxed canvas fabric?
Looks Good
A toiletry bag doesn’t typically come to mind when you think of ‘great looking travel gear’, but a waxed canvas toiletry bag can be a real head turner. If you value great looking gear, waxed canvas is the way to go.
Water Resistance
When your toiletry bag is sitting on the vanity it will inevitably succumb to some splashes. The unique properties of the waxed canvas help those splashes bead and roll off without soaking into the material. This keeps the bag looking great, helps it last longer, and protects the contents.
Ultra Durable
When your dopp kit is made from the same material sailors relied on for their sails, you know it's going to last through whatever you throw at it. The ultra durability of a waxed canvas toiletry bag will ensure it stays with you for years of travels and will outlast other fabric alternatives.
Contains Spills
Generally a waxed canvas dopp kit will have 2 layers, a heavy waxed canvas fabric on the outside and a softer canvas inner layer. Combined, these offer some serious spill containment. While they aren’t actually rated as waterproof, the nature of the material means there’s a good chance a leak will stay in the dopp kit and not spread through your suitcase.
Easy Maintenance
We already covered how to clean waxed canvas and it couldn't be simpler. A damp cloth to remove spots or a hair dryer to ease out wrinkles is all you need to keep your kit looking great.
Gets Better With Age
The unique scuffs, wrinkles, and creases that combine to create a weathered patina will turn your dopp kit into a one of a kind piece of travel gear. Just like a favorite leather jacket, a waxed canvas toiletry bag will break in with age and get better with use.
Convinced That you Need a Waxed Canvas Dopp Kit?
Check out the best toiletry bags and dopp kits in our packing accessories collection, including the top rated Fat Felt waxed canvas dopp kit.
