How to Wax Your Own Clothing and Gear
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-wax-your-own-clothing-and-gear/
Before the development of synthetic fabrics with their built-in water-resistant properties, men had to waterproof their clothing and gear from without, using a variety of natural substances like grease, tannins, beeswax, soap, and tar. For obvious reasons, early mariners had the keenest interest in developing effective waterproofing methods. Sailors of the 16th century would apply grease and fish oils to their sailcloths, which would make them more efficient because they caught and “reflected” the wind versus just absorbing it. The mariners would then cut wind and waterproof capes for themselves from the remnants of the sails, creating garments that kept them from being soaked through as waves splashed over the deck [b]---CONTINUED at LINK, above---[/b]