Impregnole any info?

[Hoboken Frank]

Hey all. I recently purchased a frogskin camo hunting jacket with a 1943 impregnole waterproof tag on it. Anyone know anything about this product.

 

[PilotJens]

Interesting.
We have a brand impregnol in Germany which is a waterproofing spray for shoes and garments

 

[Will Zach]

Looks like a liquid wax formula for treating fabrics. Not much info out there, other than contained wax and zirconium.

 

[Will Zach]

Interesting.
We have a brand impregnol in Germany which is a waterproofing spray for shoes and garments

Being a chemist, and having worked for Sun Chemical in NJ many years ago, I did some digging. It looks like this is the same, German Impregnol(e). The technology owners (Chemisch Fabrik Pfersee) did a joint venture and brought the brand to the US in 1929, and sold it to Sun Chemical in 1946. Prior to, and during WWII, Ernest Nathan, owner of the business, saved 50 European Jews from Holocaust by sponsoring them for admission to the US. Sun Chemical divested the business 15 years later. In any case, for OP it is important that it is a wax compound, and the jacket can probably be re-waxed if needed. We need some pics of the jacket, @Hoboken Frank !!!

 

[Hoboken Frank]

Wow!!! Thanks all for the input. Yes it had a tag dating 1943 on that coat. I just thought about the chemical makeup as well being an issue. I didn’t think that jacket it date back that day as well.

 

[Will Zach]

To be sure, 1943 is the copyright date for the name Impregnole, not jacket mfg date. Your jacket is probably from between 1946, when Sun Chemical bought the Impregnole business, and 1961, when they sold it.

Regarding chemical composition of the coating, I would not worry, it is some liquid wax formula, probably with a zirconium compund to anchor the wax to the cotton fibers for durability.