Back on Earth – after 4 years of R&D – we’ve finally turned the same corrosion resistant, stainless steel, into lightweight and versatile clothing. The Steel Field Jacket is a two-layered jacket reinforced with 24% stainless steel. Malleable, strong and weather resistant, it comes with five utilitarian pockets, metal detailing, a soft and breathable lining on the inside.

Few pieces of clothing on Earth are more iconic than the field jacket. Designed as a lightweight, utilitarian solution for the battlefields of Europe and the Pacific during WWII, it evolved into the famous M-65 jacket in the jungles of Vietnam, before being reborn as a Hollywood icon on the backs of Pacino in Serpico, De Niro in Taxi Driver, and The Terminator. As one of the most versatile and functional jackets ever invented, it was the perfect template to help us turn steel into lightweight, wearable clothing.

The original M-65 field jackets came equipped with four functional pockets for storage – two chest pockets and two hip pockets. We’ve stayed true to that design, with two angled bellows pockets at the chest and two larger pockets lower down. All four pockets close securely with storm flaps and metal snap fasteners. You’ll also find an internal chest pocket designed to hold your phone or wallet.

Each jacket is lined with a lightweight material that combines cotton for softness and nylon for durability. The lining adds wind resistance while remaining breathable in the heat. And we’ve constructed it with an inverted pleat in the middle of your back for freedom of movement.

The jacket fastens down the centre with a heavy-duty metal zipper protected by a storm flap that closes with metal press studs made by Riri, the historic Italian manufacturer famous for its high-spec metal components. The cuffs tighten around your wrists with the same metal snaps and two tightness settings to choose from. 

Humans haven’t been wearing much steel since the last suits of armour a couple of centuries ago, and the reason is pretty straightforward. Turning metal into a soft material is incredibly difficult and takes more time and more money than it does to build a conventional fabric. Even after years of R&D, making the material is still a multi-week process. Our stainless steel is first stretched out into super thin strands by an advanced Italian facility to create steel yarn. The yarn is then woven with nylon on looms which have to be specially adjusted to accommodate the steel fibres.

To make regular steel you combine iron with carbon. Iron on its own is quite flexible as its atoms are able to slide around and slip out of place. But once the carbon atoms are added, they lock the iron atoms in position and stop them from dislocating under stress – and this is what makes steel so strong. We chose stainless steel because as well as high strength, it’s also known for exceptional corrosion resistance. And if you’re going to build a jacket out of metal the last thing you want is for it to rust.

Stainless steel is steel fused with a few other raw materials. Typically it’s made up of 10% to 30% chromium, which is the main element that makes it corrosion resistant. Corrosion happens when materials interact with water and oxygen, but the chromium in stainless steel creates a passive film that protects the metal from rusting when it’s exposed to weathering. It will even self-heal when it begins to oxidise. This is what makes stainless steel a perfect metal for building durable, weather resistant clothing. We’ve also treated the outside of the jacket with a water repellent coating so that light rain will roll off its surface.