Store Winter Coats
A good winter coat is an investment — the kind of piece you expect to wear for a decade or more. Whether it is a Parajumpers down jacket, a Barbour wax cotton, a North Face insulated parka, or a Belstaff technical coat, the difference between a coat that looks new in year five and one that looks tired in year two is almost entirely down to how you store it between seasons.
This guide covers everything you need to do before and during storage: how to clean first, what to hang it on, how to protect against moths, what to do with down jackets specifically, how to handle waxed cotton, and the end-of-season checks that prevent small problems becoming expensive ones.
1 | Clean Before You Store — The Most Important Step
The single most important rule of coat storage: never put a coat away dirty. This is not about neatness — it is about preventing four specific types of long-term damage that are all caused or worsened by storing a coat with residual soil on it.
Moths Are Attracted to Soil
Moth larvae feed on natural protein fibres (wool, cashmere, down). Body oils, food residue, and sweat residue on a stored garment are powerful attractants. A clean coat is significantly less appealing to moths than a worn one.
Stains Set Permanently
A fresh stain from the season may be removable. The same stain left on a coat for six months in a warm wardrobe will oxidise, set into the fibre structure, and become far harder — sometimes impossible — to remove.
Mildew Risk
Storing a coat with moisture trapped in it — from sweat, damp, or rain — creates conditions for mildew. Mildew produces musty odours and can leave permanent marks on fabric. Air the coat thoroughly before storage.
Fabric Degradation
Body acids in sweat degrade natural fibres over time. A coat stored with residual sweat contamination will deteriorate faster than one stored clean, with the armpits, collar, and cuffs typically showing degradation first.
Pre-Storage Cleaning by Coat Type
- Wax cotton (Barbour) — Wipe clean with a damp cloth. Never dry clean or machine wash. Re-wax before storing (see Section 5).
- Down jacket (Parajumpers, TNF) — Follow specific down washing instructions. Dry completely before storing.
- Wool overcoat — Brush thoroughly with a clothes brush. Steam to refresh. Dry clean if visibly soiled.
- Technical shell (Belstaff, TNF) — Machine wash on a gentle cycle per care label. Tumble dry on low to reactivate DWR finish.
- Leather — Wipe with a damp cloth and condition with a leather conditioner before storing.
2 | Breathable Garment Bags — Not Plastic
A breathable garment bag is the best way to protect a stored coat from dust, light, and incidental contact damage. The critical word is breathable.
Why Plastic Bags Are Harmful for Long-Term Storage
Plastic dry-cleaning bags trap moisture and prevent air circulation. Over a storage period of several months, this creates a warm, slightly humid microclimate inside the bag — ideal conditions for mildew growth and for accelerating the degradation of natural fibres and leather. Plastic bags are fine for transporting a coat from the dry cleaner; they are not suitable for seasonal storage.
Use a breathable cotton or non-woven fabric garment bag instead. These allow air movement, prevent dust accumulation, and protect the outer surface from contact damage from neighbouring garments. A garment bag also keeps cedar blocks or lavender sachets close to the coat for moth protection.
What to Look for in a Garment Bag
- Cotton, non-woven fabric, or muslin material — not plastic or vinyl
- Full-length — covers the coat to the hem
- Zip or press-stud closure — prevents opening during storage
- Transparent window if available — allows coat identification without opening
3 | Hangers and Shoulder Support
The hanger you use matters more for heavy winter coats than for any other garment type. Winter outerwear — wool overcoats, padded parkas, wax jackets — is heavy. An inadequate hanger allows the coat to deform under its own weight over months of storage.
The Right Hanger for Winter Coats
- Use a wide, contoured wooden or padded hanger — the hanger should match the width of the coat's shoulders. A hanger that is too narrow creates pressure points that distort the shoulder seam over time.
- Never use wire hangers for coats — wire hangers are too narrow and too flexible. Under the weight of a winter coat, they will push through the shoulder seam, distorting the shape permanently.
- Padded hangers for wool coats — a padded hanger prevents the sharp edge of a wooden hanger from creating a crease line across the shoulder of a softer wool or cashmere coat.
- Ensure the coat hangs freely — do not jam coats together on a crowded rail. Sustained pressure from adjacent garments can cause creasing and flattening of the coat's surface material or pile.
Exception: Do Not Hang Down Jackets Long-Term
Down jackets should ideally be stored uncompressed but not necessarily hanging for extended periods — see the down-specific guidance in Section 5.
4 | Moth Protection During Storage
Moths are the primary biological threat to stored natural-fibre coats. Wool overcoats, down jackets, cashmere-blended outerwear, and even leather-trimmed coats can all suffer moth damage. Prevention is straightforward and cheap — the damage, if you miss it, can be irreversible.
Cedar Blocks
Place cedar blocks inside the garment bag or on the wardrobe rail near stored coats. The natural cedar oils repel moths. Replace or lightly sand annually to restore the scent as the oils evaporate over time.
Lavender Sachets
Dried lavender placed inside garment bags serves the same purpose as cedar — the scent deters moths naturally without any chemical risk. Replace sachets each season as the fragrance fades.
Sealed Storage
For maximum protection — particularly in homes that have experienced moth problems — store coats in sealed breathable bags (fabric vacuum bags allow some air movement while sealing against insects). Moths cannot damage what they cannot reach.
Regular Inspection
Check stored coats every two months. Early moth damage appears as small, irregular holes — typically in areas with food stains or sweat residue. Catching an infestation early saves the coat; missing it until retrieval in October can mean the coat is beyond saving.
5 | Coat-Specific Storage Rules
Different coat types have specific storage requirements beyond the general principles above. Here is what you need to know for the key coat types at OD's.
Down Jackets — Store Uncompressed
The Down Storage Rule
- Store down jackets in their full, lofted state — not stuffed into their own stuff sack
- Extended compression causes down clusters to lose their ability to re-loft fully
- Hang loosely on a wide hanger inside a breathable garment bag
- Alternatively, fold loosely and store in a breathable cotton bag or pillowcase — not a compression sack
- Ensure completely dry before storing — even slight residual moisture in down can cause mildew and permanent odour
Wax Cotton Jackets — Re-Wax Before Storing
Barbour and other wax cotton coats lose their protective wax finish gradually through wear, washing, and time. If you can see dry, cracked, or pale areas on the surface — or if the jacket no longer beads water — it needs re-waxing.
- Re-wax at the end of the season — before storage, not at the start of next season when you want to wear it.
- Use the brand's own wax product — Barbour Thornproof Dressing for Barbour jackets. Warm the tin in hot water to soften the wax before application.
- Apply with a cloth in circular motions — work the wax into the fabric evenly, paying particular attention to seams, collar, and cuffs where protection degrades fastest.
- Heat to set — a warm room or a brief period of low heat (a warm hair dryer at a safe distance) helps the wax penetrate the cotton weave.
- Store in a breathable bag — the wax will transfer to anything it is stored against. A dedicated garment bag prevents the coat's wax contaminating other stored items.
Wool Overcoats — Brush and Steam
Wool overcoats benefit from a thorough brushing with a quality clothes brush before storage — this removes surface lint, dust, and any loose debris that could attract moths. Steam with a hand steamer or hang in a steamy bathroom to refresh the fibre and allow any compression from wear to recover. Dry clean if visibly soiled before storing.
Technical Outerwear — Reactivate DWR
Technical shells and softshell jackets with a durable water repellent (DWR) finish benefit from a wash-and-tumble-dry cycle before storing. The tumble dryer heat reactivates the DWR chemistry, so the jacket goes into storage with its water-repellent performance restored rather than depleted — ready to perform from the first wear next season.
6 | Pre-Season Check — Before You Store
Before putting a coat away for the summer, spend five minutes on a quick inspection. Small problems that are easy to address now become difficult or expensive problems if left for six months.
- Check all zips — run each zip up and down. A zip that is slightly stiff or catching will not improve in storage. Apply a small amount of zip lubricant or wax to a zip that feels rough. A zip that fails completely will need repair before next season.
- Check all buttons — look for loose threads or buttons that are barely attached. Restitch any loose buttons before storage; a coat in storage will not fix a loose button, but six months later you may not notice until it falls off somewhere inconvenient.
- Check pockets — empty all pockets completely. Left contents can cause permanent indentation in the pocket lining. Check for forgotten receipts, tissues, or anything that could cause mildew (damp tissues, food).
- Check the lining — look for tears, loose seam allowances, or detached lining at the hem. Minor lining repairs are easy now and prevent more significant damage from developing during storage.
- Check collar and cuffs — these areas accumulate the most body oil and wear. If they look soiled, address before storage rather than after.
Shop Winter Coats at OD's
Every piece below is in stock at OD's Designer Clothing — authorised UK stockist.