Soaking my Irvin! See the result:

[John Lever]

Welcome to the club !
I did this to some sheepskin 10 years ago and sent it to Ken at Aero. He was amazed at how the skin had wrinkled and the wool had bobbled. We had planned to wash some skins and tumble them on hot before making a jacket, shame it never happened.
The only down side of washing a jacket is that the zip tape shrinks slightly causing a wave pattern. Pre- washing the skins would prevent this.

 

[rich]

It's an excellent technique John, but I'm glad I wasn't the first one to try it! You'd think that was a different jacket Soren, it looks so much better IMO. I've posted these before, but here's an ELC after the Lever method................

 

[flyboy]

I am SO glad I did this! Got a whole different jacket - and more true to the originals.
And a better fit as a bonus.

I can only recommend this treatment to all the fluffy Irvins out there - be it from ELC or Aero. Go do it!

@ John L.: Thanks again for all your advice and support. I have just mailed some pics to Amanda at Aero of my old and "new" jacket. They might rethink the hole process.

 

[Andrew]

I think the next natural step would be to wet it again and wear it till it dried! A little extreme but it'd help develop the arm creases

 

[flyboy]

I think the next natural step would be to wet it again and wear it till it dried! A little extreme but it'd help develop the arm creases

Sounds great, Andrew. I'll come down under to do that. Looks like the weather is nicer for that, down there.
Or I might just wear it while drinking a lot of beers - with both hands. :lol:

 

[Andrew]

Good one Soren :lol:

 

[John Lever]

You may not be ready for this and if you are feint hearted you may want to stop reading now ...
I have boil washed jackets, with interesting results. The materials go crazy and you can shrink them down about two sizes.

Before

After

 

[rich]

Excellent - if they were two different jackets on sale in the Eastman tent, I know which one I'd be buying...........
Interesting how the colour has shifted, for the better IMO.