Disease resistant clothing will become a requirement in the future, which is why we’re starting to work with copper now. It’s biostatic, so bacteria and other life forms can’t grow on it. It also has exceptional antimicrobial properties which means bacteria and viruses die when they make contact with it. The copper releases electrically charged ions which first make it difficult for a microbe to breathe, before punching holes in its outer membrane, moving in and completely wiping out its DNA, preventing it from developing any future resistance.

TURNING A THEORY INTO A JACKET

So as we enter a new era of disease on Earth, and we start to think about preventing Earth’s illnesses being carried up into space, we wanted to see whether it was actually possible to make clothing almost entirely out of copper – because you can’t wear a theory. The Full Metal Jacket is our first move into copper clothing and proof of its viability. It’s built from 65% copper and has over 11 kilometres of copper in every jacket. That’s enough copper to stretch from one side of NYC to the other and back, if you got bored one day.

HOW WE ACTUALLY MAKE A JACKET OUT OF METAL

There's a reason this is the first jacket to be built mostly from copper. And that's because the process of turning metal into a wearable fabric is highly complex. The first of the jacket's three layers is made from a lacquered copper yarn which is woven on rapier weaving looms before being scoured, heat-set, dyed and dried. This curing process alone takes six days. The lacquer is completely clear and acts as protection, so the colour of each jacket is the colour of the dyed copper beneath it.

WHAT THE JACKET LOOKS AND FEELS LIKE

The surface of the jacket looks computer generated when you're standing in front of it. And that's because the hundreds of thousands of moving copper parts warp and ripple like water. But while the jacket is made out of metal and looks like it's come from another planet, you wouldn't know it just by touching it. It's designed to be worn as your everyday jacket and it feels like one. The copper is soft and malleable. It's only under a microscope you can see the individual copper strands running through every jacket.

THE INSIDE IS BUILT FOR COMFORT

Once the metal face fabric and advanced membrane have been bonded together, a brushed backing is added on the inside of the jacket to make it soft. The high front collar comes with a fleece lined chinguard, and the side pockets are fleece lined too. The hood and hem both come with elasticated drawcord adjusters. The cuffs fasten tight with metal snap fasteners. And every panel of the jacket is laser cut before being stitched and bonded for waterproofness.

FOUR LARGE LAYERED FRONTPOCKETS

You'll find two large side pockets that are lined with fleece on the inside and fasten with waterproof zippers. Two giant bellows pockets are layered over these side pockets. The bellows pockets are protected by angled storm flaps and fasten with metal snap fasteners, and each is large enough to fit an iPad or tools.

THREE CHEST POCKETS

The jacket is fitted with a heavy-duty two-way waterproof metal front zipper.Either side of the zipper on the upper chest you'll find two concealed pockets.Both come with waterproof zipper entrances and are hidden behind storm flaps.The two pockets are large enough for your phone. And inside the jacket there'sa third, internal pocket on the right hand side.