So what's the crack? Well, a bit like the gadgets in a Batman film, the Ion-Mask technology was originally developed for military means. Not only was it supposed to stop soldiers getting wet, but it was also designed to be a barrier to nasty stuff like nerve agents.

Now that the scientific elements have been sorted out, the process is apparently simple. Items go into the Ion-Mask chamber and are then subjected to a vaccuum. Plasma is activated in the machine, before a chemical is applied to the item. The plasma then allows the chemical to adhere to the surface of every fibre. The whole process takes around three minutes.

Dr Ian Robins from P2i Labs, which created the process, said it was "green" when compared to current methods of protecting and waterproofing clothes. Traditionally, they involve 100-degree processes, vats of chemicals that need to be disposed of and massive heat to run the thermal drying process. In comparison, the Ion-Mask chamber runs at room temperature, uses a tiny amount of chemicals and "uses less power than your electric iron at home."

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