Famous British generals, such as Lord Kitchener and Lord Baden-Powell preferred the lightweight cotton of trench coats to the heavier, rubberised Macintoshes they had been used to.

As Dr Cui explains in a recent issue of nano Letters, when the ink dries, the nanotubes bind to the mesh of fibres in the fabric (it works for both cotton and polyester), making it conductive.

Bunting: a light cotton or woolen cloth used for making flags.