A comparative analysis of nylon and polyester in bag industry: advantages and disadvantages and application scenarios

一、Comparison of material properties

Peculiarity	Nylon	Polyester
Chemical composition	Polyamide（PA）	Polyethylene terephthalate（PET）
Intensity	High tensile strength, excellent wear resistance	Higher strength, but slightly lower than nylon
Weight	Higher density（1.14-1.15 g/cm³）	Lighter（1.38 g/cm³）
Hydroscopicity	Strong hygroscopicity (about 4%), easy to absorb water in humid environment	Good hydrophobicity (water absorption 0.4%), quick drying
Heat resistance	Melting point about 220°C, high temperature easy to soften	Melting point 260°C, better heat resistance
Ultraviolet resistance	Long time exposure to the sun is prone to yellowing and aging	Strong UV resistance
Environmental protection property	Recyclable but dependent on chemical technology	The technology of recycled polyester (rPET) is mature
Cost	High raw materials and processing costs	Low cost, suitable for mass production

二、Comparison of advantages and disadvantages

1. Nylon
   • Advantages：

• High strength and wear resistance：Suitable for high-load scenarios (such as hiking bags, military backpacks).
• Good flexibility：Soft fabric, fit the body or object shape.
• Tear resistance：The fiber has strong elasticity and is not easy to be pierced by sharp objects.
  • Shortcoming：
• Easy water absorption：Humid environments can add weight and breed mold.
• High cost：Raw materials and processing technology are complex, and the price is higher than that of polyester.
• Not UV resistant：Long-term outdoor use needs to add coating protection.

2. Polyester
   • Advantages：

• Lightweight：Reduce the weight of the bag, suitable for daily commuting or light travel bag.
• o Anti-wrinkle and form-preserving：Long-term use is not easy to deform, keep the bag clean appearance.
• Low cost：Suitable for mass market, cost-effective.
  • Disadvantages：
• Poor air permeability：Long time contact is hot, not suitable for close-fitting bags.
• Electrostatic adsorption：Dust is easily absorbed, and ESD treatment is required.
• Degradation difficulty：Traditional polyester relies on petrochemical raw materials, and environmental protection is controversial.

三、Application scenario analysis

1. Nylon application scenario
   • Outdoor sports bag：

• Hiking bag：Nylon’s high strength and tear resistance can handle rock friction and heavy loads (such asOsprey‘s nylon hiking bag).
• Diving bag/waterproof bag：Improve water resistance by using coating technologies such as TPU to compensate for water absorption defects.
  • High-end functional bags：
• Military/Tactical package：Extreme durability is required, such as the 11 Tacticalmilitary backpack.
• Suitcase：High-density nylon (such as Cordura®) is used in high-end impact-resistant housing (such as Tumi).

2. Polyester application scenario
   • Daily commute with light travel：

• Student backpack, commuter tote bag：Lightweight and low cost (such as Herschel‘s polyester backpack).
• Folding storage bag：Anti-wrinkle properties are easy to fold and carry.
  • Stylish and eco-friendly bags：
• Recycled polyester eco-friendly bag：Patagonia‘s rPET collection, for example, is both lightweight and sustainable.
• Imitation leather bag：Ultrafine polyester imitation leather (such as UltraSuede®) for affordable fashion handbags.
  • Short-term outdoor activities：
• Riding bag, picnic bag：A low cost waterproof coating is just what you need.

四、Selection suggestion

• Pursue durability and professionalism：Choose nylon (such as mountaineering, military, high-end travel scenarios).
• Focus on lightness and cost performance：Choose polyester (e.g. daily commute, fast fashion, short-term outdoors).
• Environmental requirements：Preferred recycled polyester (rPET) or biokinisaurus (such as Econyl®).

五、Future trend

• Nylon upgrade：Enhance environmental protection by adding carbon fiber for strength, or developing bio-Kinisaurus (such as castor oil extraction).
• Polyester innovation：Expand the high-end market by combining smart coatings (temperature control, self-cleaning) and modular design.
• Mixed materials：Nylon + polyester blends（such as Codura® NYCO）are a compromise that balances performance with cost.

Sum up

Nylon and polyester are irreplaceable in the bag industry: Nylon wins for performance, Suitable for extreme environment; Polyester is good at cost performance, Dominate the mass market.