Nylon vs. Polyester: Which is the Better Backpack Material?

Published August 29, 2023

Written by:

Fred Perrotta
Fred Perrotta
Fred Perrotta

Fred Perrotta is the co-founder and CEO of Tortuga. His first backpacking trip to Europe inspired him to start the...

Edited by:

Headshot of Jeremy Michael Cohen
Jeremy Michael Cohen
Headshot of Jeremy Michael Cohen

Jeremy Michael Cohen is a co-founder of Tortuga. He also works as a screenwriter and director. Aside from travel and...

Man walking down stairs wearing backpack

The Tortuga Promise

At Tortuga, our mission is to make travel easier. Our advice and recommendations are based on years of travel experience. We only recommend products that we use on our own travels.

Travelers often ask us if nylon or polyester is the better fabric for backpacks.

People wrongly assume that nylon is tough and durable while polyester is cheap and low-quality.

The short—but unsatisfying—answer is that both fabrics are perfectly suited to travel backpacks. We’ve used both in different products over the years.

The truth is that nylon and polyester are more similar than different. Both are lighter, stronger, and more durable than traditional fabrics like cotton or leather.

Other factors like fabric weight, quality, sustainability, or look and feel will determine which fabric is right for your gear. Let’s explore the similarities and differences between nylon and polyester in more depth.

Tortuga
Travel Backpacks
4.7

Bring everything you need without checking a bag.

Pros:
  • Carry-On-Sized
  • Easy to pack
  • Comfortable to carry
  • Built to last
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Nylon vs. Polyester

How Nylon and Polyester are Made

Polyester and nylon are both plastic compounds derived from petroleum. DuPont researchers created nylon in the 1930s. Polyester was created soon after.

Both fabrics are both stronger, lighter, and more durable than the natural materials they typically replace.

Polyester and nylon plastics are made into fabric in similar ways. Both start as small pellets about the size and color of uncooked white rice. Fabric mills stretch out the pellets and join them together to form long strands of fiber. The fibers are combined to make a thread. The thread is then woven or knit into large rolls of fabric. While the production details are slightly different, the process is similar for both polymers.

Similarities

Polyester and nylon are more similar than different. Both have a similar manufacturing process and both are:

  • Easy to care for
  • Wrinkle resistant
  • Mold, mildew, and stain resistant

Given all of the similarities, let’s start with the strengths of each fabric.

Nylon’s Strengths

Nylon is softer than polyester and typically has a shinier appearance.

Nylon is also stretchier than polyester which can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your use case. We’ll cover this in more depth in the next section on how each fabric reacts to water.

Lastly, nylon has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than polyester meaning that a nylon bag can often be stronger than a polyester one without being heavier. However, nylon isn’t always “stronger” than polyester.

Polyester’s Strengths

Polyester has a finer thread so it can be woven with a higher thread count without increasing the thickness of the fabric which can partially make up for the lower strength-to-weight ratio.

Polyester also is more abrasion resistant than nylon. A polyester backpack pills less so it looks newer longer than an equivalent nylon bag. Pilling can cause the nylon to fray at its edges which can reduce the strength of the seams where the fabric is joined together. This is important because, in most backpacks, a seam will rip before the fabric does.

Finally, polyester is more receptive to color dyes. Polyester holds color better and fades less than nylon when exposed to the sun’s UV rays. If you want a brightly colored or patterned bag, polyester is the best option.

polyester rain cu

Reactivity to Water

Fabric choice is important if you want a water-resistant backpack.

Nylon Absorbs Water

Nylon absorbs water and will stretch out.

To counter this problem, nylons typically have a durable, water-repellent (DWR) coating on the backside of the fabric. The DWR coating prevents water from soaking through the fabric, but the fabric itself can still absorb water. When this happens, your backpack can stretch out and feel heavier.

DWR coatings, lamination, and other waterproofing measures can overcome these issues in nylon. For example, our X-Pac VX21 waterproof sailcloth fabrics have an internal support structure to prevent stretching. The waterproof membrane—actually a 0.25mm polyester film—in the fabric prevents water from soaking through the bag. DWR coatings on the front and back layers prevent the fibers on either side from soaking up water.

Polyester Repels Water

Unlike nylon, polyester is hydrophobic: it repels water.

For this reason, a polyester bag won’t get heavier or stretch when exposed to moisture like a nylon backpack will. A polyester backpack will also dry faster than a nylon one because it absorbs less water.

Reactivity to water isn’t just an issue in the rain. Nylon can also expand in humid climates like Southeast Asia and contract in dry, desert climates.

setout daypack cu 1

Recycling Nylon and Polyester

Recycling Nylon

Nylon is harder to recycle than polyester. Recycling nylon is expensive and resource-intensive. Until recently, recycled nylon fabrics were rare.

Recycled nylon is usually made from pre-consumer recycled materials. Pre-consumer means that recycled nylons are made from factory waste, not trash that you put in the recycling bin.

Recycling Polyester

Polyester is easy and efficient to recycle. Recycled polyester can be made from post-consumer recycled materials like water bottles. As a result, a robust infrastructure exists to turn trash into premium, high-performance fabrics for bags, shoes, and clothing. Recycled polyester isn’t ubiquitous yet but is becoming the norm for clothing and bag companies seeking to reduce their environmental footprints.

Using recycled polyesters helps us limit our dependence on raw petroleum, reduce the trash in landfills, and cut down on toxic emissions created by the trash disposal process.

Tortuga didn’t start as a “green” brand, but we do value sustainability. The Outbreaker Collection has a recycled polyester lining. We plan to continue and expand our use of recycled and environmentally-friendly fabrics.

Is Nylon or Polyester Better?

Traditionally, nylon was used as a substitute for silk because of its soft, lustrous feel. Polyester found a natural home in outerwear due to its rough and tough nature. Over time, the differences between nylon and polyester have become less pronounced as researchers have developed new fabrics.

Nylon isn’t better than polyester. Polyester isn’t better than nylon. They have slight, but meaningful, differences that can make one better than the other in high-performance situations like sailboats racing in the America’s Cup (polyester) or incredibly thin stockings (nylon).

The choice between nylon and polyester for a travel backpack is an aesthetic and value choice, not a matter of performance.

Tortuga
Travel Backpacks
4.7

Bring everything you need without checking a bag.

Pros:
  • Carry-On-Sized
  • Easy to pack
  • Comfortable to carry
  • Built to last
Shop at Tortuga

FAQ

Is nylon the same as polyester?

No. The two fabrics have similar manufacturing processes and some similar qualities. However, they differ in their softness, shininess, strength-to-weight ratios, stretch, abrasion resistance, water absorption, and recyclability.

Does polyester stretch?

No, polyester does not stretch much and is less stretchy than nylon.

Does nylon stretch?

Yes, nylon can stretch and is stretchier than polyester.

Is nylon waterproof? Is nylon water-resistant?

No, nylon is hydrophilic and absorbs water.

Is polyester water-resistant?

Yes, polyester is hydrophobic and repels water.

Fred Perrotta

Fred Perrotta

Co-Founder, Tortuga

Fred Perrotta is the co-founder and CEO of Tortuga. His first backpacking trip to Europe inspired him to start the company. For over a decade, he’s traveled the world from his home base in the Bay Area while working remotely. When he’s on the road, Fred enjoys both walking and eating as much as possible.

Read more from Fred