Luggage Terms Glossary

Soft-sided and Semi Soft-sided Luggage

Denier

When shopping for soft or semi-soft shelled luggage sets, the word “denier” frequently appears. Denier is a measurement for the weight of the fiber used in the luggage fabric. A high denier count means a thicker material, and a lower one means a finer and thinner material. Generally, a higher denier means a higher quality and more durable luggage set, so consider looking for a set with a minimum of 600 denier.

Nylon

Nylon fabric combines high-level durability, strength, and weather-resistance into a material ideal for protecting luggage sets from scuffs, rips, and other abuse. It is sold in a variety of denier, including fabrics with variations in weave, strength, and impact-resistance such as ballistic and ripstop. The synthetic threads weave together to form a strong, yet visually appealing, smooth surface. Nylon offers a higher resistance to abrasion and impact than polyester, but also has more elasticity (which means more of tendency to stretch), and costs more.

Ballistic nylon

Developed with the intention of repelling bullets and protecting soldiers at war, ballistic nylon exists today wherever people need durability – particularly in sporting gear and travel equipment, including luggage sets. Extremely strong and lightweight, ballistic nylon consists of nylon threads in a basket weave pattern, bringing a high level of puncture and tear resistance to your bags. Because the yarn is made of continuous fibers twisted together, ballistic nylon is smooth to the touch for a sophisticated, fashion-forward appearance.

Bags made of ballistic nylon are considered high quality, with the strength to withstand any beatings your luggage set might encounter. One of the strongest soft luggage fabrics on the market, it is more tear-resistant than polyester or even ripstop nylon, but also more expensive. A heavy synthetic fabric, it is difficult to dye, and is usually found in black or other darker colors. This type of material, because of its price and strength, might best suit the constant traveler whose often-used luggage takes a beating, although it appeals to anyone in need of long-lasting quality.

Ripstop Nylon

Ripstop nylon, much as its name suggests, prevents ripping and tearing of your luggage set through its close weave, interspersed with strong nylon yarns placed at intervals through other materials. This box-shaped pattern means even if your bag punctures during travel, the fabric prevents holes from spreading into larger tears. Ripstop nylon is lightweight, weatherproof, and abrasion-resistant, making it an excellent choice for lengthy or frequent travels. It comes in a range of deniers and colors, and tends to run at more expensive prices than most polyester materials. Similar to ballistic nylon, this material is perfect for those seeking durability and long-lasting protection in exchange for a higher investment.

Polyester

A versatile thermoplastic commonly used in luggage sets, polyester combines lightness and resilience with stain and weather resistance. Frequently used in clothing, sporting materials, and as padding or reinforcement material, the woven threads create an easy-to-clean, smooth texture. Polyester has less elasticity than nylon, quickly springing back into shape if pulled. While this means the material is more likely to hold its shape against stretching, and may last longer than some types of nylon where pulling may be the biggest issue, the material is generally less resilient to tears or abrasions. Polyester luggage carries a reasonable cost, and provides excellent travel pieces without high-end prices. For those looking to save on cost but still in need of a quality material, or for travelers who fly less frequently, a polyester luggage set makes an ideal choice.

Patterns

Dobby

Elegant dobby fabric stands out because of its small, intricate geometric pattern, created with a special dobby attachment that attaches to a loom. The patterns can range from simple to complicated, but tend to be cheaper and simpler to make than jacquard.

Jacquard

A jacquard fabric incorporates an intricate pattern into its weave, and frequently finds a place on sophisticated and decorative-looking luggage sets. Jacquard also refers to the specific loom attachment used to create these detailed fabrics.

Hard-sided Luggage

ABS

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (or ABS for short) frequently combines with other materials to bring strength and durability to many brands of luggage sets. A synthetic plastic material easily molded into hard-sided luggage, it is usually added to other materials such as polycarbonate, creating strong shells designed to protect their contents. On its own, ABS is cheaper than polycarbonate, although polycarbonate offers higher-level strength, heat and impact resistance (in terms of impact resistance, ABS tops only PVC.) When looking for luggage, consider purchasing ABS in combination with another, stronger material for long-lasting support.

EVA

EVA (Ethylene vinyl acetate) is a softer, flexible type of thermoplastic usually combined with other materials to reinforce hard or soft-shelled luggage sets. It is typically used in soft plastic goods such as sports and shoe padding, and as a replacement for many traditionally rubber items such as hoses (the texture is similar to rubber, but without the odor.) Cheap and easy to mold, EVA is best considered as a reinforcement material in your luggage set.

Polycarbonate

For the benefits of hard-sided luggage sets with as little extra weight as possible, you may want to explore lightweight materials such as polycarbonate. A molded type of thermoplastic, polycarbonate is durable, lightweight, and extremely impact-resistant – the material, although not soft-sided, flexes upon impact, making it resilient to potential rough handling. Tough and nearly impossible to break or shatter, polycarbonate appears in items such as CDs, eyeglasses, sports materials, and even bulletproof glass. While more expensive than other plastics such as ABS or PVC and slightly heavier than polypropylene, polycarbonate offers the highest level of impact strength with lightness, keeping the contents of your luggage safe under any circumstances. It is an ideal choice for frequent travelers who need a higher level of protection, particularly if they are transporting easily breakable items.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene, the lightest of all thermoplastic products, preceded polycarbonate as a material for hard-sided suitcases. Molded into coverings for hard-sided luggage sets, the material is very resilient and offers extra protection for your belongings. Despite being lighter, it is topped in impact-resistance by polycarbonate (but continues to surpass ABS or PVC.) It tends to fall into a more expensive price range than either ABS or PVC, and makes an excellent purchase for those who want the protection of hard-sided luggage in an extremely light form.

PVC

A lighter, more flexible type of moldable plastic, PVC is a resilient material frequently used to reinforce luggage sets. It offers less impact resistance than ABS, polycarbonate, or polypropylene, although it has the benefit of cheaper prices. Because of its higher levels of flexibility and elasticity, it effectively combines with other materials such as polypropylene or polycarbonate for support in hard-sided luggage sets.

Wheels

Inline

A more traditional take on wheeled luggage sets are two inline wheels that travel only forwards or backwards. Although they may be less maneuverable than the spinner sets, these wheels drastically increase the ease of luggage transport, and have simplified the lives of travelers worldwide.

Spinners

A spinner set uses four wheels, one at each corner of the bottom of your bag, which help to evenly distribute the weight of your luggage. The wheels can “spin” in any direction, maximizing maneuverability and allowing you to easily squeeze through tight spaces or aisles. Luggage with spinner wheels might roll both tilted like regular inline wheeled luggage or pulled using a handle or leash.

Duffel Bag

Duffel bags come in a variety of sizes, from carry-on to larger. They are cylindrical shaped and usually have straps for over-the-shoulder carrying, but some more recent versions also feature wheels. Duffels commonly accompany luggage sets as accessory pieces.

Garment Bag

Travelers with special pieces of clothing, such as a nice suit, find a perfect solution in a garment bag. The long, durable bag covers and protects your articles of clothing and prevents wrinkles during a long flight. Once at your hotel a garment bag should fold open and hang in the closet keeping clothes protected from damage and wrinkles.

Rolling uprights come in a variety of sizes and <luggage materials>, from carry-ons to 30” pieces. Also referred to as wheeled luggage, they travel upright, or vertically as you pull them by handle behind you. These bags represent the type of primary luggage used by most travelers.

Expandable

Typically a variety of rolling upright, these softsided framed luggage sets come with bonus material behind an additional zipper constructed so that when the traveler needs a little larger suitcase rather than just that little extra stretch the packer merely unzips to access the expansion area and suddenly gains 1 to 3 inches of new packing room.

Toiletry Kit

A toiletry kit is a small bag, usually divided into compartments, designed to hold personal or necessary items during your flight or vacation like grooming supplies. Many zip shut or fold over onto themselves, making them small, compact, and perfect for carrying to any location.

Tote Bag

A tote bag usually resembles a large purse with straps for carrying over your shoulder, and frequently comes as an accessory piece to luggage sets. Tote bags are usually the perfect size to use as carry-on or personal items.