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Nylon vs. Polyester

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Nylon and polyester are both synthetic fabrics, but nylon production is more
expensive, which results in a higher price for the consumer. Nylon also tends to
be more durable and weather-resistant, which is why it is more likely to be used
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Mattress
Nylon Polyester 6 L i Ti ht
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 Nylon Polyester 6. Leggings vs Tights

Chemical Name Polyamide Polyethylene Naphthalate

7. Quartz vs Granite
Manufacture Created as a liquid, mechanically Spun into thread from chemical
spun and dried into individual solution.
fibers.
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Uses More common to certain kinds of More widely used in all kinds of
apparel, including lingerie, tights, apparel. Carpets, drapes, and Edit or create new comparisons in
raincoats, and swimwear. bedding. Some industrial use. your area of expertise.
Carpets, drapes, and bedding.
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More wide range of industrial
uses.

Wearability Low moisture absorbency Wrinkle resistant

Durability Exceptionally strong, abrasion Strong, resistant to stretching and

resistant, resistant to damage shrinking, resistant to most
from oil and many chemicals. chemicals, crisp and resilient wet Crochet vs Knitting
or dry, abrasion resistant.

Flammability Melts then burns rapidly Melts and burns at same time

Environmental Most nylon made from Non-biodegradable, but can be

impact unavoidable oil refinery recycled - possible to purchase Leather vs
byproducts 100% recycled polyester Polyurethane

Comfort Light-weight, warm, smooth, soft, Quick drying, light-weight,

quick drying. smooth.

Fabric vs Leather

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 Styles Blouses, dresses, foundation Every form of clothing
garments, hosiery, lingerie,
underwear, raincoats, ski apparel,
windbreakers, swimwear, cycle
wear. Leather vs Leatherette

Appearance Lustrous, wide range of colors. Wide range of colors, slightly

slick.

Allergic reactions Possible, more likely caused by Possible, more likely caused by
finishing resins, fibers repel finishing resins, fibers repel
Eurotop Mattress vs
typical allergens. typical allergens.
Pillowtop Mattress
Maintenance Easy to wash, mildew resistant. Easily washed, mildew resistant.

Cleaning Easy to wash, mildew-resistant. Easy to wash, mildew-resistant.

Can be dried on low heat cycle, Can be dried on low heat cycle,
but must be removed as soon as but must be removed as soon as
finished. Can be ironed. Cannot finished. Can be ironed. Can Leggings vs Tights
be dry-cleaned. usually be dry-cleaned.

Materials Polyamide made from petroleum. Polymer production of coal, air,

water, petroleum products.

UV Resistance Somewhat Very

First Made First U.S. Commercial Nylon First U.S. Commercial Nylon
Fiber Production - 1939, DuPont Fiber Production – 1953, DuPont
Company Company

Worldwide Around 3.9 million metric tons, Around 21 million metric tons,
Production 11% of synthetic fiber production 58% of synthetic fiber production

Contents: Nylon vs Polyester

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 1 Fabric 3 Comfort

2 Use 3.1 Allergies

2.1 Apparel 4 Care

2.2 Polyester vs Nylon Carpets
5 Environmental Impact
2.3 Industrial Use
6 Manufacture
2.4 General Use
7 References

Fabric
Nylon is exceptionally strong, even stronger than polyester.

Nylon and polyester are both abrasion resistant and resistant to damage from most
chemicals. Nylon is also resistant to oil.

Both are flammable — nylon melts then burns rapidly; polyester has a higher
flammability temperature, but melts and burns at the same time.

They also tend to be wrinkle-resistant, polyester more so. It doesn't stretch of shrink,
and is a crisp, resilient fabric whether wet or dry.

Both nylon and polyester have a relatively low moisture absorbency, though nylon's is
lower.

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 Nylon is well-suited for umbrellas.

Use
Both nylon and polyester are used in a wide variety of items, from apparel, to home
furnishing, to consumer electronics, and much more.

Apparel
Polyester is more widely used in apparel, found in almost every form of clothing.
Typically nylon is only used for blouses, dresses, foundation garments, hosiery, lingerie,
tights, underwear, raincoats, ski apparel, windbreakers, swimwear and cycle wear.

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 Nylon tights (left) and polyester sarees (right).

Polyester vs Nylon Carpets

In the home, both nylon and polyester can be used for carpets, curtains, draperies,
bedspreads and upholstery. Polyester is also used for sheets, pillow cases and wall
coverings. The video below talks about nylon vs polyester carpets:

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 Watch later Share

Industrial Use
Nylon has a wider range of industrial uses including tire cord, hoses and conveyor
belts. Other uses for nylon include seat belts, parachutes, racket strings, ropes, nets,
sleeping bags, tarpaulins, tents, thread, mono-filament fishing line and dental floss.

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 Nylon fishing nets and rope.

Polyester is also used for some industrial purposes such as hoses, power belting, tire
cord and floppy disk liners. Polyester is used for ropes, nets, thread, auto upholstery,
sails and fiberfill for various products including pillows and furniture.

General Use
Both nylon and polyester can be used for bags and backpacks. Nylon is more durable
and weather-resistant, so it gets used for outerwear or outdoor gear. Polyester is better
for companies with intricate logos who want to use bags for branding purposes.

Comfort
Comfort wise, both nylon and polyester are light-weight, quick-drying and smooth.
Nylon tends to be warmer than polyester, and can often be more sweaty or cling more
to the body.

Allergies
Any fiber can cause allergic reactions. However, people tend to be more allergic to the
finishing resins used in synthetic fiber production to render them waterproof. As such,
neither nylon nor polyester is more allergy-inducing than the other. Concerning their

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 use in carpets and other home goods, since nylon and polyester are manufactured
fibers, they tend to repel typical allergens. This makes them more hypo-allergenic.

Care
Both nylon and polyester are easy to wash and are mildew resistant. Both can be
washed in a washing machine and dried on a low heat cycle. Articles made from nylon
or polyester should be removed from the dryer immediately. A warm iron can be used
on either nylon or polyester. Polyester generally can be dry-cleaned, depending on the
manufacturer's instructions. However, nylon cannot be dry-cleaned as the solvents melt
the material.

Environmental Impact
While neither nylon nor polyester is as green as natural fibers, they can both be made
with minimal environmental impact. Most nylon is made from the unavoidable
byproducts found at oil refineries. Polyester is non-biodegradable, but it can be
recycled. In fact, it is possible to purchase 100 percent recycled polyester fabric.

Manufacture
The chemical name for nylon is polyamide, and the chemical name for polyester is
polyethylene naphthalate. Both were first produced in the United States by the DuPont
Company, nylon in 1939 and polyester in 1953. Production for both starts from a
chemical liquid base that is spun and dried into fibers. Nylon is a polyamide made from
petroleum, while polyester consists of a polymer production of coal, air, water and
petroleum products.

Worldwide, polyester is manufactured more than nylon. Production of nylon comprises

11% of worldwide synthetic fiber production, or approximately 3.9 million metric tons.

Production of polyester comprises 58% of worldwide synthetic fiber production, or

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 approximately 21 million metric tons.

References
Fabric Identification - Fabrics.net
Nylon Fiber - Fiber Source
Polyester Fiber - Fiber Source
Carpet Fibers 101: Polyester - About.com Rugs and Carpets
Global Production of Manufactured Fiber - Fiber Source
What's the best carpet for allergies? - HowStuffWorks
Clothing Dermatitis and Clothing-Related Skin Conditions (PDF) - Washington State
Department of Labor and Industries

Related Comparisons

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 Crochet vs Knitting Leather vs Fabric vs Leather
Polyurethane

Leather vs Leatherette Eurotop Mattress vs Leggings vs Tights

Pillowtop Mattress

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